By Doug McIlwraith, Director of Music

Thank you to Bedales musicians who took to the stage on Monday evening for the second Chamber Concert of the term. A group of well-rehearsed soloists entertained an audience of students with music ranging from the classical era through to jazz and music for acoustic guitar.

Jamie Loudon made an impressive start to the concert with Neruda’s Trumpet Concerto, which demonstrated his beautiful tone and firm technique on some tricky high notes. Joel Edgeworth played a beautifully meditative jazz piece on the piano called Tenderly by Walter Gross which was listened to in rapt silence. Max Koca and Livvy Edgeworth performed brilliant vocal vocal solos and Arthur Lingham tackled one of Schubert’s famous Impromtus on the piano.

Tobias Bonham-Carter’s exuberant Bugler’s Holiday contrasted with Martha Lye-Rees’ melancholy clarinet solo All in the Past by Latvian composer Pelēcis. Laurence Johari wowed the audience with Acousticore by German guitarist Rauscher which called for all sorts of percussive effects and tricks on the body of the guitar. Shoshana Yugin-Power closed the concert with a very intricate piece on the flute by Hungarian Composer Doppler which was a suitably impressive finale to the evening.  

Two other highlights which you can watch below is Block 3 student Eliza Hayward’s debut performance at Bedales with Neilsen’s Fantasy for Clarinet which she played with real assurance and style. Also, Monty Bland performs D Blues by Turetzky on the double bass, half of which is actually an improvisation.

Thanks to all the performers for their hard work and to Will Lithgow for pulling the concert together and doing much of the accompanying. Thanks also to Clara Batty for introducing the performers and bringing wit and charm to the proceedings!