The annual St Georges Concert by Badminton School was a culmination of a tremendous amount of hard work and preparation from Orchestra and Choir members, resulting in a hugely successful evening. The concert had a broad musical scope, exploring tragic; motivational; and reflective moods with such energy and passion that one could not help but be moved.
The concert opened with ‘Dido and Aeneas’ by Henry Purcell. This opera conveys the tragic love story of Dido, Queen of Carthage and her ultimately doomed love for the Trojan hero, Aeneas. We had wonderful solo singing from Mary, May, Joey, Sophia, Yvonne, Cherie, Phoebe, Justine, Rosie, Laura, Clemmie, Hazel and Emma. The soloists painted a vivid and dramatic picture of the characters portrayed in the Opera. Their wonderful singing, coupled with the full support of Senior Choir and all Year 7’s, produced an unforgettable musical experience. Dido’s final aria, sung by Emma, produced a hauntingly beautiful end to the first half of the concert.
The second half began with the overture ‘Kamarinskaya’, composed by Mikhail Glinka. This piece is a mixture of Russian folk themes and was played effortlessly by the orchestra, producing articulate playing from the wind and brass, as well as energetic and sensitive playing from the strings.
Emma was soprano soloist in Elgar’s Sea Pictures, a piece based on poems evoking different impressions of the sea. The Orchestra had excellent command of the impressionistic nature of the piece, responding to the changing moods and technical demands flawlessly. Emma’s connection with the music was extremely moving, and the performance was a tremendous success.
The concert concluded with Yuhan as soloist in the first movement of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No 3. Yuhan conveyed both the dramatic and sensitive ideas within the piece brilliantly, clearly conveying the intensity to the audience. Yuhan’s response to the emphatic opening from the Orchestra was compelling, and the musicality from both soloist and orchestra was outstanding. The powerful, electric climax was a dramatic finale to a most memorable concert and thanks to Mr Bale and Mr Ransom for their inspiring direction!
Review by Marina (Year 11)
