An audience of parents, governors, staff and friends of the School sat mesmerised by the depth and breadth of talent on display at the Midsummer Concert in Bolton School Girls' Division.
The first half of the evening got off to a dynamic start with Miss Berry conducting the Senior Concert Band and the Intermediate Band. Mr Forgrieve lead the Percussion Ensemble with two superb arrangements of his own. There was a wonderful soprano saxophone rendition of Kenny Gee"s Going Home, played by Sarah Pearl and the Clarinet Choir played an atmospheric version of Georgia On My Mind. The Jazz Band’s versions of Come Fly With Me and Birdland sent everyone off on a high to enjoy the champagne and strawberries on offer at the interval.
The second half of this musical extravaganza opened with the Chamber Orchestra performing Leopold Mozart’s 3rd Movement from Symphony in C Major. They were accompanied by some very special solo instrumentalists. The Headmistress and her two deputies were joined by the Head of the Infant School, the Head of the Junior Girls’ School, the School's Senior Mistress, the Heads of Middle and Upper School, and the Head of Sixth Form. They all played virtuoso performances on orchestral nightingales, a shofar, tambourines, lollipop drums and the triangle - at least in their own minds! It is fair to say that some showed more musical flair than others and although Mr MacKenzie had his work cut out as conductor the audience loved it and gave the performance a wonderful ovation.
The Chamber Choir and Senior Choir regaled the audience with repertoire they will be performing in their forthcoming tour to Vienna. Sarah Hayward performed an inspirational soprano solo and Katy Smith performed an enchanting alto solo in Gabriel Faure's exquisite "Messe Basse". The audience was sent off into the balmy summer evening with the Senior Choir’s renditions of Steal Away and Rhythm of Life.
Mr Alistair MacKenzie, Head of Music in the Girls’ Division and coordinator of the event, said: "The pupils have surpassed themselves once again. I am constantly surprised by not just the quality but also the sheer quantity of musical talent across all year groups.”
Headmistress, Mrs Richards, thanked everyone for their contributions to the retiring collection and said the Girls’ Division had raised almost £19,000 over the year for charity. She finished the evening with her synopsis that: “the music at this school just gets better and better.”