The Purcell School > News > Weekly Highlights > Weekly Highlights 25th February 2022

Weekly Highlights 25th February 2022

Welcome to the latest edition of Purcell’s Weekly Highlights!

Year 10 Pianist Wins First Prize in International Piano Competition

Year 10 pianist Phoebe has won First Prize in ‘The 28th International Competition Young Virtuoso Zagreb 2022’. Phoebe was also awarded the ‘Croatian Composers’ Society Award’ for the best performance of the obligatory etude by Croatian composer Ivan Končić and invited to perform in the final concert at the Prize Winners Award Ceremony held in Blagoje Bersa Concert Hall, Zagreb. Our congratulations to Phoebe on these important awards and accolades.

Photo credit: GS P Markova

Young Drummer of the Year Final

Year 8 drummer Jack took part in the final of the Young Drummer of the Year Competition on Sunday 6th February, having been selected as one of the 10 finalists. While he did not win (this time), all at Purcell could not be more proud of and for him.

Middle School Concert

Wednesday evening (23rd February 2022) saw a triumphant return to performances in school in front of an audience.

We had wonderful solo performances from Alex RR (Year 10, french horn), Alex H (Year 10, trombone), Birce (Year 10, clarinet) and Jiahao (Year 11, piano) in the first half, which were followed by concerto movements from three Middle School Concerto Competition finalists – Hana (Year 9, violin), Phoebe (Year 10, piano) and Chonchanok (Year 10, flute) – accompanied by the Middle School Orchestra.

Holocaust Survivors Centre Concert

Yesterday afternoon (24th February 2022), four Purcell students performed a private event at the Jewish Care Holocaust Survivors Centre. It was a beautifully played event of great pathos, which was particularly moving on a day of military tensions in Eastern Europe. Our thanks to Patchubun (Year 9, piano), Zozi (Year 13, voice), Sacha (Year 12, bassoon) and Dominic-Lucian (Year 11, violin).

Shrek is back!

March will see Head of Sixth Form Mr Szafranski returning to the stage as Shrek in a production of the musical of the same name, which has been postponed several times after being closed by Covid in 2020! This week he went under the careful hands of the make-up artists to try out his prosthetics, and if you want to see the result then look no further (see below and click image to expand). Whilst he won’t be able to come to World Book Day dressed as Shrek, he is pleased to be able to live up to the Shrek Prize he won in last year’s Comp Comp!

Alumni Collaboration: Thomas Kelly and Noah Max

For those who missed pianist Thomas Kelly’s live-streamed recital of new works by composer Noah Max (both Purcell alumni) at the state51 Conservatoire late last year, below is a recording of the performances.

Particularly poignant for members of the Purcell community is the original composition It Comes In Waves (18.33), which was written in memory of alumnus Alex Ross.

Concerts and Events Guide: February to March 2022

We are pleased (relieved/thankful) to be able to share with you the first Concerts and Events Guide that we have been able to publish since June 2021. Affectionately called ‘Hostage to Fortune’ by our Director of Music, Paul Hoskins, the guide contains details of concerts and events which we have put together in the hope of green shoots and renewed performances which will allow us to come together to celebrate the achievements of our amazing young people.

Please do browse through the guide. We hope to see you at some of these fantastic events in the not too distant future.

Concerts and Events Guide: February and March 2022

Music is Maths

Next Wednesday 2nd March, Purcell will host a day of workshops entitled Maths is Music with famed mathematician Marcus de Sautoy and contemporary composer Emily Howard.

We are thrilled to be collaborating with PRiSM (the Royal Northern College of Music’s Centre of Practice and Research in Science and Music) on this project, which was devised by our Maths Department to inspire compositions by students with mathematical concepts at their heart.

The workshops are a private event for Purcell students only but will be documented in subsequent Weekly Highlights. Watch this space!

Poster design by Polina (Year 10). Click image to expand.

Two Worlds Concert

Please find below flyers for our forthcoming concert with the London Community Gospel Choir (LCGC) at the Alban Arena on Sunday 27th March. The Two Worlds Concert is presented courtesy of the High Sheriff of Hertfordshire, Lionel Wallace.

Further programme and ticket information will be shared through the Weekly Highlights and Purcell social accounts as it becomes available.

Imminent Purcell Events

Five spotlight performance dates for your diaries:

Wednesday 2nd March: Lower School Concert
Time: 19.00
Venue: The Purcell School, CP Hall
Tickets: Free admission. Please email concerts@purcell-school.org to register interest
Featuring: Tudor (Year 7, piano), Anthony (Year 7, piano), Seth (Year 7, violin), Josh (Year 7, cello), Xilang (Year 7, trumpet), Celeste (Year 8, piano), Nemunis (Year 8, violin), Carla (Year 8, violin) and Jack (Year 8, drum kit).

Wednesday 16th March: Jazz Concert
Time: 19.00
Venue: The Purcell School, CP Hall
Tickets: Free admission. Please email concerts@purcell-school.org to register interest
Trumpeter Mark Armstrong comes in as a special guest to lead the school’s various jazz ensembles and big band, alongside Simon Allen, our Head of Jazz. A renowned arranger and band leader, Mark is Artistic and Music Director of National Youth Jazz Orchestra, and Jazz Professor at the Royal College of Music.

Thursday 17th March: Piano Department Concert at St James’
Time: 19.00
Venue: St James’ Church, 197 Piccadilly, St. James’s, London W1J 9LL
Tickets: TBC
The piano works of Alexander Scriabin, born 150 years ago this year, were the focus of our piano course this year, and this concert will showcase the work of our pianists in this extraordinary repertoire, alongside students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Friday 18th March: Purcell School Chamber Choir Concert
Time: 19.30
Venue: St Mary’s Church, Church Street, Watford WD18 0EG
Tickets: Free admission
Bernstein – Chichester Psalms
Britten – Rejoice in the Lamb
Following an outstanding performance of Christmas and Advent music in December, the Purcell Chamber Choir can now be heard in two masterpieces of the 20th Century, conducted by Ryan Hepburn.

Monday 21 March – Purcell School Symphony Orchestra at Cadogan Hall
Time: 19.30
Venue: Cadogan Hall, 5 Sloane Terrace, London SW1X 9DQ
Tickets: Tickets available via cadoganhall.com box office
Philip Theodorou – Blue Speck (world premiere)
Lili Boulanger – D’un matin de printemps
Prokofiev – Violin Concerto no 1 in D
Sibelius – Symphony no 1 in e minor

Violin – Yinong Xiao
Conductor – Paul Hoskins

A thrilling programme of four beautiful and dramatic symphonic works, all written by young composers, played by young people all too glad to be back on stage in a very big orchestra.

Reminders

Thursday 3rd March: World Book Day
Staff and students are invited to come to school dressed as a favourite author or character to celebrate World Book Day. There will be a group photo opportunity for all of those who do dress up in the CP Hall at the beginning of morning break (10.20).

Sunday 13th March 2022: Clarinet and Saxophone Festival
14.00 to 17.00
A free afternoon of clarinet and saxophone masterclasses for young musicians in Years 5-11, of approximately Grade 4 standard and above, culminating in a group performance opportunity.
Registration is open here on our website.