During the evening of Monday 30th June, the Senior Choir took part in a joint choral concert with nine other GDST schools in Croydon’s Fairfield Halls. Over 50 Sutton High students took part in a combined choir of about 250 singers to sing Mozart’s Laudate Dominum and Ave Verum Corpus and his glorious Coronation Mass all in arrangements for upper voice choirs. The items were accompanied by the world-renowned chamber orchestra, the London Mozart Players and organist (and SHS piano teacher) Mr Peter Jaekel, and was conducted by professional choral conductor Joanna Tomlinson, herself a former GDST student.
12 students made up a semi-chorus of soloists in the Coronation Mass, 2 of whom, Maria and Rinnah, are SHS Senior Choir members. Joanna Tomlinson, who has worked with choirs of all ages and sizes including the National Youth Choir and BBC Symphony Chorus, and is Artistic Director of the Military Wives Choirs, was very impressed by the combined GDST choir and by the vocal blend and quality of singing of the semi-chorus, particularly given that they had never sung before together until the day of the concert.
Back in March, 18 students competed to take part in a concerto competition, the winners of which got to perform with the LMP in Monday’s concert. SHS Year 11 students Milcah and Rinnah impressed the adjudicator with their playing and were picked as one of the winner. The sisters played Mendelssohn’s Konzertstück No 1 in F minor for 2 clarinets and orchestra in Monday’s concert, receiving many compliments for the high quality and maturity of their performance.
Monday’s concert has received much praise from audience members, students and the professional musicians involved. SHS Director of Music, and organiser of the event, was very happy with how it went: “It has been fantastic to continue our relationship with the LMP and Joanna Tomlinson. For the students to get to perform together and with professional musicians is a very special thing, something I’m sure they will remember for a long time. I’m so grateful to the GDST for all their support and for the high value they place on music-making across the GDST schools. It was a superb evening and a real celebration of young musical talent in our schools.
