Hampton School once again hosted the annual Independent State Schools Partnership (ISSP) Music Day, welcoming over 130 young musicians from six local schools for an inspiring day of collaborative music making.
Pupils from Hampton High, Hollyfield School, LEH, Teddington School, Tolworth Girls’ School and Waldegrave School joined musicians from Hampton for a packed schedule of orchestral and choral workshops. Throughout the day, participants immersed themselves in rehearsals across a range of ensembles including brass, wind, percussion, strings, choir and orchestra, working under the guidance of specialist music staff from Hampton School.
Following an enriching day of sectional rehearsals and full-ensemble sessions, the young musicians showcased their hard work in an evening concert for an audience of family, friends and staff. The programme opened with superb solo contributions from pupils at partner schools, paving the way for the larger ensemble items that highlighted the musical talent across the ISSP partnership.
The wind, brass & percussion ensemble delivered a dynamic performance of Into The Clouds! by Richard Saucedo, capturing the excitement and energy of the piece. The string ensemble continued the momentum with a lively rendition of Tico-Tico no Fubá by Zequinha de Abreu, offering a vibrant splash of Brazilian flair. The combined choir performed two contrasting contemporary favourites: Talking to the Moon by Bruno Mars showcased expressive vocal harmonies, while an uplifting performance of Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles brought warmth to the Hammond Theatre.
The full orchestra took to the stage for a powerful and polished performance of Bizet’s Farandole, which showcased remarkable cohesion and musical unity — especially impressive given the short amount of rehearsal time. For the concert finale, the choir and orchestra joined forces for a rousing rendition of Seize the Day from Alan Menken’s musical Newsies, bringing the evening to a joyful and uplifting close.
ISSP Music Day 2026 was a wonderful celebration of musical collaboration, creativity and community spirit, with young musicians from schools across the local area uniting to share their passion for performance. The day served as a reminder of the strength of partnership across the schools and the transformative experience of making music together.
