The Summer Concert at the West Road Concert Hall was, again, an extraordinary evening in a great venue that will long be remembered by those who came and all who took part. St John’s pupils took to the professional stage with joy, confidence and skill to play and sing a delightfully varied and balanced programme of first-rate quality.
230 children from Form 1 (Year 3) to Form 6 (Year 8) took part in the annual Summer Concert. The event included a Symphony Orchestra of 120 pupils, a Big Band of 30, a Chamber Orchestra of the 25 most experienced instrumentalists, and various smaller choral and instrumental, classical and non-classical ensemble items.
A special feature this year involved a choir of 110 pupils, made up of all pupils in Forms 1 & 2, singing songs with sign language, in support of fund-raising for the charity SignHealth. The performance was deeply moving and a highlight for many members of the audience; one remarked, "It was so moving to witness the enthusiasm and joy on their faces as they did the Sign2Sing performances - it had me in tears, particularly I think having heard from the wonderful charity ambassadors and also seeing the reaction of the charity members to the children's performance - it felt like a very special part of the evening and one we and our children will not forget."
Another remarkable aspect of the programme was a performance of the first movement of Mozart’s rarely-performed Concerto for Three Pianos, given by Year 8 pianists, with accompaniment from an orchestra made up of local professionals and some recent former pupils.
Director of Music, Mr Simon Kirk, explained, “The concert demonstrated our absolute commitment to, and success in, achieving our aims of enjoyment, inclusivity and high standards.” One audience member commented, "The variety of extraordinary talent is testament to the musical philosophy of the school".
