Musicians leave audience spellbound at Wyastone

March 26, 2015

Nearly 200 musicians from Monmouth School and Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls gathered at the Wyastone Concert Hall on 24th March 2015 for what proved to be an evening of exceptional music-making.

Monmouth School Jazz Orchestra entertained the Headmaster’s guests to Jazz in the ballroom of Wyastone House before guests made their way to the concert hall for the programme of works by Mozart and Tchaikovsky.

Haberdashers’ Monmouth Senior Strings opened with Mozart’s Divertimento in B flat, played by the 35-strong orchestra directed by Mrs Ruth Friend of HMSG.

The platform was then taken by Jordan of Yr 13 (video) at Monmouth School.  He performed Tchaikovsky’s famous Piano Concerto No. 1, accompanied by the Wye Sinfonia, made up mostly of members of staff from both Schools.

Jordan, who has been offered a place to study at Cambridge as well as the Organ Scholarship to Jesus College and a Prince Philip scholarship, performed Tchaikovsky’s 35-minute concerto from memory, watched by an audience of 450.

Colin Jones, an OM and local Haberdasher, said: “In my lifetime in education I have never seen or heard a pupil performance to match Jordan’s.”

The audience gave a Jordan a well-deserved standing ovation.

The second half featured a performance of Mozart’s ‘Great’ C Minor Mass, given by the massed choirs of HMSG and Monmouth School – 180 singers in total – including all Yr 7 pupils.

Under the baton of David Lawson, Director of Music at Monmouth School, the choirs performed the 50-minute work with professional soloists who included two ex-pupils of the School.

Mr Lawson said: “To have so many pupils enjoying performing music by these two giants is a great thrill for us.

“To have a pupil who can rise to such a height as Jordan has tonight is a memory which will stay with me for a long time.”

white-large-chiclet More photos available on our FlickR gallery