MAJOR SUCCESS AFTER A MUSICAL WEEKEND
Musicians from Warminster School are relaxing after an incredibly busy two days at the 2015 Devizes Junior Eisteddfod. The festival started early on Friday morning with the Under 11 Choral Class at which the Prep Chamber Choir performed their two pieces with poise and professionalism under the directorship of Helen Harris, the new Prep Head of Music, gaining a very well deserved Distinction. From many entrants in the popular String Solo Class (grades 1 & 2), India Morgan-Nash, Annabel Munro, Niamh Crinion, Barnaby Craven-Smith and Rebecca Shepherd triumphed with Distinctions for their pieces. The newly formed Prep String Quartet, coached by Mrs Harris also achieved a Distinction and winners medals for their sensitive playing.
Our advanced string players were up against some strong competition, however, Aylin Wutte and Charlotte Robinson showed off their excellent technique and musicianship leading them to distinctions in the Grade 5/6 and Grade 7 String Classes. Yasmin Tenk performed a demanding duo of Dvorak and Corelli in the Under 15 repertoire class, coming away with a Distinction for her hard work.
Competition was strong in the Under 11 Musical Theatre Solo, with a saturation of Bart’s ‘Where is Love’ however, it was Oscar Waite’s performance which gained a Merit here. Standards in the piano classes were very high, so Lucy Rodgerson and William Doyle-Davidson were delighted with their Distinctions in the Grade 3 piano solo. Saskia Edwards succeeded in the Grade 2 piano class with a well-deserved distinction and a winners medal. In the evening we braved torrential wind and rain and were justly rewarded with a win for Woody Mok playing a challenging Mozart Rondo in the most advanced piano class: the Open Solo.
A trip across town took us to the Brass Classes where Alex Robinson’s version of Hedwig's Theme for French Horn earned a well-deserved Distinction and another winners medal. Our woodwind players were out in force in a variety of classes, however, it was the huge character that Ben Stone put into his rendition of Gypsy Songs for Alto Sax that afforded another Distinction and Warminster’s final win of Saturday evening.
Caroline Robinson, the new Director of Music at Warminster, ably assisted by a fantastic team of music teachers was delighted with such fantastic results for our biggest entry yet into this very well organised local competition, “'We are very much looking forward to hearing Alex, Woody and Ben perform their solos once again back in Devizes at the evening Winners concert. The Prep String Quartet are also thrilled to have been invited to perform in the afternoon Winners concert. What a brilliant weekend for the Warminster Music Department.”