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MUSIC 9
Redbridge’s Got Talent
Jo, RS
On Friday March 16, I took part
in Redbridge’s Got Talent 2018.
Singers, dancers and musicians
took part to perform and showcase
their talents, and overall it was a
really fun experience!
When I arrived at the Hawkey Hall, there
was a definite feeling of excitement and
tension in the air with the photographer
running around to take pictures of all
the performers with the Mayor. There
were dancers finding random corners
in which to practise and enthusiastic
parents fighting for the front row. I was
feeling nervous as I had never been in a
competition like this before.
When it was my turn to perform, it was
rather daunting because it was pitch
black and the spotlight was on me.
Unfortunately, I was also suffering from a
cold but it did not hinder me too much! I
played
The Rustle Of Spring
by Christian
Sinding and
A Children’s Song No. 18
by
Chick Corea.
At the end of the performances, we were
all called out onto the stage to find out
who had won the Best Dance Routine,
Best Solo and Most Promising Act. As
the winners for the categories were
announced, I didn’t think I would stand a
chance of winning anything at all. When
they announced my name as the Overall
Winning Champion I was stunned!
I am glad that I was encouraged by Miss
Wainwright to enter the competition as
the experience has boosted my confidence
and the belief that success starts with
the courage to pursue your dreams. I
have since taken the next step to audition
for the Junior conservatoires and was
surprised to receive offers from the Royal
Academy of Music, Royal College of Music
and Guildhall School of Music. It has been
an eventful and rewarding year so far, and
I am excited to see what comes next!
Drapers’ Hall Concert
All the Bancroft’s musicians love when the Drapers’ Hall
concert comes around because it is a good day out from
School. Everyone appreciates chilling in a gilded room,
eating chicken and chips, but it’s only when standing
in the corridor, listening to the performances, waiting
for your cue that one remembers the gravitas of this
annual occasion.
For me, Drapers’ has acted as marker of my time in the music
department, beginning with my first time in Big Band blasting out
Mambo
on the trombone, or the year after playing
Night on the
Bare Mountain
. Drapers’ Hall marked my first performance with the
Bancroft’s Barbers, when we paused too long before the last chord
and everyone applauded early, then the following year the Drapers’
Hall event was one of the first performances of the newly founded
Bancroft’s Balladeers. My highlight from all of it has to be this final
time, when I had the privilege of singing a solo from
The Marriage of
Figaro
. I guess, whilst I joke about missing half a day of lessons, what
really makes Drapers’ so special is performing beautiful music in such
a beautiful space.
Tom Dean, U6E
My first concert at Drapers’ Hall was memorable for all
the right reasons. The beautiful surroundings were of
course a bonus, but I wasn’t expecting the wonderful
acoustics. It gave me particular pleasure to present
such a varied programme of music, with all the age
ranges represented across the School from the top of
our Preparatory Department right through to U6
Extra special memories were created with solos from Aabha Patel
(Flute) and Tom Dean (Baritone) both in their final year at Bancroft’s.
Special thanks to my departmental colleagues Caroline Foinette and
James Kelsall for steering me through, and now my first Drapers’ Hall
is done I can look forward to creating more memories, in fact I am
already planning for next year!
Mrs Julia Whitbread, Director of Music