Private School News

LANCING COLLEGE MARKS THE CENTENARY OF THE BIRTH OF SIR PETER PEARS

A major celebration of one of our finest tenors on Tuesday 22 June with
Nick Prettejohn, Chairman of the Britten-Pears Foundation as guest speaker

“Lancing was a very heaven: the beauty of its site, the country around, the Downs in all their glory and this marvellous chapel and an atmosphere which was filled with art – the arts – and love”. – Peter Pears

Sir Peter Pears was educated at Lancing and sang in the choir here. He remained devoted to the school throughout his life, and a great supporter of its musical tradition. Pears and Benjamin Britten were regular visitors to the College, which a number of OLs (former pupils) remember vividly. Through Pears’s influence, Britten was commissioned to compose the Saint Nicolas Cantata for the centenary of the College.

At the celebration on Tuesday 22 June, guests included former pupils, some of whom are now professional musicians, and former winners of the College’s Sir Peter Pears Music Prize, such as His Honour Judge Peter Birts, who won the first award in 1964.

A service in the famous Chapel at 12 noon featured Lancing’s celebrated choir, and performances of sacred and secular music, sung by the school’s Music Scholars. Lancing’s Director of Chapel Music, Neil Cox, conducted Britten’s Te Deum and Jubilate in C, and God moves in a mysterious way from Saint Nicolas.

At the beginning of the service a single white rose was placed on Pears’ choir seat which bears the inscription “Hic olim sederat Peter Pears princeps cantatorum” (Here, once upon a time sat Peter Pears, a prince among singers). College Registrar, Jeremy Tomlinson who remembers meeting Pears during one of his last visits to the Chapel, spoke of the great influence that Lancing had had on the singer’s life. He quoted Peter Pears’ own words: “Lancing was a very heaven: the beauty of its site, the country around, the Downs in all their glory and this marvellous chapel and an atmosphere which was filled with art – the arts – and love”.

In his speech after lunch, Nick Prettejohn, Chairman of the Britten-Pears Foundation, addressed guests, staff and pupils. He was delighted to have been invited to Lancing and was enormously impressed with the quality of singing by the choir of Lancing College Chapel and its former pupils. He spoke of the wonderful legacy of Britten and Pears and how the Foundation is proud to be the custodian of such a national treasure. The Foundation is used for research purposes by people all over the world and continues to fund talented musicians of the future.

Lancing College Music Scholars sang a very moving selection of Britten’s folk songs to round off the occasion accompanied on the piano by Adrian West, a piano teacher at Lancing, an old boy of the school and a former winner of the Pears Music Prize.

KINGS SCHOOL ELY – NEW GIRL CHORISTERS ADMITTED TO CATHEDRAL FOUNDATION

Watched by families and friends, five pupils of the King’s School Ely have been formally admitted as members of Ely Cathedral Girls’ Choir and welcomed as the newest members of the Cathedral Foundation.

The five, Oona Gradwell, Georgia Schneider, Anna-Rose Sliwinski, Anna Hamilton and Emma Jones were presented to the Dean, the Very Rev Dr Michael Chandler, by the director of the Girls’ Choir, Louise Reid.

The Girls’ Choir was established in September 2006 following the appointment in 2004 of musician, Sue Freestone, as the first female head of King’s, East Anglia’s oldest independent boarding school.
Girl choristers, aged 13-18, are all boarding pupils in the Senior School. The school funds the girls’ choral bursaries and all associated staffing costs so there is no drain on the cathedral’s resources.

Photo: The Dean, the Very Rev Dr Michael Chandler, and the Head of the King’s School Ely, Mrs Sue Freestone, with from left, Oona Gradwell, Georgia Schneider, Anna-Rose Sliwinski, Girls’ Choir Director Louise Reid, Anna Hamilton and Emma Jones

Grade 8 music success for ST SWITHUN’S SCHOOL pupil!

Daisy Gibbs, a pupil at St Swithun’s School, Winchester, has passed Grade 8 on both viola and piano with distinction in addition to gaining distinction in Grade 6 Theory. Not content with this, Daisy also entered a national music essay competition run by Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge and was awarded a Commended Certificate.

To achieve all of this whilst also preparing for her AS level exams was tremendous effort by Daisy who, in her own words, had this to say “There are very few places where the music teachers use their free time to let pupils have umpteen extra lessons and rehearsals, and are always willing to talk to you when you begin to have serious second thoughts about what you’ve let yourself in for. St Swithun’s is definitely one of those places.”

BEDFORD MODERN JUNIOR SCHOOL YEAR 5 PUPILS ENJOY DJEMBE DRUM WORKSHOP

Bedford Modern Junior School Year 5 pupils took part in an exciting Djembe Drum Workshop on Wednesday 9th June. The workshop was held in the Christopher Fry Hall under the expert guidance of Chris Puleston.

Chris Puleston has been playing drums and percussion for over 45 years. He has played in over 30 musical projects and bands in genres as diverse as jazz, rock, progressive, blues, classical, experimental and world music.

He sings and plays a diverse array of instruments including guitar, zither, tamboura, kalimba, tabla, djembe, didgeridoo, flutes, balafon, darabuka, various tuned percussion instruments and drum kit. The interactive Djembe Drum Workshop at Bedford Modern Junior School enabled pupils to try something they would not normally have an opportunity to do, whilst also having fun. Chris frequently leads drum, percussion and didgeridoo workshops around the country.

The Djembe, that originates from West Africa, is a skin-covered hand-drum shaped like a large goblet that literally means “everyone come together”. The Year 5 pupils also had an opportunity to try their hand at playing the Didgeridoo, which is a wind instrument of the indigenous Australians usually made from hardwood such as eucalyptus.

Hazel Farrow, Bedford Modern Junior School Music Teacher said: “We’ve always been inspired by Chris’ fresh and down-to-earth approach. He communicates directly with the musician in each and every one of us.”

Photo: Some of the Year 5 pupils taking part in the Djembe Drum Workshop

Former KING’S SCHOOL Ely Cathedral chorister gains diploma

Former Ely Cathedral chorister Luke Cunnah is in final sixth form year at the King’s School Ely but already he has letters after his name and the right to wear an academic hood and gown.

The 18-year-old is a talented flautist and passed his grade 8 flute exams while he was studying for GCSE.

Now, in the midst of A-level exams, he has heard he has been successful at diploma level – something usually achieved after the first year of study at university.

Luke was awarded his diploma by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and is now entitled to write Dip ABRSM after his name.

Fellow sixth former and flautist Charlotte Sivier was also awarded a recital diploma by Trinity College London and is entitled to write Dip ATCL after her name.

Luke is head of King’s Barbers, the close harmony group of ex-choristers, and is taking music, chemistry and biology at A-level. He plans a gap year before going to university.

Charlotte, who head of King’s Concert Band, is also taking music as well as drama and dance at A-level. She has a place on an executive PA course in Oxford.

Photo: Charlotte Sivier

STONYHURST COLLEGE production – Daisy pulls it off!

A jolly good audience had a ripping time watching a workshop production of the play ‘Daisy pulls it off!’ by Denise Deegan, at Stonyhurst College. Daisy Meredith, the plucky scholarship gal at Grangewood School for Young Ladies, was played by Madeleine O’Dwyer and Trixie Martin, her good-egg friend, was played by Mary Flanagan, both in Year 9 at Stonyhurst. Between them they overcame the wealthier pupils’ rotten pranks, found missing treasure and Daisy’s long-lost father. Spiffing!

Photo: the cast of ‘Daisy pulls it off!’ In the front row are, second from left, Madeleine O’Dwyer (Daisy), and Mary Flanagan (Trixie) centre.

RYDAL PENRHOS SCHOOL SUCCESS AT THE CHESTER DRAMA FESTIVAL

27 Speech and Drama students from Rydal Penrhos School went recently to perform at Chester Drama Festival, which was held at Queen’s Park High School, Chester.

The standard was exceptionally high with schools from around the region battling for places. Rydal Penrhos pupils had to compete with schools including: Moreton Hall, Howell’s, Wrekin, Queen’s and The King’s School.

The pupils all performed exceptionally well, had great fun and showed a strong team spirit. They almost without exception were commended or received merits or 1st prizes. Mention should be given to Will Lunt who won first prize in both the solo drama and the solo Shakespeare categories, both very competitive and hard fought for sections.

“We have such a rich history of drama in the school starting in 1887 right through to the present day and we teach it as a subject in the school at GCSE level and A Level.” Says Director of Drama Mr Dennis Lavin.

Indeed Rydal Penrhos has had pupils who go onto perform everywhere from the West End to the Festival fringes and from the Royal Court to the Rovers Return, William Roache is just one of the old boys who has made a career in acting. Pupils such as Matt Gosart, Laurie Brumitt, Andrew McDonald, Alex Bickerton, Lucy Xie, Alannah Jack and Imogen Long who all went on at the Drama festival to win First prize for their devised drama are part of this history.

Two key members of the drama department at Rydal Penrhos, Christina Bloomfield and Gemma Campbell who both have a wealth of experience and knowledge of the acting world accompanied all the pupils to Chester where they were adjudicated by either examiners from leading Drama schools or recognisable faces from screen or stage and they gave very constructive criticism and advice on how to improve pieces for the LAMDA examinations in June. Younger pupils were also involved from years 7 and 8 and 1st prizes won by John Marston for poetry recital, Scarlett Salisbury and Anjalina Mitra for improvisation.

“We teach acting and stage management, set building and sound, lighting and costumes, everything in fact needed for a great performance. Not every student wants to be in the spotlight but their contribution is equally as important,” Leah Cunnah, English and drama teacher at the school goes on to say.

All the pupils did extremely well and enjoyed their chance in the spotlight and now look forward to the visit of one of the schools famous dramatic former pupils Duncan Kenworthy, OBE who following Christ College Cambridge, where he achieved a first class degree in English went on to become a producer starting on programmes such as Sesame street and Fraggle Rock in America. Following this he moved on to work on three of the most successful British films ever ‘Four weddings and a Funeral’, ‘Love Actually’ and ‘Notting Hill’.” Duncan is returning to the school on May 29th for the Anniversary Celebration week, when the school is celebrating its founding 130 years ago in 1880 to be the guest speaker at the School Speech Day and Prize Giving.

BEDFORD MODERN SCHOOL HEAD BOY OFFERED PLACE AT BIRMINGHAM CONSERVATOIRE TO STUDY MUSIC COMPOSITION

Bedford Modern School Head Boy and Year 13 student, Segun Akinola, has been offered a place at the Birmingham Conservatoire to read music composition. The Birmingham Conservatoire is an international conservatoire that is a full faculty of Birmingham City University and a major concert venue based in the heart of the city centre.

Having obtained 10 GCSEs, Segun is currently studying for his English Literature and Language, Economics and Music A Levels. “I joined Bedford Modern School in September 2003 and have had a passion for music since playing the piano at the age of five. I began drum kit lessons at BMS when I joined the School in Year 7,” said Segun.

Segun, who has a Distinction in Grade 8 Drum Kit, has also played in the School Concert, Jazz and Dance Bands, as well as the School Orchestra, and was one of ten national finalists who competed in the 2009 Young Drummer of the Year Competition. Earlier this year, Segun won the School Prize for Composition at the Senior Music Prizes.

“The music technology facilities at Bedford Modern School are second to none and I would encourage younger pupils at the School to get behind an instrument and be creative. The difference between BMS and many other schools is that BMS uses industry standard music software. By this I mean software that is used by top recording artists such as Lily Allen and The Killers,” said Segun.

Segun is looking forward to taking up his place in September. “I will be studying Music Composition with a view to being a film composer. After watching the Transformers film, I was attracted to the music and this encouraged me to investigate film music and film composers, eventually sparking an interest in classical orchestral music.”

The Music Composition course will last for four years and is very much a practical course. “I intend to obtain experience in writing for different ensembles, different styles, and have the opportunity to experiment with manipulating different ensembles to create different effects, ultimately writing music for Hollywood films,” added Segun.

“I have been very proud to serve as Head Boy at Bedford Modern School and my time at the School has been filled with numerous opportunities. I can honestly say that at BMS students can try everything and will be supported by staff in whatever choices they make,” said Segun.

John Mower, Director of Music at BMS said: “Segun has made a huge contribution to the life of the School and I know he will enjoy his time at the Birmingham Conservatoire.”

Photo: Bedford Modern School’s Head Boy, Segun Akinola

RGS WORCESTER – Springfield wins through to next round in Choir of the Year

A Worcester primary school choir has battled through the Regional Heats of BBC Radio 3s Choir of the Year competition to qualify for the next round.

RGS Springfield, which is situated in Britannia Square in the city, won through following auditions at the Warwick Arts Centre. They were entered in the children’s round and were competing against other local choirs.

The singers performed Pirate for a Day, Go Down Moses, and Chang McTang McQuarter Cat. The judges said that: “Springfield sang with great enthusiasm and their ensemble work was very tidy!”

The Springfield choir is made up of girls and boys aged 7-11 and they had been practising for the event for many weeks. After the competition, all of the pupils took part in a workshop put on by the Warwick Arts Centre.

“I’m really proud of all the children, “ said Liz McCabe music teacher at Springfield. “They have rehearsed with so much eagerness, so I’m delighted that it has all paid off. The day was very exciting for them and we’re looking forward to the next round now.”

Trinity Guildhall exams are an outstanding success for King’s Bruton pupils.

On Friday 14th May 22 King’s Bruton pupils took part in 7 different categories of the Trinity Guildhall performance examinations, including Group Drama, Performing Text and, as a new discipline this year, Shakespeare. 50% of those students gained Distinctions, with UCAS points achieved for candidates in both 4th form and Lower Sixth. The range of material chosen and presented by the students included extracts from plays by Shaw, Sophocles and South African playwright Athol Fugard, a sonnet by the 16th century poet Michael Drayton, and an extract from President Obama’s Inauguration Speech.

The performances also involved required students to incorporate various skills such as commedia dell’Arte, improvisation, and showing their thorough knowledge of the text by answering questions in role. Congratulations to all involved.

STONYHURST COLLEGE students give striking performance of ‘The Little Matchstick Girl’

A theatrical performance devised and performed entirely by sixth form students has just been presented at Stonyhurst College. A level Theatre Studies students performed an adaptation of ‘The Little Matchstick Girl’ for their practical exam, for which the group also wrote and composed songs which were performed live throughout the piece.It was a highly engaging and moving performance, showcasing the students’ many and diverse talents to an appreciative audience.

Photo: Conal Mackenzie, 18, from Blackburn and Helena Bold-Davies, 17, from St Albans who has just gained a place at the National Youth Theatre.

Talented students win National Youth Theatre places

Three Stonyhurst students have been awarded places at the National Youth Theatre. Catriona Graffius, Jordan Riley and Helena Bold-Davies are all sixth formers at Stonyhurst College, taking Theatre Studies A Level. “Competition for places with the NYT is very high,” said Stonyhurst Head of Drama, Miss Johanna Egar, “so they have done really well to get in.”
Stonyhurst has an excellent track record for getting students into the National Youth Theatre, with 12 places being awarded over the past 6 consecutive years.

Photo: left to right: Catriona Graffius, Jordan Riley and Helena Bold-Davies.

Young Musican from CHRIST COLLEGE lands lead role in WNO MAX production.

Jonathan in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’
Christ College Young Musician of the Year, Jonathan Robinson, has been cast as the lead role of Count Heinrich in the forthcoming production by WNO MAX of Judith Weir’s opera The Black Spider, directed by Rhian Hutchings. Invited to audition for the role after having participated in workshops run by the WNO, Jonathan will now have the chance to perform in front of the composer in July.

Christ College’s Director of Music, Richard West, commented, “This is a very fine achievement; it will be a fantastic opportunity for Jonathan to experience authentic operatic rehearsal processes and be a part of such an exciting venture.”

The opera is a work that incorporates both horror and comedy. Count Heinrich has ordered the people in his village to move the trees nearer to his estate in order to provide a shady walk for him on a sunny day. However, this task is not easy and the villagers obviously struggle!

Following this order, a mysterious being in the form of a green man appears and offers to move the trees in exchange for a young lady from the village that he will make his wife. A young, feisty villager named Christina steps up and offers her hand but, as she is set to marry a fellow villager (Carl), she has no intention of going through with the marriage to the green man.

The green man is fully aware of her deceit and kisses her hand. The consequences include the birth of the black spider out of Christina’s hand and the villagers’ attempt to kill the spider that is causing ill health and death and the demise of the village.

MALVERN ST JAMES SCHOOL – National Youth Theatre Success

Congratulations to Elizabeth Lewis (Year 13) and Jodie Coates (Year 10) who successfully auditioned in Birmingham during the Easter holidays for the National Youth Theatre. Over 4000 students competed for places in 34 audition centres throughout the UK. Jodie and Elizabeth performed a workshop based audition as well as an individual audition.
They will both be heading off this summer for two weeks in London, where they will take part in the highly prestigious National Youth Theatre acting course. During that time, up to thirty young people on each course improvise, devise and perform under the guidance of a professional director and specialist tutors, developing an understanding of performance and learning skills and disciplines which will serve them in the future. The courses culminate in a performance which is presented to other course members.Having completed the course, as National Youth Theatre members, the girls will be invited to audition for National Youth Theatre productions in subsequent years until they reach the upper age limit.

Founded in 1956, by Michael Croft, National Youth Theatre is described as ‘Europe’s foremost youth theatre’ and has gained a reputation for excellence and dynamism.
The girls will be joining an impressive list of former National Youth Theatre members which includes many well-established names in British theatre, film and television. Alumni include Dame Helen Mirren, Sir Derek Jacobi, Kate Adie, Daniel Day-Lewis, Ben Kingsley, and more recently, David Walliams, Matt Lucas, Catherine Tate and Orlando Bloom.

Mrs Fisher, Head of Drama, said, ‘The auditions were nerve racking for both girls, with a four hour drama workshop in the morning, followed by performance of an audition piece to one of the workshop directors in the afternoon. This is an exceptional achievement’.

Well done to both drama students.

Caterham Students Win Another Award at The Leatherhead Drama Festival

Drama students from Caterham School performed at the 2010 Leatherhead Drama Festival in May and were delighted to collect the Richard Houghton Award for Outstanding Contribution. The award, which was for the opening sequence; the visual effect, movement and make-up, was presented to the Sixth Form students by Sir Michael Caine CBE at the Awards night on Saturday 15th May.

The play that they performed was “Silent Scream” which was written and devised by the students for their A-Level Drama and Theatre Studies coursework. They were naturally delighted that their work was also nominated for the “New Writing” Award.

The students who performed were Rebecca Ward, Hannah Spence, Anjali Bhat, Emma O’Brien and Imogen Ware.

The Leatherhead Drama Festival is the largest of its kind in the UK and takes place at Leatherhead Theatre over two weeks with three different groups performing each night.

Head of Drama at Caterham, Lisa McMullin said, “I am absolutely delighted with the students’ achievement. This is the second year running that this group of students has returned from the festival with an award and all credit goes to them for their commitment and creativity in producing a piece of innovative theatre.”

Famous Cathedral Choir give concert at Stonyhurst College

One of the world’s most highly acclaimed choirs gave a concert at Stonyhurst College. London’s Westminster Cathedral Choir made its second visit to the Ribble Valley College and sang to a capacity audience drawn from all over the North West in Stonyhurst’s St Peter’s Church.
The programme began with choral music for Lent, then Easter, and finished with music for St George, including music by Palestrina, Taverner, the contemporary composer James MacMillan and Elgar’s Give unto the Lord. The conductor was Martin Baker and the organist was Edward Tambling.
Before the concert, the choristers, aged between 7 and 12, had a wonderful time exploring the banks of the River Hodder, playing tennis and filling their lungs with fresh Lancashire air!

Photo: The Westminster Cathedral Choir in full voice at Stonyhurst.

Music (and breakfast) for a May morning at Stonyhurst College

Choral music and croissants made a fine start to the May bank holiday at Stonyhurst College in Lancashire and a large audience gathered for an 8am start in the ‘Top Ref.’ Schola Cantorum sang a varied programme, which included Benedictus from Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man Mass, Faure’s Cantique de Jean Racine, concluding with a very lively version of Hail Holy Queen from the film Sister Act!

Photo: Yoann Belon (16, from Isle of Wight) conducts Faure’s Cantique de Jean Racine.

PRINCE CASPIAN

Last week children in Years 3, 4 and 8 at Farlington School performed in an impressive operatic production of Prince Caspian by CS Lewis, commissioned by Opera Brava. What made this such an extraordinary event was the fact that until one week before, none of the participants had seen a script or heard any music – they literally started from scratch on Monday morning. With rehearsals all day, every day during that week (with time out to make masks and costumes), it was full-steam ahead to learn script, songs and choreography under the expert tuition of the Opera Brava team, ably aided by members of the Prep School Staff and the Maintenance team.

The final performance was staged on Friday afternoon, during which members of the audience were immediately set to work to learn a song so that they could be part of King Miraz’s nasty army. Three Opera Brava artists took the parts of the Narrator (Amanda Buckland), King Miraz (Daniel Meades), and Aslan (Geoffrey Moses) and the performance started with Peter (Amy Rowlinson), Susan (Amy Milne), Edmund (Abbey Marsden) and Lucy (Olivia Middleton) on the train on the way back to school. The train was evoked very strongly with the whole company spreading into the audience down the aisles singing “Chugga Chugga WooWoo”.

What was so impressive was the way all the girls coped with the variety of songs and techniques. Many girls had solo lines to sing, and their confidence and ability was quite remarkable.

Opera Brava is to be congratulated for its obvious dedication, talent, organisation, professionalism and enthusiasm which resulted in such a wonderful experience on the Friday. The production was also very rewarding in that it provided girls from the Prep School and Senior School with a unique opportunity to work together and get to know each other until, by the end of the week, the whole company was working as a team.

For many of the girls this was their first taste of opera and they are extremely lucky to have had such an amazing opportunity to work with such professionals. It is a memory that they will cherish for many years to come.

BEDFORD MODERN SCHOOL STUDENT OFFERED A PLACE AT THE NEW YORK CONSERVATORY FOR DRAMATIC ARTS

Bedford Modern School Year 13 student Alex Bloch has reason to celebrate after having been offered a place on the Acting course at The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. Each year, The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts searches for the most passionate and promising young actors from around the world with fewer than 200 special young people being accepted.

Talented student, actor and singer, Alex, joined Bedford Modern School in Year 12 and has had lead roles in the School’s recent productions of West Side Story and Blood Wedding. Alex, who has nine GCSE’s is studying Theatre Studies, English Literature and History A Levels. “Without a doubt, the Theatre Studies course at Bedford Modern School has improved my performing and I have received tremendous support from the School’s Faculty of Performing Arts. The Theatre Studies course has provided me with more discipline and understanding of what is required by the professional world of actors,” said Alex.

Obtaining a place at The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts came about by accident for Alex. “I had auditioned for the Old Vic and several other major U.K. Drama Schools, and after speaking to my grandmother, she gave me the website address for The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. In some ways, being offered a place at The New York Conservatory will be like going home again, as I was born in America,” added Alex.

The New York Conservatory accepts foreign students into its programme providing they can prove they are academically capable of dealing with the course. Alex’s admission interview took place at the London Renaissance Fair Hotel in Chancery Court, Holborn during the Easter holidays. “My audition was conducted by Joan See, Artistic Director of The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. I performed two monologues, namely “Equus” by Peter Shaffer and “Another Country” by Julian Mitchell. The Americans have a different way of auditioning and although it was quite relaxed, the entire interview process was very purposeful.”

Alex had a two week wait before receiving a phone call on Wednesday 28th April offering him a place at The New York Conservatory starting in August 2010. “In some ways I will be sad to leave the U.K. but New York is the centre of the acting world and I am delighted to have such an opportunity to make a career for myself, hopefully leading to professional television and film work,” said Alex.

The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts have offered Alex an interim grant of $5,000 dollars to assist with transitional costs as schooling in America is quite expensive. Alex’s course runs for two years and Alex will be living in accommodation in Manhattan.

Photo: Bedford Modern School Year 13 student, Alex Bloch, who has been offered a place at The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts

Marist pupil is youngest chosen for the National Youth Jazz Orchestra

Sophia Hall, a Year 8 student at the Marist Senior School in Sunninghill has been selected for the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. Sophia is a highly talented musician instrumentally and chorally. In addition to her prowess on the saxophone she sings with Taplow choir. They who were recently chosen to represent the UK in the National Choir Competition. Sophia is understandably delighted with her success and Sophia’s teachers share in her delight.

Jocelyn Slocombe, Head of Music at the Marist Senior School, was so impressed by Sophia’s talent, she recommended to her parents at Parents Evening in March that Sophia should consider auditioning for the National Youth Jazz orchestra at a later date.

Not being one to delay, that very evening Sophia researched the orchestra, and promptly presented for an audition with the orchestra as well as performing solos. Her final audition was with a famous Jazz Musician who was very delighted to invite Sophia to join the Orchestra.

At 13 Years of age, Sophia is the youngest musician in the orchestra. The second youngest is 15 and the other numbers are significantly older.

Sophia started to play the Saxophone at the age of 7. She only recently started taking grade exams and she is already on grade 7. She practises every evening and every Saturday with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra.

The Marist Senior School are extremely proud of Sophia’s accomplishment. Miss Slocombe adds, “It is an outstanding achievement and we are very proud of Sophias individual success and the wider musical life of the Marist school.”

Photo: Sophia Hall with her Saxophone