Events at the end of Term

The last few weeks of the Michaelmas Term were busy as always with the Department working flat out right up to the start of the holidays.

The 2nd of December saw the VCYM Concert marking the end of term for the Vaughan's junior music school. The sixty or so boys who attend each performed a short solo and the concert closed with some lovely singing from all, skillfully led by Miss Rozario.

The following evening we held a Junior Concert for the main School with the younger pupils performing in various ensembles and also some strong solo playing.

On Friday 6 December the Vaughan held its annual party for local senior citizens and the Schola trebles followed by the Big Band once again provided the entertainment.

This weekend was memorable however as it saw the publication in The Financial Times of a carol newly composed by Fifth Form pupil Thomas Fetherstonhaugh. The carol had previously been recorded and filmed by the Schola and the video appeared on the Financial Times website - it can be seen HERE.

The Financial Times printed Tom's Carol in full in the newspaper as well as advertising the event all across the country, including on the giant screens in Westfield!

The following Monday (9 December) Thomas appeared on BBC Radio 3's flagship programme In Tune to discuss his carol with presenter Sean Rafferty. A recording of the Schola singing the carol was played, as was a track from the Schola's latest CD. Sean Rafferty was fulsome in his praise of Tom, his carol and 'the impressive Schola Cantorum', describing the Vaughan's music department as a 'template' that might be copied by other Schools!

The weekend whilst the Schola was attracting attention in the national press we were also singing at what appears on the surface perhaps the least glamorous of all our annual commitments but one that I have long felt is the most important and worthwhile - providing music for the Sunday morning Mass at Nazareth House in Hammersmith. Nazareth House is a hospital run by the Sisters of Nazareth and the Schola has sung there every Advent for the past twenty years. This year the Schola sang music by Elgar and Palestrina and gave a short recital of carols at the end of the Mass. As always the nuns were most grateful and treated the boys and parents to tea and mince pies after the Mass.

Tuesday 10 December saw the Vaughan's annual concert with the Belgravia Chamber Orchestra which this year was of music by Haydn and Mozart. The concert was once again held in the wonderful surroundings of St James's, Spanish Place (pictured below prior to the start of the rehearsal).

Haydn's 'Nelson' Mass was the main work on the programme, in which the choir was joined by four Old Vaughanian soloists, Maud Millar, Daniel Laking, Peter Davoren and Jerome Knox, all of who sang quite beautifully. The Mozart in the concert was the Violin Concerto in G major performed with great confidence and musicianship by Thomas Fetherstonhaugh. Although it was a disappointment that many of the older pupils felt unable to perform in the concert due to the bringing forward of exams this was nonetheless a very pleasing evening of relaxed and enjoyable music-making.

With the Nelson Mass duly dispatched that only left Carols! The boys were busy, though not as busy as in previous years which was a welcome relief. The trebles sang at a Carol Service for the Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea on Monday 16 December and of course were out in force at the Dorchester Hotel for the traditional singing for tea. This picture shows the Dorchester's ten foot tall gingerbread model of itself that sits in the reception during Christmas (this year complete with cars!).

The Vaughan Carol Service itself was held once again at St James's, Spanish Place and as last year saw the church filled to capacity for what has become for many the start of their Christmas. The Schola sang carols by four living composers including Thomas Fetherstonghaugh's What Child is This?, Lux Arumque by Eric Whitacre, The Word Made Flesh by Philip Wilby and also the first performance of a carol commissioned by the Schola for the service, Dormi Iesu! by Matthew Martin. More familiar carols such as O Holy Night and the Angel Gabriel also made appearances - and also my favourite this year, the Sans Day Carol (in the arrangement by Rutter). There was some splendid singing from the Schola whilst the brass led the excellent congregational singing with great gusto.

The following day, the final day of a long term, saw Carols Services for both Lower and Upper School. Sixth Form Choir led the Upper School service, one that will be remembered best for the unfortunate fact that the organ broke in the final verse of O Come all Ye Faithful! The pupils continued singing undaunted however, descants included! The Lower School service had the Sinfonietta, larger than ever and enjoying the new space on the revamped New Hall stage, crashing its way headlong through ten or so carols! Much fun had by all!!

And so ended a long and rewarding term. Well done to everyone - time for a break before the challenges of the New Year - 2014, the School's 100th!

Events over the past few weeks

The past few weeks since half-term have been very busy in the Music Department. As well as the classroom lessons taking place each day and the constant flow of instrumental and singing lessons and rehearsals there have been a number of concerts and services.

On the first day back after half-term some of the Schola appeared at a packed Royal Festival Hall (pictured below) singing for a concert in aid of the Homeless Charity, The Passage. The event raised £130,000 for this very worthwhile cause.

Three boys have been busy all this month appearing in The Magic Flute at English National Opera in the new production by Simon McBurney. They have drawn much attention in the national press reviews, not least for their extraordinary costume and makeup!

A Piano Recital on 13 November offered the opportunity for some of our keyboard students to perform. 

Friday 15 November and Saturday 16 November were two of the busiest days the Department has probably ever known! First thing Friday the Schola sang the Duruflé Requiem at the annual Remembrance Mass. That same morning the choir then was filmed singing a Christmas Carol composed by one of the boys for the Financial Times Christmas Magazine. Further details to follow. 

Later that Friday the Schola traveled to Ealing Abbey where, alongside Ealing Abbey Choir, the choir gave a concert of Marian Music and the Duruflé Requiem. This was a wonderful occasion and we were very pleased to be invited to perform in this wonderful abbey and alongside their excellent choir. The photo below was taken during the rehearsal and shows Christopher Eastwood, Director of Music at Ealing Abbey, working with the choirs. 

The following day the Schola traveled to Douai Abbey to give a concert in aid of Help for Children, a concert that works with young people all around the world. This concert was given in return for the Abbey allowing the Schola to record the new CD there in June this year. The programme included the Duruflé again plus a programe of English music by Byrd, Britten, Tallis, Walton and Elgar. As an encore the choir sang Mother of God, Here We Stand by John Tavener who had passed away earlier that week. It was a moving and memorable occasion with some very fine singing from the choir. The picture below shows the trebles gathering to sing the concert.

The Saturday work was not finished though as back in London the Big Band were gathering to perform at the Vaughan's Foundation Dinner. Some of us rushed back to town to perform there, finishing at just after Midnight!

The following week sat the School's annual Concert in Honour of St Cecilia. As always, this drew a very large audience to St Paul's Church, Hammersmith for a varied programme of music. Around 175 pupils took part in the concert which included music by Haydn, Mozart, Copland, Sparkes, Chilcott and Schubert. A highlight was the performance of the G Major Violin Concerto by Thomas Fetherstonhaugh in the Fifth Form. Also very fine was the performance by Senior Strings of the first movement of Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings. 

 The following day, Friday 22 November, was the 100th anniversary of Benjamin Britten's birth and to mark the occasion the entire First Form, joined by two local primary Schools, St Mary's and Larmenier and Sacred Heart from Brook Green, performed the composer's Friday Afternoon Songs, as part of a worldwide celebration that saw more than 100,000 children doing the same thing. 

 

The weekend of 23 November saw the Schola begin its annual ritual of singing Carols at the Dorchester Hotel. Late on the Sunday evening one boy also sang for a recording session at Air Studios, singing music by Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe. 

Speech Day on 28 November saw the Chamber Orchestra perform Handel's The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba and Schola sing Britten's A Hymn of St Columba. On Saturday 30 November the Schola returned to Westminster Cathedral for the final time this year, singing music by Byrd and Palestrina. 

Quite a busy few weeks!! Now, what's next......?