In Touch with Nature
On Monday 18th of March at 7pm, Purcell’s Recital Room will be host to the In Touch with Nature concert, preceded by an Art opening at 6:15, also in the Recital Room. The concert will explore the links between music and nature, and will feature Purcell’s musicians playing brand new pieces by eight of our young composers for violin and piano – all of the pieces being inspired in different ways by nature. Our guest artist Fenella Humphreys will also be playing pieces by Michael Small, Purcell’s Junior Composer in Association, and Robert Saxton, Composer in Association, as well as music by Sally Beamish. Please do join us if you are able.
Concert Department Review
Pop and Commercial Gig at The Horns, Watford – 11th March
On Monday, 32 students performed at The Horns in Watford – a traditional pub that has offered live music to the local area for many years. Numbers included songs by Madness, Muse and Billie Eilish. The venue was full and we received an overwhelming amount positive feedback from audience members.
Symphonic Wind Orchestra and Choral Concert, Purcell School – 13th March
Wednesday saw a large scale concert from both our Symphonic Wind Orchestra and Lower School and Sixth Form Choirs, conducted by Dr Ryan Hepburn. Students performed a programme of Mussorgsky’s ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’, transcribed for Wind Orchestra, two pianos and percussion, by Paul Lavender, and Carl Orff’s ‘Carmina Burana’. Congratulations to all students involved, including vocal soloists Adi, Cole, Suanoi, Ciara, Jessica, Daniel and Sonya.
Lunchtime Concerts
This week we heard four lunchtime concerts, including a range of solo, duo and chamber music. Well done to all performers – Marija, Maya-Ashanti, Daria, Medeleine, Luca, Alex, Belinda, Skye, Willow, Anna, Lavender, Zev, Da In, Grace, Yulin, Samsara, Ekaterina, Suanoi and Arunima.
Nafis Umerkulova Gives Robert & Clara Schumann Recital
On Saturday 16th March, concert pianist and teacher of piano at Purcell, Nafis Umerkulova, will perform in an evening of solo piano music and songs as part of the ‘Musical Dialogues’ series organised by the Philomel Creative Circle at St Cuthbert’s Church in Earls Court. Nafis will be accompanied by Betty Makharinsky (soprano) and Jamie Woollard (bass) in a recital which will celebrate the love, marriage and artistic union of two of the great musical figures of German Romanticism – Robert and Clara Schumman. The programme will include songs from ‘Myrthen’, ‘Dichterliebe’, and ‘Frauenliebe und Leben’.
For further information and tickets are available here here.
