"Music has arrived at Shiplake" were the parting words of the Headmaster as he congratulated the many performers who took part in the Summer Concert in June. The evening, which took place in the beautiful Prize Giving marquee, was a culmination of a lot of hard-work from all the pupils and staff this year. This was a particularly impressive array of performances considering that the department has been working out of Portakabins all year, ahead of a move into the new John Turner Building over the summer!
The concert began with a performance from the Shiplake Community Choir, directed by Miss Louise Rapple. Following their rendition of Bill Withers's Lean on Me, Louise presented a cheque for £1,172 to Wendy Carlson, a representative from the Headway charity based in Henley, which works with people who have suffered a brain injury. This money was raised following the Shiplake Community Choir's first solo concert, which took place in the Christ Church Centre in Henley to an audience of over 200. Members of the choir then surprised Louise with a gift in honour of Louise's upcoming wedding to fellow-choir member and electric and bass guitar teacher Patrick Moore.
The variety of ensembles and genres on display was evident from the start, with the Saxophone Group performing a toe-tapping arrangement of The Simpsons theme tune, followed by a beautiful setting of The Lord's Prayer by the Chamber Choir, taken from the African Sanctus Mass by David Fanshawe, and a striking solo performance of Romance by Camille Saint-Saëns, given by Matthew Aldridge on the French Horn.
Hearts were melted as the Lower School Chorale boys took to the stage for their performance of the medieval round Sumer Is Icumen In, announcing that summer had arrived! The mood changed quickly again with the String Ensemble's upbeat Drunken Sailor, and a soulful Ain't No Sunshine by the Barbershop Boys. The Funk Band ended the first half with a rousing brass-heavy display of Kryptonite by Hypnotic Brass.
Audience members were drawn back into the marquee from enjoying a drink on the front lawn in the evening sunshine, when the Samba Band loudly announced the start of the second half. The Samba Stomp was a fun and rhythmic piece, which even included making use of kettles and bins from the kitchens!
The BTEC Band brought a contemporary edge to the concert with a performance of Demons by alternative rock band Imagine Dragons, with Lucy Collings and Reiss Simpson both demonstrating exceptional vocal skills. The Clarinet Group implemented a jazz element to the evening with an arrangement on the classic Take Five by Dave Brubeck. Next year's Head of College, Yeem Chanthanawan, then gave a brilliant solo saxophone performance of Gerry Rafferty's Baker Street, including the famously haunting saxophone riff.
Charles Marsden and the Motown Band got the marquee rocking with Jimmy Cliff's You Can Get It If You Really Want, before the moment that many had been waiting for arrived - the performance by The Heads. Outgoing Head of College, Tom Arnold, and Headmaster Gregg Davies, gave a very accomplished performance of I Got It From Agnes, which was brilliantly adapted to pay homage to our Year 13 leavers. The Headmaster then stayed on stage to be part of the first performance by the newly-formed Staff Choir, who tackled Queen's We Are the Champions with much enthusiasm.
Audience participation was on the cards at the Senior Orchestra gave a suitable finale with Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance. Part-way through, conductor Mr Ham encouraged the audience to stand and sing along to Land of Hope and Glory - extremely triumphant but with a lack of flag waving and bobbing!
The Senior Orchestra were then joined on stage by the Lower School musicians, who gave a combined performance of Soul Bossa Nova, which memorably featured in the Austin Powers films. This was so good, that the Headmaster demanded an encore!
With two ensemble rooms, seven practice rooms, a recording studio and a recital theatre, we can only imagine what the Music Department will be able to produce when they move into their new location in the John Turner Building in September.
For lots more photos of the concert, please go to our Flickr Gallery.
