News Senior Music Scholars’ Concert 10.10.2025

Our Senior Music Scholars’ Concert this year, held on Thursday 9 October, was of a staggeringly good quality.

The concert began with Isabel, Lower Sixth, playing the first movement of Sibelius’s Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47, a work renowned for its difficulty and intensity. Isabel performed with real agility & virtuosity, and captured the various characters of the music with remarkable maturity and musicality. This was a superb display of musicianship – bravo!

Next, Giselle, Year 10, performed Alphonse Hasselmans’ Nocturne and the third movement of Handel’s Concerto in B flat major, HWV 294. Giselle performed the Hasselmans with real poise and elegance, capturing a beautiful spectrum of timbral colour; and the Handel was buoyant and joyful, with an excellent sense of Baroque style.

Gluck’s Mélodie, arranged by Fritz Kreisler, was performed by Francesca, Year 10. This was lyrical and warm playing, with a wonderful sense of rubato and expressive, well-shaped phrases; Francesca captured the stillness of the piece ever so beautifully in this evocative performance. 

Next, Inez, Upper Sixth, performed the final two movements (Langsam and Sehr Lebhaft) from Schumann’s Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129. The slow movement was performed with exquisite sensitivity and nuance, with a beautiful sense of lyricism throughout. The final movement was vivacious and spirited, with superb dexterity and bravura playing in abundance.

The evening’s virtuosity continued with Emily’s performance of Liszt’s La Campanella, infamous for its technical difficulties and cascades of notes. Emily, Lower Sixth, tackled this with superb assurance and energy, fearlessly tackling the incessant octaves (!) and cleverly handling the range of textures; this was thrilling playing indeed.

The concert concluded with the final movement of Franck’s Sonata in A major for violin & piano  (the Allegretto poco mosso), performed by Anna, Lower Sixth. The beauty of the opening thematic material was contrasted ever so effectively with the fieriness of the final section, and Anna captured a great deal of timbral colour in this truly exciting performance. 

Many, many congratulations to our outstanding Music Scholars for such a thrilling evening of music.