The jewel in the crown for our ensembles during the Lent Term is the Spring Concert in Reading Town Hall and this year was no exception.
Over 130 pupils took to the stage in repertoire from Allegri to Pink (and much in between). The concert opened with an ‘en masse’ performance of Handel’s Coronation Anthem Zadok the Priest, with our orchestra spanning the stage and our vocalists filling the elevated side-seats.
There was an opportunity to make use of the entire venue during the first half with members of our Chapel Consort placed amongst the audience on the balcony for an immersive experience as they complemented the Chapel Choir. The spotlight given to a number of performers from the Music Department’s inter-House competition winners from this academic year during the second half and the concert concluded with Bradfield’s biggest ensemble, the eighty-strong Bradfield Voices, filling the room with their rendition of Cian Ducrot’s I’ ll Be Waiting.
Our musicians continue to engage with the local community, and thirty of our jazz and pop performers help transform Yattendon Village Hall into a Jazz Club for the evening, delivering a concert to help raise funds for both Yattendon Primary School and improvements to the Village Hall. This was great ‘gigging’ experience for our pupils provided an opportunity for some less experienced performers to take to the stage across a range of different instruments. The support from the audience was thoroughly motivating and there was a genuine buzz about the place throughout the concert.
It is essential for our Music Department to be able to get out into our local community and communities beyond Bradfield and we are delighted that we were able to help raise funds through this concert for the two local causes.
