Brentwood Preparatory School Incipe 2017-18

Music The culmination of this year’s Prep 125 Celebrations was our spectacular Senior Music Concert. Performances were wide ranging with excellent contributions from our many Prep ensembles; Brass, String, Woodwind, Choral and Percussion groups all took to the stage, in addition to instrumental soloists from the Prep School. We were very lucky to have several ex-Prep pupils returning to play or sing along with our School Orchestra, Guitar Ensemble, Flute Ensemble and Senior Choir (with the Senior School’s Chamber Choir also performing an item of their own). We were also thrilled to enjoy solo performances from three ex-pupils: Alex Lockyer (First Year) entertained on the ‘Cello, OB Amelia McLintock sang to the capacity crowd and OB Chris Hatt, currently MD of the West End show ‘Hamilton’, performed a thrilling medley of hits from the show on the piano. It was certainly a fitting end to the Prep 125 Celebrations and a concert to be remembered. It was the night of the concert. Queues lined up outside the Wessex Auditorium, excitement filled the air. In the room near the stage, I opened my instrument case and put my flute together, it seemed like all the butterflies in the world were in my stomach. Suddenly I heard Mrs Roberts shout, “Orchestra, please come to the stage!”. I was about to take the stage. I grabbed my flute and sat in my seat (I had helped set them out the day before), got out my music sheets and got ready to play. We played The National Anthem, Oom-Pah-Pah (from Oliver) and the Doctor Who Theme Tune for Orchestra. All the Senior School children from Orchestra the year before came over to the concert. After we played the National Anthem, the Senior Choir sang a song called Singing Together, before Orchestra continued playing. Next I featured in the Chamber Choir, which sang several songs and was included in a rush of three performances in a row! Straight after I’d sung in the choir, I collected my flute from my music teacher, Mrs Wheadon, and prepared to play in the Flute Ensemble; we played Salley Gardens and The Ugly Duckling. Next, I had my solo playing Tambourin, (this is one of my favourite pieces to play) it was a relief when it was over because that was the thing I was most nervous about! 125 Concert Playing in the 6ST Samba Band was cool. I was playing the claves, which are two wooden sticks that you hit together. The lyrics to the claves’ rhythm were: “Have you got a dog, great big dog?” this was so much fun. It seemed like a long time before I went to sing two more songs for the Senior Choir, but it soon passed and I went on stage with my friends. After we sang, we were collected by our parents. I felt proud after doing the concert, after all that was the only 125 Anniversary Concert Brentwood Prep School would ever have! Brentwood School Preparatory 75