Weekly Highlights 13th October 2024

New Choir Leader

After an extensive recruitment process, we were delighted to this week welcome Dr Chloë Allison, mezzo-soprano, Cambridge academic and choral conductor, to Purcell as our new Choir Leader.

Over the course of one day every week, Dr Chloë Allison will work with every single Purcell School student in a new programme designed to fill the School with a love of choral singing, and to extend our students’ musicianship skills.

Of the appointment, Dr Chloë Allison commented: ‘I am thrilled to be joining such an exciting and supportive community of musicians. Choral singing is a wonderful vehicle for musical development and there is such potential for ambitious and high-quality music-making at Purcell’.

Please join us in welcoming her to our school community.

BBC Young Musician 2024 Semi-Finalists Announced

We are thrilled to announce that Year 12 violinist Shlomi has advanced to the semi-finals of the BBC Young Musician of the Year 2024 competition!

The announcement, made at the close of last Sunday’s broadcast, followed Shlomi’s captivating performances of Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune and Wieniawski’s Polonaise No. 1. His remarkable talent and artistry have earned him a well-deserved spot in the next stage of this prestigious competition.

Catch Shlomi’s performances and announcement at 1:05:50 in the broadcast.

We also want to extend special recognition to our other outstanding musicians: Rhea Jo (recent alumna, oboe), Tom (Year 13, clarinet) and Suanoi (Year 13, flute), all of whom reached the quarter-finals and performed brilliantly.

The BBC Young Musician 2024 series continues to air on Sundays at 7:30 pm on BBC FOUR, with the following key dates:

Sunday 13th October: Semi-final
Sunday 20th October: Grand final

The Grand Final will also feature highlights on BBC TWO on Sunday 20th October.

We encourage everyone to support Shlomi by tuning in and cheering him on as he proudly represents The Purcell School!

Purcell Students Perform at Opening of Retail Space in Sheffield

In August, Rhys (Year 12, trumpet), Skye (Year 11, baritone horn and trombone) and Glyn (Year 7, trumpet), along with dad Nick (bass trombone), were invited to perform at the official opening of Leah’s Yard, a new artisan retail space set in a Grade 2 listed building in the centre of Sheffield. After a fanfare to mark the grand opening of the doors, the quartet performed a varied selection of music for the arriving visitors. Other students and alumni of Sheffield Music Hub continued to provide musical entertainment across the opening weekend.

What a fantastic experience! Here’s to many more family performances.

Purcell Student Triumphs at the London Young Musician Competition

We are thrilled to announce that Stephanie in Year 7 has received two awards at the recent London Young Musician Competition.

Stephanie’s original composition performance earned her both a Bronze Award and the Characteristic Special Prize – highlighting her unique musical expression and creativity.

Congratulations to Stephanie on this fantastic achievement! We look forward to hearing more of her work in the future.

Purcell Student Nominated for Revelation Award

We are excited to announce that Year 10 pop and commercial singer Lia has been nominated for the Revelation Award at her hometown’s Radio Annual Awards (Gala da Rádio Vizela). This nomination recognizes her exceptional vocal performances and the remarkable impact she has made in the local music scene.

We wish Lia the very best of luck.

Purcell Violinist Secures Roles with LPO Junior Artists and NYOGB

We are thrilled for Year 13 violinist Rebecca, who has been accepted into the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) Junior Artists Programme for the 2024/25 season following auditions earlier this year. This exciting opportunity will allow Rebecca to participate in a wide range of projects with the LPO, fostering her development as a young artist.

In addition to this fantastic achievement, Rebecca has also secured a coveted seat in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain (NYOGB) for the 2024/25 season. She is absolutely over the moon, and we are incredibly proud of her hard work and dedication!

Purcell Students Participate in the EMCY International Workshops

We are delighted to share that Year 11 students Von and Ireh had a fantastic week in Lithuania, participating in the European Union of Music Competitions for Youth (EMCY) International Workshops, Masterclasses and Concert Series.

During their time there, both students had the privilege of attending masterclasses with the internationally renowned violin professor Jurgis Dvarionas, and they performed in three concerts, including one at the stunning Palangos Kurhauzas. This invaluable experience will no doubt contribute to their continued growth as promising violinists.

A big thank you to EMCY for the invitation and for providing such a wonderful opportunity!

Purcell Pianist Plays Winners Gala Concert at Carnegie Hall

Year 13 first study pianist Phoebe was honoured to have been presented with the First Prize and Trophy at The Pacific Stars Prize Winners Gala Concert in Carnegie Hall on Sunday 6th October. She would like to thank the Jury and Artistic Director Rixiang Huang for this incredible prize and the honour of closing the Gala Concert with her performance. She would also like to thank The Purcell School, professors, mentors and family for all their valuable support.

With over 400 pianists from 25 countries applying to this prestigious international piano competition, Phoebe looks forward to her invitation as the First Prize Winner to perform at the Piano Concerto Festival in Portugal in July 2025.

Our congratulations to Phoebe! All at Purcell are hugely proud of and for you.

British Mathematical Olympiad Round 1

We are thrilled to share the news that Year 13 student Jihyo has qualified for the British Mathematical Olympiad (BMO) after achieving a Gold medal in the Senior Maths Competition earlier this month. The BMO is the follow-on round and is a 3.5 hour Olympiad paper consisting of six problems requiring full written solutions. As well as challenging high-scorers from the SMC, the British Mathematical Olympiad is an entry point to the training and selection programme for international maths competitions. The UKMT only invites around 1000 students from around the UK to compete in this prestigious maths competition and we are delighted that Jihyo has qualified.

Video Spotlight

Newly released this week on Purcell’s YouTube channel was the recording of our spectacular Grand Summer Concert at Southwark Cathedral (June 2024).

For those unable to attend on the day, the concert brought the last academic year to a close in triumphant fashion. In the stunning setting of Southwark Cathedral, renowned organist Wayne Marshall OBE performed Poulenc’s Organ Concerto conducted by Purcell’s Director of Music Paul Hoskins, while Edward Longstaff conducted Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Ecce Sacerdos by Bruckner with support from a choir of students and alumni.

The concert was a particularly special occasion for the Purcell community. It marked the end of Edward Longstaff’s 31 years’ service to the School and was uniquely poignant for the number of alumni who returned to pay tribute to him in both the choir and audience.

Our thanks to the professional singers who lent their voices and expertise to the event – Susanna Fairbairn (Soprano), Emma Carrington (Mezzo-Soprano), Gareth Dafydd Morris (Tenor) and Andrew Greenan (Bass).

Alumna to Perform with Hertfordshire Opera

Purcell alumna and soprano Bernice Clark will be performing the role of Fiordiligi in Mozart’s Così Fan Tutte with Hertfordshire Opera. The performance will take place on Saturday 16th November at The Shaw Theatre in the heart of London, just a short walk from Euston and King’s Cross.

Bernice warmly invites members of the Purcell community to join her for this special evening of opera, where there will be an opportunity to reconnect, celebrate and reminisce. It promises to be a fantastic occasion.

Tickets and additional information are available here.

Purcell Alumni to Feature in Nonclassical’s 20th Anniversary Concert at Hackney Empire

We are excited to announce that two of our former Music Technology and Composition students, Mica Levi and Sasha Scott, will be performing at Nonclassical’s 20th anniversary concert at the Hackney Empire on 26th October.

Both Mica and Sasha are renowned for their innovative and boundary-pushing sound creations. A highlight of the evening will be Sasha’s groundbreaking piece, the world’s first Concerto for Drum Machine and Orchestra, which pays tribute to the iconic Roland 808 drum machine – a staple in tracks by legendary artists such as Run-DMC, LL Cool J, Afrika Bambaataa and the Talking Heads.

This promises to be an extraordinary celebration of contemporary music, and we’re proud to see our alumni contributing to such an exciting event.

For more information, visit: Nonclassical 20th Anniversary Concert.

Forthcoming Events

In addition to those highlighted events below, please visit our new online Concerts and Events Guide.

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Tuesday 15 October – Judy Carmichael and Sam Dunn Jazz Concert
Time: 7.00pm
Venue: CP Hall, The Purcell School
Tickets: Free admission. No booking required

Join us for an exciting concert with Grammy-nominated pianist and vocalist Judy Carmichael, one of the world’s leading interpreters of stride and swing piano. Known for her infectious personality and dynamic performances, Judy has played everywhere from Carnegie Hall to posh nightclubs in Paris and Melbourne.

With features on A Prairie Home Companion, NPR, CBS and the BBC, Judy has also hosted the acclaimed Judy Carmichael’s Jazz Inspired for 25 years. She’s authored two books on stride piano and a memoir, Swinger! A Jazz Girl’s Adventures From Hollywood To Harlem.

Tonight, Judy will perform with her longtime accompanist and Purcell School jazz guitar tutor, Sam Dunn, along with some of our talented jazz students.

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Monday 11 November – Sinfonia Smith Square: Schubert and Strauss
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: Sinfonia Smith Square, London SW1P 3HA
Tickets: £10-20. Available from the Sinfonia Smith Square website

Students from Purcell, joined by esteemed violinist, conductor and Patron of the school Dmitry Sitkovetsky, return to Sinfonia Smith Square for their flagship autumn concert. Ensembles from all classical departments present a varied programme of music linked by themes of Remembrance.

Programme to include:
Arvo Pärt Fratres (soloist Dmitry Sitkovetsky)
Felix Mendelssohn (arr. Dmitry Sitkovetsky) Letters in Music
Richard Strauss (arr. Dmitry. Sitkovetsky) Sextet from Capriccio, Op. 85
Franz Schubert Psalm 23
Richard Strauss Serenade in E-flat Major, Op. 7

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Wednesday 13 November – 6th Form Concert
Time: 7.00pm
Venue: CP Hall, The Purcell School
Tickets: Free admission. No booking required