The Junior Girls’ Christmas performance this year was ‘The Shepherd’s Story’, a tale adapted from Michael Morpurgo’s ‘On Angel’s Wings’, which tells the story of an elderly shepherd remembering the very first Christmas night when he was just a boy. The girls’ acting, singing, dancing and recitations took the audience along on the journey through his memories.
The Hesketh House Choir opened the programme beautifully with ‘Lullaby’ by Lin Marsh, followed by the traditional Hungarian carol ‘Tabortüznel’. This was one of several traditional and international carols the girls performed: they also sang the French carol ‘Entre le Bœuf et L'âne Gris’ in the original language led by Miss Eccleshare (Primary Division Teacher of Modern Languages), and the tuned percussion ensemble played ‘Silent Night’ by Franz Gruber (arranged by Foundation Direction of Instrumental Music Ian Forgrieve).
Year 6 girls shone throughout the programme with solo performances in many of the songs, through recitations and acted sections of the story, and by joining in dances. Their impressive delivery helped to share the message of the Nativity story.
Girls in Year 3 enthralled audiences with their two accomplished dances: one class (3C) became stars for the song ‘Following Your Star’ by Sheila Wilson, while the others (3H) were sheep during ‘Wake Up I Think I See An Angel’ by Herbert Chappell. Both groups embodied the emotions of their songs through their movements, adding to the overall performance.
A large number of Junior Girls’ musicians also contributed to the music throughout with percussion and tuned percussion.
The whole of the Junior Girls’ School lifted their voices together to tell ‘The Shepherd’s Story’ through song. They took the audience from the shepherds’ hillside in ‘We Are Shepherds’ and ‘All Over The Hillside’ to crowded Bethlehem in ‘There’s No Room’, and swept them away on the youngest shepherd’s magical journey with Gabriel through ‘Angel Take Your Wings and Fly’. Singing ‘Sleep Little One’ and ‘Do You Hear What I Hear?’ helped to share the atmosphere of the stable where Jesus was born, while ‘Love Shone Down’ revealed the emotion of that special night.
In traditional fashion, ‘Unto Us A Child Is Born’ formed the rousing ending to the Junior Girls’ Christmas performance, bringing everything to an energetic and uplifting close.
The whole of the Junior Girls’ School thoroughly enjoyed putting together ‘The Shepherd’s Story’ and their enthusiasm was evident in every moment of the two performances. The audiences were equally delighted to watch the girls put on this festive show.
A retiring collection was held to support the School’s Malawi Fundraising Appeal, which aims to build a school in Malawi to benefit street children.
Watch ‘The Shepherd’s Story’ in full on YouTube
