Music News Pages

Lauren Lauren (Year 13) recently gained her ARSM singing Diploma with distinction, gaining a magnificent 48/50. For the exam she had to prepare a 40-minute recital of contrasting songs, in which she managed to encompass 300 years of music in Italian, Latin, French, German and English.

LCM Diploma Success Alexa (Year 13) has recently scored an outstanding final result for her LCM Diploma in Musical Theatre, with 92/100 awarded. The examiner commented, "It was a pleasure to meet you today. We discussed a wide range of related issues and you clearly have a great love for and understanding of the musical theatre. I wish you well at Chichester and hope that you continue to enjoy your training. Good luck!"

Earlier this term, we reported that a new choral piece composed by one of our visiting piano and organ teachers, Mr Chris Totney, had won a competition organised by the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM).

choir scholars We are delighted to hear that Year 13 student, Belinda, has been conditionally offered a Choral Award from the University of Cambridge, to attend Newnham College with a Choral Award at Selwyn College.

Chris Totney Many congratulations to specialist Music Teacher, Mr Totney, who has won The Royal School of Church Music Sunday Composition Competition.

This week, the LIV (Year 7) Choir, in their perfect, joyful bubble, enjoyed Christmas repertoire, getting into the festive spirit with commitment! What better piece to learn and perform, than White Christmas by Irving Berlin.

Deborah Many congratulations to LV (Year 10) pupil Deborah, who recently auditioned for the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain (NYCGB) and has been offered a place in the National Youth Training Choir.

DW Musical Theatre On Tuesday of Donaldson Week, the MIV (Year 8) girls gathered for a day of music making, based on the musical Hamilton by the hip-hop artist Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Company Shout This year, the Cecilia James Company Music Festival and Shout ran in a slightly different way to enable us to follow the precautions needed in these odd times of living in a pandemic. The event, however, did not lose any of its excitement, and the relentless rain did nothing to dampen the spirits of the girls.

Choral We were delighted to hear last week that UVI Form (Year 13) musicians, Flora and Megan, have been conditionally offered Choral Scholarships at their first choice Oxford colleges: Flora at University College, and Megan at St Peter’s.

Garden Concert On a beautifully sunny and breezy September lunchtime, whole school ensembles and UVI (Year 13) soloists came together to perform uplifting music in the Lime Kiln Garden. This was a memorable inaugural concert, allowing newly formed ensembles to show what they are capable of in under two weeks of term!

Harp Each year, a limited number of spaces are made available for Fourth Form girls who would like to learn to play a new instrument as part of a free trial scheme, MINIS (MINority Instrument Scheme), which runs through the Autumn and the Spring Terms. There is a long list of instruments available, which is made up of some of the less obvious choices.

On Friday 6th March, senior singers competed for the 2020 Sir Bryn Terfel Song Prize with international mezzo-soprano, Catherine Wyn-Rogers, presiding as adjudicator.

Year 5 and 6 girls from a number of visiting schools were thrilled to learn the authentic choreography from the hit musical, Mamma Mia! at the ‘Hits of Hollywood’ Musical Theatre Workshop, which was hosted by St Mary’s on Tuesday 3rd March.

Just before Half Term, this year’s Fourth Form Music Festival kicked off with the preliminary rounds during Donaldson Week. The Festival is a unique opportunity for Fourth Form girls (Years 7-9) to play or sing a piece they have been working on to a live audience of their peers and a panel of music teachers, regardless of what standard they have reached.

Once again, Junior Consort enjoyed their annual festive visit to The Fairways Retirement Village and Care Home in Chippenham. The girls donned their Christmas attire and brightened up a cold and dreary day with their glittering tinsel, beautiful voices and happy faces.

On Monday 9th December, the LIV (Year 7) girls made the short walk along the Oxford Road to entertain the residents of Penn Court with some seasonal cheer. Bedecked with Christmas jumpers, tinsel, antlers and hats, there was an array of festive colour on display.

Carol Service With hundreds of candles glimmering in the dark, the scene was set for the school’s annual Service of Nine Lessons and Carols at St Mary’s Parish Church.

Faure Requiem On Thursday 28th November, an audience of parents and supporters gathered in the Chapel of the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich for the eagerly-anticipated performance of Fauré’s Requiem. The piece was performed by St Mary’s Chamber Choir and Junior Consort, together with a choir of 25 tenors and basses from Eton College.

Autumn Music Concert Now a regular fixture in the Music Calendar, this year’s Autumn Concert took place in Chapel on Thursday, 14th November, marking the first major outing of the year for all of the school’s major instrumental ensembles.