A Musical Night at the Museum

Just before half-term we were absolutely thrilled to be able to welcome KES musicians and guests back to the Picture Gallery at the Holburne Museum for this year’s Soloists’ Concert.

This was the first time, since February 2020, that our pupils had been able to perform within this historical venue, something which has been very much missed in recent years. Unlike previous soloists’ concerts, the majority of pupils performing this year had never experienced this concert before, so it was with great delight that we were able to afford them this unique and very special opportunity.

Our pupils prepared an exciting, yet varied programme for the evening. By pure coincidence, most of the pieces performed dated from the Romantic period, which complimented beautifully the magnificent paintings on display within the Gallery. On a personal note, I have enjoyed teaching our Year 13 A Level class immensely over the last 18 months and could not resist the opportunity to make the most of their outstanding vocal talents by joining them in a quartet of Byrd’s Ave Verum Corpus.

A special mention must go to our Performance Coach and Accompanist, Rupert Hutchings, who worked tirelessly to prepare the pupils for their performances, spending a great deal of time mastering complicated accompaniments for some formidable pieces. Rupert has not only played a crucial role in supporting our young musicians with their accompaniments, but he has also coached some of our pianists through the process of preparing for such a high-level performance. 

Looking ahead to the rest of this term, we are once again returning to The Guildhall in March for our annual Bath Orchestral Gala Concert, celebrating 10 years in professional partnership with Bath Philharmonia. This concert promises to be as exciting as ever, themed around ‘Journeys’, it features works by Verdi, Wagner, Mussorgsky, Villa-Lobos and, of course, a new work by our very own Resident Composer, Mark  Boden. In addition to the Gala, we are greatly looking forward to the Spring Colours Concert. Taking place after half-term - as well as further solo recitals - this annual celebration of musicianship will also see a number of our smaller instrumental ensembles performing ahead of their participation in this year’s Mid-Somerset Festival.

Lucie Perris - Teacher of Music, King Edward's School, Bath

#KESBathPerform

Flickr album: The Holburne Soloists' Concert 2023 | Height: auto | Theme: Default | Skin: Default Skin