News
The Music School Leavers’ concert took place on Tuesday 9 May 2023 and celebrated the work of our wonderful ensembles, showcasing two of our Upper Sixth leavers with solo pieces.
We started in the Chapel with performances from Chapel Brass and Chapel Choir and ended this section with a solo from Yassin A (Priestley House). Yassin was the overall winner of the Farrow Singing Prize earlier this year and he sang one of his category-winning songs, ‘Waving through a Window’ from the musical ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ by Pasek and Paul. We would like to thank Yassin for his dedication to the Music School, particularly to Chapel Choir, throughout his school career.
The concert then moved to The Large where we heard performances from the String Orchestra and Camerata followed by the Jazz Band, Big Band and a finale of combined items. Everyone played beautifully despite the challenge to find rehearsal time with so few ‘Music Mondays’ following the Easter Holidays. There was a supportive audience filled with parents and pupils who showed great camaraderie, especially when clapping along to the Big Band songs. A special mention goes to Ollie P (Murray House) who performed a featured solo ‘Europa’ on Tenor Saxophone with the band backing him. Ollie has been an exemplary leader of the Big Band this year and we would like to thank him for his musical suggestions and ongoing enthusiasm that have helped the band to improve year after year.
Of course, this year was different to many others as not only are our Upper Sixth pupils leaving but also our Director of Musical Performance, Mr Kevin Kyle.
Kevin has dedicated 21 years to Mill Hill’s Music Department and it was evident at the concert that his presence will be sorely missed. The Lower Sixth pupils brought our musicians together to sing one final song for Mr Kyle. They sang ‘Thank you for the Music’, a very fitting sentiment to thank him for all of his hard work and the fun-filled memories that he will be leaving them with. This was an emotional and uplifting way to end the Music School Leavers’ Concert.
Miss Macleod
Residential Graduate Assistant Specialising in Music
