The College’s annual Winter Concert took place on Friday, 2 December and attracted a capacity audience at St John’s, Smith Square. The College’s Symphony Orchestra opened the programme with Elgar’s Imperial March Op. 32 and was followed by the first of three solo performers given by boys in Year 13. Michael Deniran gave a fine performance of Beethoven’s Romance in F for solo violin and orchestra. The Chamber Orchestra then gave a stylish performance of Mozart’s Divertimento K. 138 and the first half of the concert concluded with Lewis Lloyd’s sensitive performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto in A K. 414.
The second half of the evening’s programme saw a change of style with Sebastian Chong ably performing Gershwin’s famous Rhapsody in Blue accompanied by the College’s Symphonic Wind Band. New York from East Coast Pictures by Nigel Hess marked the last occasion that Mrs Barbara Lake conducted the Wind Band – they have never played better. The final performance was given by the combined Concert Choir and Madrigal Choir. Some 200 singers, including about 150 from the Lower School (Years 7 and 8) sang extracts from Gershwin’s opera, Porgy and Bess. These memorable tunes lingered long into the late evening for the boys and their very appreciative audience.