Abingdon News No.49

12 January 2019 Abingdon Music and Drama Star performance The Greatest Showman tops the bill School House picked up first prize at this year’s House Singing Competition with The Greatest Showman . Pygott’s came second with California Dreamin’ and Crescent came third with Mr Blue Sky . Chapel Choir relished the opportunity to sing at the Albert Hall in the Scratch Youth Messiah, raising money for WaterAid. The audience in the Amey Theatre was treated to a very special concert where the star performance was not from a young musician but from a new arrival to the School’s Music department, a model D Steinway piano. For the last 14 years the piano has been the instrument of choice for some of the world’s finest pianists at the South Bank Centre – the Royal Festival Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Purcell Room. This year’s competition showcased eight stunning performances from Abingdon’s most accomplished musicians. Mr Neil Farrow, who is Director of Music at Our Lady’s, was the adjudicator awarding third place to David Bicarregui, second to Oliver Simpson and first prize to Ashwin Tennant. Senior Solo Competition Solo Concert Platform No2 The platform provided an opportunity to hear 15 excellent solo performances from a range of talented musicians representing three areas of instrumental teaching in the school – woodwind, strings and piano. This year’s Christmas concerts took place over two evenings and were devised to give nine of the School’s choirs, bands and orchestras a platform to share and celebrate their work this term. They were very much enjoyed by all. The Christmas Concerts