The Joint Autumn Concert at Bolton School proved to be a fantastic evening of music making from pupils from both the Girls’ and Boys’ Divisions. Involving around 250 participants and taking place in both Great Halls, the concert saw performances from all the School’s joint ensembles, in addition to a selection of other groups from each division.
The Senior Concert Band opened the evening with two upbeat offerings: Adrenaline Engines and Doctor Who: Through Time and Space. Harry Adams from Year 12 then performed a beautiful violin solo of Theme from Ladies in Lavender. The Tuned Percussion Ensemble then had feet tapping with their renderings of Paparazzi and A La Samba, before the String Ensemble melted hearts with their playing of Jurassic Park and Vivaldi’s Spring. The Boys’ Division Guitar Ensemble rocked things up with Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer and Year 8 pupil Charlie Simpson showed his drumming prowess with his Love Rears Its Ugly Head solo. The Boys’ Division’s Lower School Choir sang Riptide which included impressive solos from Year 8 boys Jenson Byrne and Tanmay Gokul. The first half of the evening drew to a close with stirring performances of Marie’s Wedding and Scotland the Brave by the Boys’ Division Drum Corps.
After an interval, where guests enjoyed refreshments served by the Parents’ Associations of both Divisions and Friends of Bolton School in the Riley Centre Café, the second half resumed in the Girls’ Division Great Hall with the Joint Senior Orchestra playing impeccable versions of Shostakovich’s Waltz No.2 and How to Train Your Dragon. Marissa Hollinghurst, a Year 9 pupil, delivered an organ solo Quasi Allegro, ahead of the Girls’ Lower School Choir singing When You Believe, which included an impressive solo from Sophie Hurley of Year 9. The ever-dependable Accidentals sang an enchanting version of The Rose before Cynthia Cheung of Year 13 played Scarf Dance on the piano. The Girls’ Division’s Senior Choir sang Opening Up with solo contributions from Sixth Form students Ananya Ajit, Anna Medvid and Elliot Rigby. The School’s Jazz Ensemble played Herbie Hancock’s Watermelon Man and the Joint Chamber Choir performed Ubi Caritas with help from soloists Oliver Longworth (Year 13), Kiana Murray (Year 13), Rishi Narla (Year 13) and Isabel Heaton Year 13), and The Beatles’ Revolution, assisted by soloists Molly Bell (Year 13), Ananya Ajit (Year 13), Rishi Narla (Year 13) and Elliot Rigby (Year 12).
