The Choristers perform their own compositions

Date: Wednesday 29 April 2009

The choristers were busy composing from the start of the Spring Term. Rosie Frith, the resident House Tutor, set the challenge of writing an ensemble piece for no more than four instruments with a minimum of 16 bars and a maximum length of two minutes. Seven completed pieces met the deadline, including a piano solo, a string quartet and four-part vocal piece.

The compositions, all beautifully printed, were performed by the choristers themselves during the third Chorister Instrumental Concert of the term in the Eastern Crypt of the Cathedral. And what a wonderful opportunity it was for the young composers, aged 9 to 13, to explore their creative impulse. The concert drew a substantial audience, not only the choristers’ families and staff from St Edmund’s, but also members of the congregation and clergy. They were able to witness not only the composers’ evident pleasure in having their creativity brought to life, but also the sense of camaraderie engendered by such a collaborative performance. Thank you, Rosie, for initiating the project, and well done all composers and performers on a most enjoyable recital and some really characterful and meaningful compositions.

There will be a similar initiative during the Michaelmas Term.

Photographs: copyright Thomas Hooley 2009