APS News 18

abingdon.org.uk/prep 11 Abingdon Prep Performing Arts The summer concert at a packed Amey Theatre always provides a memorable evening of music old and new, performed by instrumental ensembles, choirs and soloists from Years 3 to 8. Orchestra played first, contrasting Snow Patrol’s Run with Bizet’s Carmen . Junior Choir followed singing Ordinary Miracle by Ballard and Stewart. Wind Band played a Galliarde by Gervaise. Y3 and Y4 sang Banuwa , an African round, and Cape Cod Chanty , an arrangement of a traditional song, complete with actions. Chamber Choir sang Goodall’s version of The Lord is My Shepherd (The Vicar of Dibley) with Tom as soloist. Debbie played along on saxophone with Jazz Band’s Mercy, Mercy, Mercy . Y5 and Y6 brought the first half to a close with a medley from Pocahontas by Schwartz and Menken. As last year, the second half began with Y8 striding through the audience with drums, bells and whistles in a percussive samba, followed by Guitar Group’s Baggy Trousers . Y7 and Y8 sang Debbie’s arrangement of La Mer by Charles Trenet, followed by Johnny Nash’s 1970 hit I can see clearly now . Folk Club played the trad. Helston Furry Dance and Senior Choir followed with two songs, City of Stars from the film La La Land , and The Birth of the Lyre by Debbie. In between all the group performances, we were treated to piano and violin solos from Nikhil, Leo, Hugo and Daniel, a Y7/8 woodwind trio with more from Carmen , a Y8 jazz quartet played Take Five , and Matt’s winning music tech piece. After the Staff Band sang Bill Wither’s Lovely Day , it was time for the whole school to come together for one last song to say goodbye to Claire and Lynne with Thank for your Wisdom – with ABBA’s lyrics superbly adapted by Debbie. Thank you to Director of Music Debbie Rose, Lenka, Rob, Paul, Helen and the visiting music teachers, accompanists Ilya, Jamie and Karina, staff and all who helped to make the evening such a success. Summer Concert