St Mary's Calne
On Thursday 1 May, the school orchestra gathered in the Chapel for the summer term’s much-anticipated A Night with the Orchestra concert.
The evening began with a beautifully expressive performance by Ellie (LVI), who played Smetana’s From the Homeland with Romantic flair—moments of tranquillity were skilfully interwoven with bursts of vibrant energy
Coco (UVI) followed with Brahms’ Intermezzo in A major, performing with refined tenderness as she navigated the rippling arpeggios and lyrical melodies with ease.
Hannah (LV) then gave a stunning rendition of Debussy’s La fille aux cheveux de lin, capturing the piece’s serene atmosphere with sensitivity and grace.
Director Music, Miss Arthur, commented on Norah's performance, and of the other soloists:
'Norah (UVI) brought the first half to a captivating close with a truly mesmerising performance of the second movement from Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. Her deep immersion in the music held the audience spellbound. These were remarkably polished performances of challenging repertoire - an impressive achievement for school-aged musicians. Congratulations and thank you to all of them!'
The orchestra then opened the second half with a lively rendition of Bizet’s Habanera, featuring playful and spirited solos from Maddy (UV) and Allison (LVI). Delivered with energy and flair, the piece concluded with a confident, high-spirited flourish.
The evening’s centrepiece was the eagerly awaited performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, with Mr Sandon-Williams as soloist. Composed during the composer’s recovery from a period of deep depression, the work is renowned for its emotional depth and has been repeatedly voted one of the greatest classical pieces of all time. It's also considered a dream piece to perform - breathtaking both to hear and to play.
The orchestra began with the tender second movement. Rachmaninoff’s soaring melodies floated over gently undulating arpeggios, filling the Chapel with a profound sense of lyricism and emotion. This was followed by the third movement - an electrifying race toward a thrilling climax. Rich, con vibrato strings and lush flute melodies danced around thunderous timpani, while the piano pierced through with stabbing chords and sparkling octaves, played with sharp, formidable clarity.
As someone who has listened to this concerto countless times online, it felt genuinely surreal to be part of it - to sound out those striking chords and reach for the violin’s highest registers in the final, exhilarating moments.
This performance marked the culmination of months of hard work, and it would have been hard for anyone to leave the Chapel without feeling an overwhelming sense of pride and fulfilment.
A sincere thank you to Miss Arthur, Mrs Black, and Mr Sandon-Williams for making such a remarkable evening possible.
To watch a recording of the concert, click here.
Norah, Music Scholar, LVI