Following a tremendous year of music making which included performances of Dvorak’s 9th Symphony, Verdi Requiem, a choral evensong at Westminster Abbey and an album release for the Big Band, 61 pupils and 7 staff travelled to the Netherlands for a week of music making. Throughout the tour, the Chapel Choir and Big Band were on brilliant form performing 10 contrasting events during their trip to Europe. The first venues were in Wijk bij Duurstede, a quaint city about 30 minutes south of Utrecht, as the Big Band opened the tour with a spectacular afternoon concert in the Market Square. This was then followed by an evening concert in the Grotekerk in which the String Ensemble and Chapel Choir performed music by Bach, Mozart, Mendelssohn whilst the highlight was the performance of Fauré’s iconic Requiem. Saturday would see the Big Band perform in the wonderful market square of Delft whilst later there was opportunity for all to see the major sights of Amsterdam alongside a moving visit to the Anne Frank Haus. The Chapel choir sang evensong in the wonderful and incredible setting of St Nicholas Basilica with an emotive performance of Ireland’s Greater Love. Sunday saw both ensembles travel to Haarlem and before the two musical events, there was opportunity for local sightseeing including visit to a working windmill. The Big Band were on spectacular form, giving a 2 hour concert to local jazz enthusiasts before the choir sang Evensong in the Bavokerk, one of the iconic churches of Western Europe. In particular, it was wonderful for Mr Morrin to accompany the choir on this magnificent instrument.
Monday was a slightly different take on a music tour as the whole tour party travelled to Efteling, a theme park and spent the day enjoying the various rides on offer. Following this, it was lovely for the whole group to assemble for a tour dinner before the final four performances of the tour. The tour party was based in Utrecht and so, on Tuesday, both ensembles performed in the city, firstly with a choral and instrumental concert in the spectacular surrounds of the Domkerk. Special mention should go to Ryan for his simply spellbinding performance of Bach’s Chaconne in D Minor. Following a canal cruise throughout Utrecht, the Big Band completed our day in Utrecht with an uplifting and energetic concert in a local theatre, an opportunity for many of our wonderful Upper Sixth cohort to perform for the final time. Our final day in the Netherlands saw the tour party travel to the twin city of Oxford, Leiden and give a lunchtime market square performance which also included an impromptu jam with the local police! All can be viewed on our Instagram! The final musical performance took place in the Hartbrugkerk as the string ensemble performed stylistically before the choir gave a second performance of the Fauré Requiem.
An 8 day foreign tour with 10 musical performances does not happen with both the talent and hard work of students and staff alike. Special thanks to those staff who contributed to the success of the week but special mention should go to the wonderful cohort of 15 Upper Sixth musicians whose musicianship and experience enabled this to be a musically successful but also lasting memory for all who were fortunate to travel to the Netherlands. Plans are now afoot for next year’s tour – an orchestra and choir tour to Germany.
