Abingdonian 2017

74 The Abingdonian Lower School Gala Concert On 21 June, the annual Lower School Gala Concert was held. It was an evening filled with a variety of pieces, whether it was classic or more obnoxious and rowdy rock music. The concert started with the LS Junior Strings playing an array of exciting and fun pieces, led by first violinist, Jonathan Pannett- Smith. The timeless Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was played with great gusto and enthusiasm. It was a real trip down memory lane hearing the familiar tune. This was followed by the complete polar opposite to the delicate and dainty violins. The audience enjoyed a very exciting live music tech performance called ‘sunrise’ by Harry Watkins. It began with a slow, simple tempo that soon transformed into a riveting piece of tech music, built by layers. It was a really unique and different performance that was thoroughly enjoyed by all. It was incredibly special to have such a large amount of brass performers in the concert this year. It included velvety trumpets, jazzy trombones and even a booming tuba. Max Siriwardene also played Skye Boat Song on the trombone, confidently and with a nice flow. Likewise, there was a vast amount of wind instruments. The three bassoonists (Luc Tucker, Rufus Cox and Noah Chakravarti) all gave strong, textured performances. Rufus played Bassoon Street Blues jazzily with a great tone, followed by Ollie Northwood playing the clarinet with a mellow and rich sound. However, it is impossible not to note how strong the string section was. We were treated to over five string solos, all to perfection. This included Grade 8 Oliver Glover playing the stunning Sonata in E