The Other Half

Gospel Choir Gospel Choir embraces a more popular style of choral singing which is both accessible and life-affirming. You don’t need to be able to read music to join this choir as you will be taught the music by rote. There are some traditional Gospel songs and arrangements of popular songs in a Gospel style! Joint Chamber Choir This select group of advanced singers from Abingdon and St Helen and St Katharine exists to explore the most challenging and rewarding pieces in the choral repertoire. This mixed voice ensemble allows nine Abindonian Tenors and Basses to experience singing alongside nine female Altos and Sopranos from St Helen’s. It performs at concerts for both schools and serves as an important platform for potential Oxbridge choral scholarship candidates. Junior Strings Performs during the year but especially for the Lower School Gala Concert. For all string players from beginner to about Grade 5 standard. The atmosphere is relaxed and the ensemble progress significantly throughout the year Lower School Music Our lower school musicians have a number of lunchtime ensembles which they can join, including Junior Strings, Lower School Band and Junior Blues. These musical groups play at the Lower School Carol Service, the Gala Concert in the Summer term and at occasional Lower School Assemblies. Music Technology This activity enables a small group of selected students to learn about studio techniques and the history of audio recording, under the guidance of a Music Technologist. Lessons are also offered to students on a one-to-one basis and several boys have gone on to forge careers in sound recording. Orchestra First Orchestra First Orchestra plays at both Autumn/Christmas Concerts and the Summer Orchestral Concert. It is one of the Music department’s flagship ensembles. It has achieved a considerable reputation in recent years for producing quality performances of mainstream symphonic repertoire. Its success can be accounted for by the now well-established tradition of proactive recruitment across the full range of orchestral instruments among the younger boys (including French horn, bassoon and double bass) and offering instrumental tuition from a particularly distinguished team of some 35 instrumental teachers. The Orchestra performs at prestigious venues at home and abroad including Oxford’s Sheldonian Theatre. The Orchestra tours frequently to Europe, the USA and the Far East. The most recent tour was to Japan and Hong Kong. Second Orchestra Second Orchestra is a full symphonic orchestra which reaches a high standard. It performs at least twice a year at the Christmas or New Year Concert and in the Spring/Summer Concert. Symphonic Wind Band Performs twice a year at the Autumn/Christmas Concerts and the School Bands Concert. There is plenty of opportunity to play some of the great scores of music from the shows. 23