With our annual concerns about rain, wind, cold, or all three, it was unusual to find our Summer Concert taking place during a heatwave – to the extent that the sunlight of the theatre terrace, even during the evening, was too hot for comfort. Instead, the shade of the Big Tree made a lovely alternative for this year’s concert, with enough shadow for audience and performers.
Fittingly, the Big Tree attributes were well-represented throughout the evening. Boldness was in evidence from all of the 74 musicians, who sang and played confidently in front of a large audience. The newly formed Form 7 band, ‘The Owls’, exhibited both imagination and a growth-minded attitude, being an entirely pupil led initiative. Teamwork stood out in many performances, perhaps most noticeably in the Mixed and Percussion Ensembles, who worked together for cohesion without a conductor. The new venue, somewhat prone to gusts of wind at random intervals, required resourcefulness and empathy, including the need for subtle rescuing of each other’s music and instruments when needed! Excellence emerged from some of the youngest musicians in Form 3 to our leaving Form 8s, including those going on to their senior schools as scholars.
A joyous and atmospheric evening, and one which was very much enjoyed by all – parents, pupils and staff.
