Musical talent in abundance at King’s Hawford

King’s Hawford has an extremely impressive number of children taking part in musical activities across our wide range of ensembles and individual lessons, as well as curriculum music. Singing is ever popular, with 37 children in Junior Choir, 40 in Senior Choir, and 15 in Sing and Sign Club. The instrumental ensembles currently include 28 in Orchestra, 14 in Woodwind Group, 20 in String Group, 10 in Brass Group, and 7 in Harp Group. Many children are in more than one ensemble and new members are always welcome! The music classroom is always a hive of activity, buzzing with enthusiasm and music making.

 

On Thursday morning, as part of the King’s School Worcester Foundation Service hosted in Worcester Cathedral, the King’s Hawford Senior Choir were honoured to be able to demonstrate their musical talent. Performing a stunning anthem, Teach Us to Love by Mark Patterson, the choir wowed a 1,300 strong congregation, receiving compliments from all. Regular visitors to Worcester Cathedral, the pupils are looking forward to performing at St Richard’s Hospice 40^th Anniversary celebratory Lights of Love service on Wednesday 1^st May at 7pm. The Senior Choir are also excitedly rehearsing for their performance in the Cheltenham Festival of Performing Arts on 19th May, competing in a new class having won their competitive class last year.

 

The first orchestral rehearsal of the Summer Term took place on Friday afternoon, with 28 children attending; we saw a record 10 on violin, with every section of the orchestra well represented! That’s the biggest orchestra King’s Hawford has seen in a few years.

 

The Summer Term is always busy, with performance opportunities varying from solo and duet performances in every assembly to the more formal occasions of Grandparents’ Day and Speech Day at the end of term. The next informal concert is on Thursday 9th May, and the final informal concert of the year is on Thursday 20th June.

 

Musical ensembles are not all that pupils at King’s Hawford were celebrating this week. Prior to the Easter break, a significant number of pupils took examinations on an array of different instruments, with some outstanding results. All of the following pupils should be extremely proud of their recent achievements:

Austin (Year 4): Grade 1 Mini Bassoon (Merit)

Ava (Year 6): Grade 6 Flute (Merit)

Alice (Year 2): Initial Grade Violin (Merit)

Aoife (Year 2): Initial Grade Violin

Simi (Year 3): Grade 1 Violin (Merit)

Sam (Year 6): Grade 2 Violin

Ellie (Year 3): Grade 3 Violin

Oliver (Year 6): Grade 2 Violin

Bonnie (Year 2): Prep Grade Singing

Izzy (Year 4): Prep Grade Singing

Ben (Year 6): Grade 3 ‘Cello (Merit)

Darcy (Year 6): Grade 3 Clarinet (Merit)

Robin (Year 5): Initial Grade Piano

William (Year 2): Initial Grade Piano

Georgia (Year 3): Initial Grade Piano (Distinction)

Harry (Year 4): Initial Grade Piano (Distinction)

Ellis (Year 2): Prep Grade Piano

Philippa (Year 5): Grade 1 Clarinet (Distinction)

Chloe (Year 5): Prep Grade Piano

 

Parents interested in their child learning an instrument or having singing lessons from September should make contact with Mrs Hughes this term so that a place can be reserved for September. Further information is available from shughes@ksw.org.uk. We offer tuition in all the orchestral woodwind, brass, and string instruments, along with piano, singing, guitar, harp, saxophone and drum kit.

 

Children are invited to attend ensembles once they reach a suitable standard, directed by their teacher. Ensembles and concerts are open to children who have lessons in or out of school. Our choirs are non-selective and open to all. There are numerous opportunities during the year to perform, with informal concerts held every half term.