Spring Term music at Crompton House started with the fabulous Guys and Dolls which featured many Crompton House musicians on the stage and in the pit band. A full report of this can be found on a separate page. There was then an early Saturday get-up for fifty of our younger pupils to travel to Birmingham Symphony Hall for “1000 Woodard Voices”. This was a day’s choir workshop with nearly 1000 pupils and teachers from Woodard Schools all over the country, led by Dominic Peckham who is regarded as ‘one of the UK’s finest dynamic orchestral and choral conductors of his generation’. He took the choirs through a number of traditional and contemporary songs which they had practiced during the term at their own schools. The way he motivated the pupils was amazing and although the workshop was concentrated hard work and exhausting, the sound produced was wonderful as the audience in the post-workshop concert testified. A most enjoyable start to the February half-term break.
Birmingham was followed by intense rehearsals for the National Festival of Music for Youth Regional Finals. Rochdale Town Hall was the venue and despite being acoustically challenging the Brrass Band, Wind Band and Senior Orchestra all sounded brilliant. The adjudications were very positive and helpful and all the pupils should feel very proud of their performances.
This year, due to the wide range of music at Crompton House, we had two Spring Concerts. The first featured songs from the Woodard 1000 Voices, as well as an excellent performance by our Training Band.
The second Spring Concert started with the Junior Orchestra featuring a number of our local primary school musicians playing alongside some of our younger string players. One of the many success of the Crompton House Music Department.
At both concerts there were a number of soloists and small group ensembles. It was brilliant to see and hear our musicians over-coming their fears to perform so well to a friendly and supportive audience. Also performing at the seond concert was the Guitar Group, led so well by Mr Housely from the Oldham Music Centre. We are very grateful to all the excellent staff at the Lyceum, who work so well with our pupils including Mr Meaden with the Brass Ensemble and Wind Band, Mr Leedale with the Brass Band,and Mrs Hartnell-Booth, Mrs Meaden and Mr Prince with the wind groups.
The term ended with the Communion Band and Choir accompanying the services, starting with the singing of Trilo, from the “1000 Woodard Voices”. Well done to all our talented and hard-working musicians who are great ambassadors to the school. They had a great term.
None of the excellent music at Crompton House would be possible without the hard work of our dedicated music staff: Director of Music, Mrs Nixon, and Miss Warburton.
