The first half-term finished brilliantly with over 200 pupils taking part in a fantastic concert featuring music from stage and screen. For many pupils this was their first experience of a Crompton House concert, and music teachers, Mrs Nixon and Miss Warburton, made sure it was a concert to remember. The Year 7 pupils all demonstrated their classwork with an interpretation of “Alice in Wonderland”. Each of the 8 Year 7 Music classes performed their own devised pieces which they have been working on in the eight weeks of this term, demonstrating the wide range of talent of our newest pupils. The two Year 9 GCSE Music classes showed their performance skills with two vocal pieces, while all the Year 8 pupils combined to play the James Bond theme.
The Year 7 & 8 Girls Choir continued the James Bond theme with a lovely unaccompanied arrangement of the Skyfall theme. The Guitar Group played music from “Pulp Fiction” which was much enjoyed by everyone. The Percussion Group featured some excellent playing on tuned and untuned percussion, and the Boys Choir sang a great piece entitled “One Jump Ahead”, and it was obvious from their faces that they really enjoyed singing it. Thanks to Rhiannon Ogden-Jones for conducting this group. The Junior Orchestra, with pupils from Thornham St James, East Crompton Primary and Crompton Primary Schools, as well our own musicians set the audience’s feet tapping when they played “Ob-la-di,Ob-la-da”, and the Training Band played “Go Go Go Joseph” with great skill for such a young group. Our flautists made a delightful sound playing “Take it from the top”. The Music Theatre Group were, as Mr Upton said in his introduction, revolting, and their choreographed performance of this song from Roald Dahl’s “Matilda” was full of vitality. Many thanks to Darcey McCoy and Megan Fielden of our Sixth Form who led this group so well. Thanks also to other members of the Sixth Form who helped backstage ensuring the pupils were in the right place at the right time, with the right music in front of them.
Our Lower School soloists also had the chance to shine, whatever their age. Mollie Hadfield and Arianne Makinson played a Tenor Horn Duet, Matthew Hall played a Cornet Solo, Hannah Wilson and Kacey Moorhouse played a violin duet, and Scarlett Butterworth, Emily Hobbs and Mia Laithwaite-Adair sang “Tomorrow”. All their performances were excellent and demonstrated the high quality of playing our younger performers regularly achieve.
Many thanks go to the Mrs Nixon and Miss Warburton who have worked so hard this term ensuring the pupils all performed to the best of their abilities. Thanks also to Mrs Whittaker and Mrs Bacon did a great job in the Gym looking after the pupils who were not on stage.
The school would also like to thank Mrs Housley, Year 7 & 8 Girls Choir, Mr Housley, Guitar Group, Mr Smith, Percussion, and Mrs Meaden, Flute Ensemble, all from the Oldham Music Centre, who have worked so hard with their Crompton House groups.
This was a wonderful evening of music participation and talent and it bodes well for our Christmas Concert on Wednesday 16th December.
