Autumn Term 2021
Autumn Term (1) 2021 - Music News
The first half term this academic year in situations more resembling normality has been exhausting and exhilarating in equal measure. Our PGS musicians (both pupils and staff) have given their all as we have been rebuilding and re-establishing the musical culture of PGS. I would like to thank everyone for their support of the ensembles, individual music lessons and performance opportunities so far this term and share with you a brief summary of some of the highlights this half term.
Gareth Hemmings
Director of Music
Music Co-Curricular:
It has been wonderful to start the academic year with live music making and live concert performances. We have been relishing the sounds of ensembles rehearsing before school, at breaktime, lunchtime and after school, and it has been hugely encouraging to see how quickly these groups are re-establishing themselves. It is not too late to join an ensemble; full details can be found on our Music Department website. With 40 ensemble rehearsals every week there is definitely something for everyone!
Concert Performances:
Our Tuesday lunchtime recital series has resumed with live audiences and has featured musicians in year 12, year 13 and year 11. After half term musicians in Year 9, year 10, string players and brass players will have the opportunity to perform in the Rotunda. If any musicians would like to play in these (full details of which can be found in our Music Calendar) please do contact Miss Kingsley k.kingsley@pgs.org.uk who curates this series.
3 Colours Guitar Workshop and Concert - Friday 1 October
We were able to welcome our first professional musicians to PGS for 2 years to deliver a fantastic workshop for our guitar pupils this half term. 3 Colours Guitar are a trio of musicians from diverse playing backgrounds. Declan Zapala is a classical guitarist who plays using percussive techniques and also uses loop pedals. Matt Buchanan is an exponent of the finger-picking folk style of playing and John Wheatcroft is one of the country’s leading jazz guitarists. During the 2 hour workshop a range of different techniques and improvisation approaches were explored and the pupils had the chance to ask questions and gain useful performing tips from the professionals. Later that evening we were treated to a wonderful concert which featured each of the three guitarists playing solo spots and then joining together as a trio to perform a fascinating fusion of styles. It was fantastic to welcome a live audience of over 100 people to the DRT for this event.
Middle and Upper School Concert - Wednesday
The first evening pupils’ concert of the term featured 15 solo and small ensemble performers from year 7 to year 11 playing in the intimate setting of the Rotunda. Despite not having performed in public for close to 2 years our young musicians demonstrated courage, commitment and real talent in performances that really communicated with the audience. Many congratulations to all the performers.
Old Portmuthian’s @25 event
The Music Department were delighted to provide music for the school’s Where are you at 25? OP reunion on Saturday 8 October. Bebop saxophone, jazz piano, the year 11 JAzz sextet, Year 9 Brass ensemble and the 6th Form Rock Band entertained the leavers from 2013 and 2014 in glorious sunshine in the Quad.
Lunchtime Live - 14 October 2021
7 of our Music Scholars performed our first Lunchtime Live! of the academic year in Portsmouth Cathedral on Wednesday. Featuring music for piano, organ, flute, oboe, recorder, cello and harp this was a real celebration of musical talent. Listen to some short clips on our @pgs_musicians Twitter feed:
Music Academic
Y7 Music Day
The sound of music rang across the school on Monday 4 October with year 7 working on a series of practical music workshops. A lively body percussion workshop introduced pupils to the various ways in which our whole body can work as an instrument, creating “Stomp-style” percussive, movement based pieces. Inspired by the rhythms of Africa and Latin America this lively session was hugely engaging. Having made music with our bodies we also looked at making music with our voices and learnt how to build up a four-part a capella vocal performance. The Music Department also launched our wind shortage scheme and introduced year 7 to the various instruments in the wind family with demonstrations by staff and pupils of the flute, clarinet, oboe and bassoon. Pupils will have the opportunity to sign up for paired lessons on the clarient, oboe or bassoon with free instrumental hire in order to promote these endangered species. If you would like further details of this scheme, please contact the Director of Music: g.hemmings@pgs.org.uk
Year 7 African Drumming Race & Culture Celebration, African Drumming, October 2021 (7).JPG
As part of Black History Month year 7 have been studying the Music of Africa and drumming in particular. Rather than tell you about how they have enjoyed learning about ostinatos, polyrhythms and improvisation why not click the link here to see and hear for yourself!
Year 8 Music for Media
In Year 8 we have been studying music for media using music technology. Starting with ringtones for mobile phones and moving to music for advertising, year 8 have been learning how to create specific moods instantly and effectively; I hope you enjoy hearing a few of the examples of their work:
Year 9 - Programme Music
Year 9 have been studying Stravinsky’s beautiful score for the Firebird and learning how to create music that paints a picture. They have been tasked with writing music to evoke the Northern Lights. Here is a group improvisation we created to explore possible techniques and ideas:
Here is the start of one of year 9’s individual compositions using Soundtrap. We are looking forward to seeing how she finishes this!!
Year 10 - Variations and Group Arrangements
At the start of their GCSE course we have been looking at how composers write variations on existing melodies. Taking Mozart as our inspiration and the variations he wrote on the melody we know a Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star year 10 have been creating their own; here is a collage of some of them!
We have also been preparing to analyse some of our setworks. In order to get an understanding of how successful song writers and composers use harmony, melody, rhythm and structure to create coherence and contrast Year 10 have been working on their own arrangements of a Beatles classic, With a Little Help from My Friends. Their task was to create their own arrangement from scratch working out the chords, melody and structure themselves. Here is a clip of some of their work:
World Premier Performance of music by Assistant Director of Music, Dr Shahov.
As many of you know, our Assistant Director of Music, Dr Shahov, is an active and well-respected composer. Dr. Shahov's music was featured at two concerts within the week-long Festival Maribor in Slovenia last month, including the World premiere of his newest piece: Quintet for clarinet, violin, cello, percussion and piano. The first performance was received enthusiastically by both the audience and the press. Dr. Shahov gave an interview for the Slovenian National Radio and the concert will be broadcast in the near future. You can listen to an exclusive recording of the quintet here:
Last Posts
11 November saw three of our trumpet players playing the Last Post for Remembrance ceremonies around Portsmouth. Year 6 trumpeter, Sam, played for the Junior School Remembrance service in the Cathedral, year 10 musician Will played the Last Post from the roof of the school for the Senior School Act of Remembrance and year 9 musician, Ben, writes below of his experience playing the Lasy Post for the Civic Act of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in Guildhall Square.
I first played the Last Post for the school when I was ten, in year six, at St Thomas’ Cathedral and since then I have played every year, including as a scout in my local church and at a rugby match and I can honestly say that on this occasion I was the most nervous I have ever been. The Cenotaph was surrounded by medalled veterans in splendid uniforms, local dignitaries sporting their chains of office, reporters with their elongated cameras, the Military Wives Choir and a large crowd of people who had either come for the service or who happened to be passing by.
As 11 o’clock approached a sudden silence descended on the crowd, with only a passing train making its presence felt, as it crawled squeakily along the bridge behind us. At a signal from the organiser, I began to play, hoping the shaking in my hands would not transfer to my trumpet. All went well. I played the Last Post and then, after the two minutes silence, the Reveille.
As the veterans were dismissed and the crowd dispersed, I was surprised to find myself surrounded by a number of people all wishing to say how well I had done. The Mayor presented me with a Portsmouth badge which he dug out of his pocket and one veteran, believing I was almost at the age of leaving school, did his best to persuade me to join the Royal Marines as a bandsman. He assured me there is no finer career, with a very good pension at the end!
I was moving through the departing crowds, passing the Radio Solent van with its recording equipment, when reporter Jo Palmer grabbed me by the arm. ‘Ben, I have a huge apology to make’, she said. ‘Before the service I asked the organiser who was going to play the Last Post and when she said ‘a 13 year old schoolboy’, my heart sank! I have heard the Last Post played badly so many times over the years and I assumed you would be one of those. How wrong could I be!’. She then took me to the radio van, and I got a picture as if I was being interviewed!
I left the Cenotaph feeling proud that I had played a part in such a moving ceremony and, if I am asked to do it again, I will jump at the opportunity.
PGS Remembers
PGS Musicians mark Remembrance
November always finds the Music Department and our musicians in intense preparation for two of the biggest events in the PGS Artistic Calendar; Remembrance and the Senior School Musical.
Having not been able to mark Remembrance musically last year we eagerly anticipated our first large scale concert at the cathedral for two years on Saturday 13th November. The programme was a celebration of the power of music to bring a community together in remembrance and reflection featuring all our string players in Years 7 to 13 as well as some ninety singers in our Boys’ Voices and Girls’ Voices groups, Chamber Choir and Community Choir.
We were delighted to be able to share this concert with over 300 audience members and our associate musicians, the London Mozart Players (LMP). The concert opened with Fiddler’s Hill, conducted by the composer, Jeff Moore, and performed by forty of our string players with the LMP. Based on folk-inspired material this energetic and uplifting performance was hugely well received by the audience. Peter Maxwell Davies' hauntingly beautiful Farewell to Stromness was sensitively played by the PGS Symphonic Strings with the LMP followed by an exciting performance of Jessie Montgomery’s Strum by the LMP strings. The first half finished with Dr Shahov’s vibrant arrangements of Hampshire Folk Songs sung by the Chamber Choir with our Boys’ and Girls’ vocal groups. Mozart’s momentous Requiem was performed in the second half of the concert with a massed choir of pupils, parents, staff and Old Portmuthians along with fabulous soloists Stefanie Kemball-Read, Aurore Lacabe, Greg Tassell and James Oldfield. This was an exciting and dramatic performance of a demanding work and a fitting end to a Remembrance concert that was both celebratory and solemn.
Many congratulations to our string players and singers for such a high standard of musicianship and also to our String teaching team and Vocal department for preparing our musicians so well.
Christmas Concert Recording
Sadly our Christmas Concert was not able to be performed live last term. We have, however, filmed all our groups and are delighted to share the concert with you on YouTube.
Please click on the button below to take you to our recording: