22 March 2018
The 4th Solo Concert Platform of the year, on Wednesday 14 March, saw a baker's dozen boys gather to enjoy the music of a variety of composers and genres. The programme consisted of 6 pianists, 3 violinists, 2 cellists and a single clarinetist and viola player.
Bach featured 3 times, with Robin Collins and Luc Tucker defying the concert title by duetting on the piano in the delightful Rondo in F major, fellow pianist Ollie Breach dazzling in the virtuosic Toccata in E minor BWV914 and Nicholas Raptakis providing balm for the soul in the Allemenade from Cello suite No.1 in G, transferred to the viola.
Beethoven showed both sides of his nature in the fiery 1st Movement from Sonata in F minor Op.2, No1, played by Mohsen Ansari on piano and the dreamy “Moonlight” Sonata, soothingly played by Didier Delgorge, again on the piano. Brooklyn Han conveyed the crystalline clarity of Mozart's piano writing in the Allegro of his Sonata in B major, K333.
Our string players delighted with the opening movement of Rieding's charming Concerto in G, Op.24, played by violinist Dashiell Hathaway, and fellow violinist Ashwin Tennant rose to the challenge of presenting the musical fireworks of Vitali's Chaconne. Cellists Hugo Payton and Joe Bradley both showed the lyrical soulful side of cello playing, presenting Mendelssohn's Song without Words and Bloch's Prayer respectively.
Moving into a lighter vein, Thomas Hart's violin rendition of Gershwin's Prelude and Owen Ravden's stylistic playing of Piazzolla's Duo added the wonderful variety of jazz and tango influences, to whet the appetite prior to the Award holders' dinner which followed and was enjoyed by a selection of students, teachers and parents alike. As ever, our thanks go to the teachers who supported the pupils in their preparations for the evening and ably accompanied.
