Each year the School puts on over 200 events in School and at venues throughout the UK. Highlights from our external diary of events include an annual series of Wigmore Hall concerts, the Freddy Morgan Piano Recital at the Southbank Centre’s Purcell Room, Symphony Orchestra concerts at the Watford Colosseum and the Queen Elizabeth Hall and a choral concert at St Albans Abbey. Concerts in School range from daily lunchtime performances to full-length evening concerts given by solo instrumentalists, chamber and orchestral groups, choirs, composers, Jazz and Music Technology students. The School also hosts a number of masterclasses, workshops and performances given by visiting musicians.
The School organises international tours and has given concerts in Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Russia, Iceland, Malta, the USA, Trinidad and Japan. Forthcoming tours include a Chamber Choir trip to Estonia in January 2011 and a tour to Australia in October 2011 as part of the Commonwealth Resounds Music Festival.
Community projects are an increasing part of the School’s performing portfolio: it undertakes workshops in schools across the UK including London, Norfolk, Wales, Cornwall and Southampton.
Free Lunchtime concerts take place in the Constance Pilkington Hall on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 12:20pm to which we welcome an external audience. Please contact the Concerts Office on the day you plan to come to check that the concert is taking place.
If you would like further information regarding Purcell School concerts please contact the Concerts Office: 01923 331138
Constance Pilkington Hall
18th May 2012 | 3pm
Lower School Choir and Orchestra
Programme to include
BrittenSimple Symphony
I. Boisterous Bourrée
II. Playful Pizzicato
IV. Frolicsome Finale
Admission Free
Cadogan Hall
19th May 2012 | 12pm
Purcell Lower School Choir with the City of London Sinfonia
A special sport-themed Crash Bang Wallop! introducing young listeners to the brass section of the Orchestra. You’ll meet the noisiest members of City of London Sinfonia, as we celebrate the Olympic year through the iconic film music from Chariots of Fire, Fisher Tull’s Olympic Fanfare and Aesop’s well-known fable The Tortoise and the Hare set to music. As always there will be plenty of opportunity for singing and audience participation too.
Purcell's Lower School choir will be performing a piece written by Purcell School alumnus Quim Badia Arumi.
Pre-concert creative activities from 11am include:
•Create your own medals
•Meet the brass instruments
•Musical Crafts
•Percussion Zoo
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Concert is suitable for children 3-8 years.
Tickets: £8 adults, children £6
Family ticket: £24 (for 4 tickets)
(Please note that every person over the age of six months old must have a ticket)
Tickets are available through the Cadogan Hall website and it is advisable to book sooner rather than later as this is a popular event -http://www.cadoganhall.com/event/crash-bang-wallop-family-concert-120519/
Constance Pilkington Hall, Purcell School
21st May 2012 | 6:30pm
Distinguished Russian cellist Natalia Gutman received her early musical training from her grandfather Anisim Berlin and Professor Galina Kozolupova, as well as artistic input from the late musicians, cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, pianist Sviatoslav Richter, and her husband, violinist Oleg Kagan. Maestro Richter once expressed his admiration for Natalia Gutman saying: “… she is an incarnation of truthfulness in music.”
She has performed with the leading orchestras of the world, and with conductors such as Sawallisch, Muti, Abbado, Haitink, Svetlanov, Temirkanov, Celibidache, and Masur. She regularly appears with the most important summer festivals in Europe.
Admission: £5
Please book in advance: 01923 331138
St. Mary's Church, Watford
22nd May 2012 | 1pm
Pupils from Year 8 present a varied programme of solo and chamber items.
Retiring Collection
St. Mary's Church, Church Street, Watford WD18 0EG
Constance Pilkington Hall
22nd May 2012 | 6:30pm
Renowned violinist Zakhar Bron will work with four Purcell students in a masterclass beginning at 6.30 pm.
Zakhar Bron is well known the world over as a phenomenal violin pedagogue and an inspiring performer. Some of the best known violinists of today were amongst his students, like Vadim Repin and Maxim Vengerov. He was himself winner of prizes at important international violin competitions, has recorded many CD's and regularly plays recitals, chamber music concerts and violin concertos.
Admission: £5
Please book in advance: 01923 331138
Constance Pilkington Hall
25th May 2012 | 7:00pm
Beethoven piano concerto no.3 in C minor (1st Movement)
Vivaldi Flute concerto in D
Schubert Symphony no.5
Purcell School Sinfonia
Edward Longstaff - conductor
Matthew Higham - flute
Alim Beisembayev - piano
Admission Free. There will be a retiring collection at the end of the concert.
Kindly supported by the Friends of Busahey Museum
Constance Pilkington Hall
29th May 2012 | 6:30pm
Admission: £5
Please book in advance: 01923 331138
Constance Pilkington Hall
13th June 2012 | 7:00pm
A recital given by Purcell alumnus, Kenji Muira who is currently studying at Universität der Künste, Berlin.
Admission Free
St Candida and Holy Cross, Whitchurch
16th June 2012 | 7:00pm
Purcell pupils perform at the beautiful Church in the centre of Whitchurch as part of a series of concerts run by former Headmaster John Bain and his wife Cynthia.
Whitchurch Canonicorum: St Candida & Holy Cross : centre of village, Whitchurch Canonicorum, Dorset, DT6 6RQ
Tickets: £10 to include canapés, drinks.
For more details: http://www.whitchurchpurcellians.org/
Constance Pilkington Hall
21st June 2012 | 7:00pm
Please book in advance. Box Office: 01923 331109
Interval refreshments available
All proceeds to The Peace Hospice, Watford
Rameau L'Egyptienne
Rameau La Rappel Des Oiseaux
Beethoven Sonata, Op. 81a, No. 26
Field Nocturne No. 4 in A major
Field Nocturne No. 5 in B-flat major
Chopin Ballade No. 1 in G minor
Interval
Chopin Etudes:
Op. 10, Nos 1,3,4,9,12
Op. 25, Nos 2,6,10,12
Liszt Legende No. 2
Liszt St Francis de Paulesue le Flots
Liszt Mephisto Waltz No.1
Constance Pilkington Hall, Purcell School
25th June 2012 | 7:00pm
The Purcell School Jazz Department Showcase, directed by Simon Colam.
Admission Free.
Purcell School
26th June 2012 | 5pm (Jnrs), 7pm (Yr7), 8pm (Yr8)
5pm Juniors: Diamond Jubilee (Recital Room)
7pm Year 8: 21st Century (Constance Pilkington Hall)
8pm Year 7: 2012 (Recital Room)
Tickets: 50p
Concerts of music composed, produced & directed entirely by
members of the Lower School.
Proceeds from ticket sales and refreshments are donated to three different charities chosen by each participating year group.
Each concert will be adjudicated by two members of staff (tbc!) with prizes awarded for every aspect of the events: organisation, musical content, costumes, presentation etc.
Recital Room, Purcell School
28th June 2012 | 11:00am & 2:00pm
11:00am – Concert 1
2:00pm – Concert 2
Recital Room
Two special Olympic-themed, hour-long concerts for children organised and presented by students in Year 11 who have participated in a unique Outreach course as part of their musical programme at the School.
These concerts are aimed at children aged from 7-11. To book places, please contact Hannah Grayson, Outreach Assistant h.grayson@purcell-school.org
Constance Pilkington Hall
28th June 2012 | 7:00pm
Philomel Sinfonietta is a newly formed chamber orchestra of senior pupils at The Purcell School dedicated to the performance of contemporary music, particularly new works by Purcell School composers, using innovative methods of concert presentation. The orchestra will be directed by Philip Dutton.
The performance by Roots will be the culmination of a pupil-led project of songs and pieces written by students representing the different countries and cultures that are present in the school pupil body.
Admission Free
