Spring Music

The end of the first half of Spring Term has been a busy one for the PGS Musicians.

Changing Voices Evensong at Guildford Cathedral
Our wonderful vocal group for boys whose voices are changing from treble to tenor and bass continue to go from strength to strength. The quality and growth in sound, tone and technique is really exciting to hear, and those in the congregation at Guildford Cathedral on Monday 5 February would have experienced this. PGS’s Changing Voice group joined with the Changing Voices of Guildford Cathedral Choir and RGS Guildford for Evensong. This is the second of such collaborations and we are really proud of this group of young men, especially at a time when college choirs and Cathedrals are beginning to struggle recruiting singers. It is really important that we are able to develop and promote singing to this level.  We look forward to our next service in the Summer Term!

Lunchtime Live!
On Thursday 8 February Music scholars from years 10 to 13 presented an entertaining , varied and polished programme,  encompassing everything from Mozart to Ghost the Musical. Our versatile musicians gave solo and ensemble performances and were well received by the appreciative audience at the Cathedral.

Jazz Workshop
30 of our budding Jazz Musicians spent a fantastic afternoon on Thursday with the Kate Williams Quartet working on the finer points of improvisation and playing as a jazz ensemble. The quartet of Kate Williams (piano), Oli Hayhurst (Bass), David Ingamells (drums) and Gareth Lockrane (flutes) are among Britain’s leading jazz musicians and have a wealth of performing and teaching experience.  During the afternoon the frontline players (trombones, trumpets and saxophones) worked on aural ear training (singing chord changes, improvising and imitating) with Gareth Lockrane (Head of Jazz and the Junior Royal Academy) whilst the rhythm section players worked on the intricacies of playing as accompanists and responding to solo players.  Following this the musicians split into three smaller jazz ensembles to work on jazz standards Stella by Starlight and Things Ain’t What they Used to Be.  The groups explored how to make an arrangement of these tunes on the spot, how to vary the feel and mood of the performance to respond to the soloists and how to craft improvised solos over the chord changes. The session ended with a massed performance and improvisation on C Jam Blues.  

The fruits of the labour were on display in the evening in a performance in the Rotunda.  The first half featured our PGS musicians performing in their small and large ensembles.  The second half was the Kate Williams Quartet, featuring Gareth Lockrane who performed on flute, alto flute, bass flute and piccolo. It was a real privilege to witness such musicianship and artistry close up and was a fantastic way to look forward to the imminent half term!  Congratulations to our musicians for real quality work and a huge thank you to Mr Ingamells for masterminding the whole experience.

The second half of the Spring Term brings a feast of musical performances from PGS pupils.

First date for the calendar is House Music on Wednesday 28th February which will be held in the DRT and Dining Hall. Will Whitcombe retain their 2023 crown? We are delighted to welcome as our adjudicator at the event Rosie Whitfield Dip RCM Performers, ARCM Teachers, PGCE Head of Junior Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Rosie’s vast experience as a performer, teacher, examiner and presenter, teamed with an innate love of music, underpins her unstoppable drive as a dedicated campaigner for music in education. Her natural ability to captivate audiences and inspire young musicians to achieve their dreams stems from an unquestionable belief that music can change lives. 

Rosie studied oboe with Michael Winfield at the Royal College of Music achieving an Exhibition Award in her first year. She went on to study at Durham University and gained a PGCE in 1996. As an experienced adjudicator member of The British and International Federation of Festivals, we are excited to hear her feedback on the night!

On Wednesday 13th March we join with Prebendal for Evensong in St Thomas' Cathedral at 17:45.

The Spring Concert is the next event on Thursday 14th March in the DRT. It will be an evening of up beat music given by our Jazz Musicians and Rock bands. Featuring Big Band, Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Collective, Jazz Messengers, Pupils' Collective, trombone ensemble and pupil rock bands, this promises to be a joyous evening of music. To book your seats, click here.

The final week of term will be heralded by the Gala Concert in St Thomas' Cathedral on Monday 18th March featuring the larger PGS ensembles. Performances by Symphony Orchestra (Mozkowski - Spanish Dances), Concert Band, PGS Brass, Wind Chamber Music and the combine Chamber Choir and Community Choir in Vivaldi's Gloria (with PGS pupils as featured soloists). To book your seats, click here. 

We very much hope to see you at these events.