Christmas Concert 2022

Hot on the heels of the Advent and Carol Services, and to round off a wonderful term of music (from symphonic Rimsky-Korsakov at the Autumn Concert to the musical theatre production of Chicago Teen), the Chapel was filled to capacity on the last evening in December for the much-anticipated Christmas Concert.

The opening item ‘Sleigh Ride to Qatar’ mixed the classic Leroy Anderson festive tune with football themes to mark the unusual coincidence of the holiday season with the World Cup. The orchestra also played ‘Carol’ and ‘Christmas Dance’ in new arrangements to mark the 150th anniversary of composer Vaughan Williams (1872-1958). Strings gave a version of ‘Holly and Ivy’ with jazz clarinet and flute soloists.

Vocal items came courtesy of the Sixth-Form a capella quartet in a pupil-arranged version of ‘Chestnuts Roasting’, and a solo rendition of ‘Three Kings from Persian Lands’ from one of our Year 13 Music Scholars, who is to be congratulated also for just receiving an offer from the Royal College of Music to enter as a vocalist on their BMus programme.

Two congregational carols kept the audience on their toes, and the whole evening came to a glitzy climax with the two Soul Bands (strings, horns, rhythm sections and vocal soloists) performing festive numbers by Ariana Grande and Christina Aguilera.

Well done to all performers for a high-quality and non-stop term of music!

(Click on an image below to expand the gallery.)