Hampton’s Music Department has run a hugely ambitious and successful programme of events during the spring term, with musicians and choristers entertaining appreciative Hammond Theatre audiences at seven performances across the term.
The term culminated with the Spring Concert, which celebrated Women in Music and included over 130 musicians and choristers entertaining family and friends on the Hammond Theatre stage. The evening featured a wonderful range of performances from our choirs and ensembles, ranging from the Brass Band who opened the concert with an uplifting performance of The Cider House Rules composed by Rachel Portman, while the Percussion Ensemble brought to life Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off with energy and verve.
Our Lower School Choir ROAR! delighted the audience with an exuberant rendition of Roar from American singer-songwriter Katy Perry, along with the Swing Band who performed the toe-tapping Struttin’ With Some Barbeque from Lil Hardin Armstrong – pianist, composer, and bandleader from the early days of jazz. One of the highlights of the evening was the premiere of an original composition from Fourth Year musician Theo T. Winner of the Hampton School Composition Competition, Theo’s piece Radiance was superbly performed by the Consort of Voices. Hampton’s exceptional male-voice choir, Voices of Lions, also took to the stage to perform a moving rendition of Billie Eilish’s ballad What Was I Made For? from the popular Barbie soundtrack
The concert included three outstanding performances from our Upper Sixth musicians. Pianist Adam G, alongside the Chamber Orchestra, performed the Adagio movement of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 in A with aplomb. Aaron C’s rendition of the first movement from Grøndahl’s Trombone Concerto and Edmund N’s performance of Andantino Cantabile from Kabalevsky’s Violin Concerto Op.48 were both note perfect, and superbly accompanied by the 50-strong Symphony Orchestra. There was a fantastic end to the musical celebration, as the Symphony Orchestra performed Juba Dance from Florence Price’s Symphony No. 1, the first African-American woman to be recognised as a symphonic composer.
Director of Music, Mr Daniel Roland, praised the young musicians on a superb concert:
This was yet another evening to remember – The musicians at Hampton just don’t stop! I was so impressed by every single performance at the Spring Concert, with every choir and ensemble performing with confidence and full of enthusiasm. My colleagues and I absolutely loved the buzz backstage – a clear sign that our young musicians love making music together and sharing it with appreciative audiences! A special mention goes to Adam, Aaron and Edmund for their outstanding concerto performances. Thank you and well done to all involved!
A wonderful evening of music topping off a phenomenal term for Hampton’s musicians and choristers.
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