Crescendo July 2019
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CrescendoThe Official Magazine of The Purcell School for Young Musicians JULY 2019 INSIDE PURCELL: LOOKING AHEAD TO THE PURCELL STUDENTS SHOW LET’S TALK OUTREACH NEXT SCHOOL YEAR OFF THEIR CREATIVITY It has been a busy year for Hugo Max and Lydia Cochrane Our incredible GCSE and A Purcell Outreach with trips to take over as the new Head Level Art students showcase Antigua and Norfolk Boy and Head Girl their final works SOUND IMAGE LOWER SCHOOL 2018/19: MOVEMENT COMPOSITION COMPETITION A YEAR IN REVIEW Finishing off the Year 6, 7 and 8 students took Looking back on the Summer Term with a part in ‘Comp Comp’ and we highlights from Purcellians truly memorable event now have the results in! past and present WELCOME TO THIS YEAR’S FINAL EDITION OF CRESCENDO It has been a wonderful, exciting year for The Purcell School and Principal Paul Bambrough has a few words to round off 2018/19! It seems remarkable that the us, whether it be to take up Our thanks go to: academic year is drawing a place at a conservatoire or Mr Goldie-Scott , (Music, 1 year) to a close. In some ways it university or whether they are Mr Hall, (Maths, 1 year), Mr feels like I have only been at moving to a new school, we Buttler, (Music, 1 year), Mr the School for a few weeks thank them for everything they Bosch, (Music Instrumental, and yet, in many other ways, have contributed to the School 1 year), Mr Ahmed (Maths, it feels like I have never and wish them well. 1 year), Miss Dyer (Practice been anywhere else! It has Supervisor, 2 Years), Miss been an extraordinary year, We are also saying goodbye to Hermer (Practice Supervisor, with so many memorable a number colleagues and on 2 years), Mrs Burrell (EAL, 4.5 performances, events and daily behalf of the School, I would years), Mr Harding (Deputy achievements. It is has been like to thank them all for their Head/Acting Head, 5 years), Mr a truly humbling and inspiring dedication, commitment and Hathway (Head of Wind, Brass year, in which I found myself all they have contributed to the and Percussion, 12 years), ever more convinced that this School. Mr Veith (Estates, 20 years) is a remarkable place full of and finally, Mr Elliott (Head of remarkable people. Whether they have been with German, former Deputy Head/ us for a year or thirty eight (!), Acting Head, 38 years) As always, at the end of an each can move on from here academic year we say goodbye knowing that they have played I wish you all a happy and to number of people, both a significant part in shaping restful summer vacation, students and staff. For all and enriching the lives of our those students moving on from talented young people. Paul Bambrough LOOKING AHEAD TO 2019/20... A NEW YEAR MEANS NEW LEADERSHIP With this in mind, the School is extremely proud to announce our new Head Boy; Hugo Max and Head Girl; Lydia Cochrane! Following a rigorous interview to bring together different “I’m hugely grateful and process with the Senior academic departments, for excited to have been chosen to Leadership Team, in which instance art or science, to be Head Girl next year! all candidates performed create interesting collaborative I can’t wait to be working as brilliantly, the School has concerts. I am already eagerly part of the prefect team to appointed Hugo Max and awaiting next March where my make changes in the School Lydia Cochrane as our new Haydn Festival is planned: the that I feel strongly about, like Head Boy and Head Girl! culmination of my personal an increase in study space, project of playing all 68 of awareness about hearing “I feel hugely honoured to Haydn’s String Quartets. loss and other music related have been chosen as Head injuries, and a decrease in Boy and am incredibly excited Furthermore, I aim to work plastic use in the school, as to work alongside Lydia and with the new head of pastoral well as other more exciting the whole team to make a care to find positive, practical focuses such as second study positive change at The Purcell ways of approaching mental concerts, sports clubs, and School over the next year. I health - a topic which is key bringing individual musical cannot wait to put into action to the welfare of the student departments closer together the hands-on ideas of our body and demands more with big projects such as a imaginative student voice. focus than ever before. This potential musical. I hope to focus my energies is going to be a thrilling final on getting as many musical year of school for me and my I hope the next year brings new projects off the ground as wonderful year group, filled to opportunities for The Purcell possible. Over the year I would the brim with musical ventures School and everyone in it to like to increase performance and hopefully the creation of a continue to grow as musicians opportunities through frequent couple of arthouse films along in an environment that trips to care homes in the the way...” supports this so well.” local area, as well as work with as many people as possible (Hugo Max, Head Boy) (Lydia Cochrane, Head Girl) INSIDE PURCELL: LET’S TALK OUTREACH We sat down with Alison Cox (Head of Composition and Outreach) to discuss the projects from the past year and the importance of musical outreach In 2003, Purcell students Mica love for music through their West Norfolk, lasted four days Levi (BAFTA winning composer instruments and inspire other and included two full-day and producer known by her young musicians. workshops along with four stage name ‘Micachu’) and concerts. The first concert of Kit Downes (BBC Jazz Award On a recent trip to the Oxhey the tour was at St Andrew’s Winner and Mercury Prize Wood Primary School, staff Church in Thursford (and was Nominee) came up with an said “Thank you to the sponsored by their local Estate idea to help other young incredible students from Agent, Sowerby’s. The second students through the power The Purcell School for your concert was at Christ Church of music. The first outing performance this afternoon. in Fulmodeston and the third was a trip to the Michael Your manner with our took place at The Yorke Trust. Faraday School in South children was so warm and The final concert in All Saints, London where Purcellians your enthusiasm for music is Bale, was dedicated specially worked the young students on so catching!” to the memory of John music composition, and thus Schofield, a great supporter ‘IMPULSE’ was born. Using the skills gained from of the IMPULSE Concerts for working with the local schools, many years, who sadly passed Following this, Purcell the most proactive Year 12 away earlier this year. students continued on Purcell students were chosen organising outreach projects to take part in (what is now an The entire project to this day to local primary schools annual event) the ‘IMPULSE is completely student led, and, with the help of Purcell Musical Outreach Tour’. from creating the lesson plans staff offering sessions on for each of the workshops to interactive teaching, were This years’ tour, sponsored organising the concert venues, able to demonstrate their by The Arts Society of North programme, performers, stage management and promotion. Alison would like to give special recognition to the Year 12 students who took control of running the concerts; Bradley, Tristan, James and Carmen who handled all aspects of the concert management with incredible passion and professionalism. “At first, students were quite nervous about putting together and running an entire concert by themselves. A lot of the aspects of organising a tour such as scheduling rehearsals, reaching out to the local audience, dealing with legal issues including child protection, designing have already asked if we can per section of the orchestra) the programmes etc, were go again next year!” will be coaching two or three challenges our students had members of an the Antigua never had to think about Taking outreach one step and Barbuda Youth Symphony before, but once they had further, one a global scale, Orchestra and finish the started making their lists Alison has just led Purcell week with a final concert of everything they had to students on the first outreach performance. do and started dividing the trip to Antigua! The trip Along with working with the tasks amongst themselves came about through The ABYSO, our students will be they quickly realised just how Purcell School’s connection performing a special concert capable they really are.” to Karen Mae Hill, the High for the Governor General Commissioner of Antigua and Minister of Education (Alison Cox) and Barbuda. An avid pianist of Antigua and Barbuda. herself, Karen expressed a The concert will feature Some feedback from the Christ vision for Antigua and Barbuda Purcell’s String Quartet, Wind Church performance in Norfolk to have every child learning Quintet, Brass Trio plus an included one students’ mother to play an instrument and original composition written saying “We absolutely loved have better access to music specifically for the trip. it, the children especially! education. With this in mind, My nephew intends to go 10 of the Year 13 Purcell The benefits of the Purcell to The Purcell School and students jetted off to Antigua Outreach programme not only has done ever since they on Saturday through their provide our students with skills visited his primary school own individual fundraising they will take with them for the a few years back!” Another along with the incredible rest of their musical career but parent said “Just wanted to generosity of the Royal Society also give other young students say on behalf of us all thanks of St George (pictured), The who didn’t necessarily get the so much for including us! Commonwealth at 70 and opportunity to find a creative We all thoroughly enjoyed Stephen Brown.