Following on from last half term which saw scholarship auditions, vocal workshops and our second Scholars’ Solo Concert at the Farrow, this half term has been just as inspiring and busy. From the annual Spring Concert which showcased classical and jazz ensembles to a visit to the international jazz club Pizza Express Live in Holborn, there has been no shortage of musical activity.

The term began with twelve of our most advanced pianists benefiting from an intensive masterclass with international concert pianist Neil Cooney. His insights into repertoire and interpretation enriched each participant’s playing and the session concluded with remarkable performances of Debussy’s Girl with the Flaxen Hair and Satie’s Gnosienne No. 1. These workshops provided invaluable preparation for the following week’s McClure Instrumental Competition, particularly for pianists who as soloists command an entire musical landscape at their fingertips and greatly benefit from the collaborative environment such sessions offer.

Our second major competition of the year, the McClure Instrumental Week, showcased an impressive breadth of talent. Across two days and over four hours of heats, thirteen finalists were selected from a wide range of instrumental entries. The final itself highlighted exceptional musicianship with judges considering at least three performances as potential prize winning entries. Highlights included Uzo E (Winfield) who delivered a haunting interpretation of Bach’s Chaconne; Seb J (Collinson) who energised the room with trombone led jazz; and Max P, the eventual winner, whose performance of Elgar’s iconic Cello Concerto was distinguished by maturity and expressive depth.

Our adjudicator Anna Wolstenholme, Chamber Music and Postgraduate Tutor at the Royal Academy of Music, praised the exceptionally high standard of playing and likened it to the level expected of third year undergraduates under her mentorship. Such affirmation is a remarkable accolade for all our finalists.

The term’s musical crescendo reached its peak with the Spring Concert and Pizza Express Live! events held on consecutive weeks. More than 150 pupils performed across these major showcases with notable solos from Head Chorister Josh G (McClure) and Farrow Prizewinner Maj Britt (Collinson). Opening with a farewell to our departing Upper Sixth scholars, the programme began with a sublime set of American spirituals arranged for Brass Ensemble which set an elegant tone for the evening.

Rachmaninov’s Vespers, performed by our finest singers, contrasted beautifully with the vivacity of Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and the Foundation Orchestra rose to the considerable technical challenges of Albinoni’s Concerto in G Major.The concert concluded with Fauré’s Requiem, a Classic FM favourite and a choral masterpiece. This project marked another successful collaboration with the Mill Hill Education Group Parent and Staff Choir and featured parents performing alongside professional guest musicians in the orchestra. The resulting performance was unforgettable.

Towards the end of term the Sax Quartet, Jazz Collective and Big Band took to the stage at Pizza Express Live! in Holborn. This iconic central London venue provided the perfect backdrop for an electrifying evening of music making. All 38 performers delivered outstanding sets, from piano jazz and saxophone favourites presented by our scholar quartet to a vibrant programme of jazz standards by Arlen, Mancini, Hancock and Porter. Under the dynamic leadership of jazz impresario Mr Driver, both the Collective and Big Band produced what was undoubtedly their finest sound in recent years.

With performers ranging from advanced Belmont pupils to Upper Sixth leavers, Music Scholars and developing jazz musicians from across the school, the evening represented an extraordinary concentration of talent and an experience that will remain long in the memories of both performers and audience members.

Amidst all these achievements we also celebrate notable individual successes at the national level. Nepheli K (McClure) was shortlisted by several Junior Conservatoires and Sophie S (Priestley) secured a coveted casting place with the prestigious National Youth Music Theatre.

It has been a vibrant and creatively rich half-term for Drama, with pupils across multiple year groups taking to the stage, both as part of their examined performance work and co-curricular.

Our Lower Sixth students recently completed their Devising Examination, presenting two original pieces of theatre and demonstrating impressive creativity, collaboration and theatrical flair. Yce Festival explored the chaos and pressures of ‘hype culture’ through a fast-paced, highly physical interpretation of the infamous Fyre Festival, while The Sunset Inn delivered a brilliantly comic narrative, following Timothy T. Tunbridge as he attempts to evade two hapless gangsters.Both performances showcased the pupils’ ability to transform original ideas into dynamic and engaging theatre.

Our Upper Sixth students also impressed with their assessed production of Noël Coward’s classic comedy Blithe Spirit. Brimming with razor-sharp wit and supernatural mischief, the production provided an excellent platform for pupils to refine their comic timing, characterisation and understanding of period style. A particular highlight was the inventive staging of the séance scene, featuring a levitating table brought to life through the amazing combined efforts of Mr Futerill and our Theatre Technician, Mr Ward.

Meanwhile, our Fifth Form GCSE Drama pupils performed extracts from no fewer than eight published plays. The breadth of texts and styles on display enabled pupils to explore a wide range of characters and theatrical approaches, further developing their confidence and performance skills. A special thank you goes to Miss Sheppard for her tireless support, time and dedication to all of the exam groups.

Elsewhere, on the 5th of March, five of our Lower Sixth French students made the journey down to Tonbridge School to perform in the annual Festival de Théâtre Francophone. Maj-Britt B (Collinson), Francisco P (Winfield), Olivia M (Atkinson), Carl TG (McClure) and Joshua N (Burton Bank), took to the stage at the EM Forster Theatre to perform an extract from Le Prénom, delivering their lines entirely in French with impressive confidence, clarity and dramatic flair. The group worked hard in the weeks leading up to the festival to master the language, timing and characterisation required for the piece, and their performance was both engaging and highly entertaining.

They represented the school with great maturity and enthusiasm, and their efforts were warmly received by the audience of other pupils and teachers in attendance. Following the success of the festival, the students performed the extract again two weeks later at school for an audience of French teachers and drama enthusiasts alike, with the highest praise being that even members of the audience with little or no French were still able to follow the story and understand the characters they had crafted. Bien joué!
Meanwhile, rehearsals continue for our upcoming summer productions of Treasure Island and Little Shop of Horrors.

Finally, we are thrilled to announce that our musical for the Summer Term will be the timeless Les Miserables! In a Mill Hill first, we will be venturing out of our own spaces to perform on the professional stage of the artsdepot in Finchley. Audition and details will be announced in September.