Last Saturday evening saw a memorable Gala Concert in a packed Chelmsford Cathedral. Many members of the New Hall community and beyond gathered for an enchanting evening of music from New Hall’s ensembles and choirs.

The Senior String Ensemble’s Serenata Notturna in D major provided an excellent start to the night, with bright and fast-paced Marcia and Rondeau movements, followed by the Chamber Choir’s dreamlike performances of Bruckner’s Christus Factus Est and Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine. The Senior Orchestra presented a majestic rendition of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1, in which the adventurous harmonies were perfectly executed by instrumentalists in Years 6-13, New Hall staff and professional musicians. The fantastic acoustic of the Cathedral combined with a powerful sound from the Senior Choir for a magnificent performance of Mozart’s Requiem, supported by an orchestra and professional soloists, two of whom teach singing as Visiting Music Teachers.

The programme, packed full of challenging pieces frequently performed by world-class musicians, was a demonstration of the power of practice and teamwork in musicianship, as the students reminisced about their initial reactions to the repertoire and the difficult task of learning it in just under two months. We congratulate our Music Department for their work preparing our musicians and organising the concert, as we marvel at the sheer musical talent of our students and staff who show such dedication to the School’s choirs and ensembles.