Finchcocks - Friday and Sunday

Date: Sunday 30 November 2008

Mr Spencer Payne writes:

Finchcocks Musical Instrument Museum Visit & Concert (Friday 28th November 2008, 10am-4pm)

U5, L6 and U6 Music Scholars were given the chance to attend a talk and perform in their own concert on Friday. The session began at the Baroque Georgian Country House, near Goudhurst, Kent, with an informative talk and demonstration of a number of keyboard instruments from 1600-1880. It gave everyone a chance to experience the sound world that famous composers such as Purcell, Bach, Handel, Mozart, Beethoven and the early Romantics such as Schumann and Chopin, would have been accustomed to. In addition, there was time for everyone to try out their wide ranging repertoire on the 100+ keyboard instruments that were available. Before returning to school at the end of the afternoon, St Edmund's musicians gave a 40 minute concert of solo and ensemble performances, each one being accompanied by the appropriate harpsichord, virginal or early piano. An enjoyable afternoon was had by all and helped to lift the spirits on a miserable, cold and rainy winter's afternoon. Performers were : Tim Edlin, Gabby Hodnett, Ulrike Brinkmann, Ben Clarke, Seth-Scott Deuchar, Jessica White Pearson, Sophie Belinfante, Joe Rawlins, Ben Preece, Tom Vafidis and Fred White.

Finchcocks Young Performers' Recital (Sunday 30th November, 2008 at 2.30pm)

Ana Vandepeer & Sophie Belinfante - Allegro (1st movement) from Concerto for 2 Violins by Vivaldi

Ana Vandepeer & George Inscoe (piano duet) - Allegro (1st movement) from Sonata in E flat by Clementi

Benedict Preece - Rondo from Horn Concerto No.2 in E flat by Mozart

Following on from Friday's visit, workshop and concert at Finchcocks, St Edmund's was proud to provide three more musical items in the prestigious Young Performers' Recital, again in the elegant and historic Finchcocks Museum. We were again well represented by St Edmund's highly talented music scholars - Sophie Belinfante and Ana Vandepeer thrilled the audience with their rendition of the 1st movement of Vivaldi's Concerto for two violins, Benedict Preece with his performance of the virtuosic Rondo from Horn Concerto No.2 in E flat by Mozart and then George Inscoe was joined by Ana Vandepeer to perform a piano duet, an Allegro from Clementi's Sonata in E flat. The standard was high and included musicians from the Royal College of Music and many schools from the South East who are noted for the quality of their music making. Well done to all four performers for representing the school so admirably.