The Spring Concert showcased the breadth of excellent music making on offer at Abingdon School. There was certainly something for everyone in the programme. The first half opened with Gospel Choir, under the direction of Dr Preece, singing ‘Go The Distance’ from the film Hercules before the percussion ensemble continued the concert with music from Star Wars. The Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Mr Popplewell, performed two movements of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, showcasing the wonderful musicianship of Ryan, Dilan and Thomas as soloists on Violin, Flute and Harpsichord respectively. Charles in the Upper 6th then performed the second movement of the Shostakovich Piano Concerto under the direction of Mr Stafford. The first half was brought to a close by Sinfonia who have come a long way this term, playing a number of light orchestral pieces. Concert Band closed the first half with a medley from the hit musical Jesus Christ Superstar.
The second half of the concert was dedicated to orchestral music all under the direction of Mr Stafford. Daniel opened this half with a Double Bass concerto by Russian-American composer Koussevitzky. Three of our Upper 6th singers, Jamie, Ed, and Sammy performed a selection from Vaughan Williams’ Song of Travel, a song cycle which tells of a ‘wayfarer’ who is a world weary, though resolute individual. The Symphony Orchestra concluded the programme with the final movement of Brahms’ Fourth Symphony and Farrington’s A Party with Auntie, a work written as a celebration of the BBC, which weaved together fifteen themes from well-known BBC programmes including ‘University Challenge’, ‘Eastenders’, and ‘The Archers’.
Our thanks must go to the students and their various music teachers who have outdone themselves this term.
