Dale Hill and the Royal Festival Hall

Date: Wednesday 30 September 2009

On Thursday - October 1st - two very contrasting events took place, from the very ends of the SES spectrum. During the course of the day, six golfers made their way to Dale Hill GC to play a competitive cup match against Eastbourne College, and at 4.00pm a party of Sixth Form Music Scholars, with the addition of all the full-time music staff, and Choir House 'gapper' Rosie Frith, travelled up to the Royal Festival Hall for a concert given by the Philharmonia Orchestra under the baton of Finnish maestro, Esa Pekka Salonen.

The golfers did really well, and progressed to a second round tie against, probably, Tonbridge, by virtue of a 2 - 1 win over Eastbourne. Alex Hunter and Ben Kemp won comfortably 8 & 7; Robert Penn and George Smith won 3 & 2, having been at one stage four-up; Callum Stokes-Newens and Rafi Stone, the third pair, went down 2 & 1, having been one-up at one stage. These were played as foursomes, with partners very reliant on the accuracy and technique of each other.

The musicians were introduced for the first time, in many cases, to the music of Janacek and Stravinsky, and in every case to a premiere of a piece by Magnus Lindberg - sounds more like a Swedish central defender! - called 'Graffiti for Chorus and Orchestra'. The Janacek 'Sinfonietta' is best known for the main theme of its final movement, once used as the theme tune for the ITV series 'Crown Court'. SJP suggested that the Lindberg was notable for its 'sonorities and textures', and its interweaving of 'darkness and light'. Interesting! The Stravinsky was superb - the full and original ballet score of the 'Firebird' - with the brass section displaying amazing power and accuracy.

Both events were thoroughly enjoyed by all who took part, and further evidence of St Edmund's going many an extra mile to give its pupils an increasing range of experience.