BUSY WEEKEND FOR RICHMOND MUSICIANS! 

Christmas is a busy time for the hard-working and talented musicians at Richmond School and Sixth Form College. As well as school events, many of the musicians are involved in events and ensembles in the wider community. Last weekend was a brilliant example of this as Mr Boyd, Lead Teacher of Music, explains: 

“This weekend has been a fantastically successful weekend of music making in our community – our musicians were involved in no fewer than four events: 

1. Richmond Christmas Lights Switch-On.

Students of the Richmond School Concert band performed beautifully in the Market Place on Friday evening. The band performed carols and festive pieces prior to the Christmas procession to the Friary Gardens. We welcomed Santa, the Mayor and a primary school choir past the clock tower with our music which included traditional carols, Hark The Herald Angels Sing and O Come All Ye Faithful, as well as Christmas favourites Troika, Let it Snow and Winter Wonderland. 

This year was unseasonably warm at 6°C, which really helped our musicians give a rousing performance, getting everyone in the Christmas Spirit. 

You can watch a short video here: https://tinyurl.com/RichmondLights1 

And here: https://tinyurl.com/RichmondLights2 

2. Tees Valley Youth Orchestra Winter Concert

Five Richmond School Sixth Form students represented our community in the Tees Valley Youth Orchestra Winter Concert in Middlesborough on Saturday evening. Noah Boyd, Grace Barker and Sam Pickles all performing in the string section with Jess Miller and Thomas Pyrah in the wind and brass respectively. They joined other outstanding musicians from across the North East in performing Mussorgsky’s Night on a Bare Mountain, Copland’s Suite from Rodeo and in the second half, Florence Price’s third Symphony.  

The students and the orchestra gave their all and in a particularly wonderful performance of Price’s 3rd Symphony, took the audience on a journey back to 1930’s America as seen through the eyes of a much underplayed, black and female romantic composer. 

The students will be taking to the stage of the Glasshouse Gateshead in July for their Summer Concert featuring Shostakovich’s landmark 7th Symphony, The Leningrad. 

The orchestra posted about the concert on their Facebook page here: 

www.facebook.com/share/18AQPCGAjQ/ 

3. Richmond Christmas Fair

Our school Jazz Band were delighted to be the first stage act of this year’s Richmond Christmas Fair. Following a lively opening from local Samba Band Ovinos, The Mayor welcomed everyone to the town, then we got on with the music! 

The Jazz Band were in fine form performing Christmas favourites such as Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, Christmas Island and a neat swing arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker March. Super solos throughout from Andrew Lunn, Tom Grigg, Freddie Lundberg and Teddy Warren, as well as wonderful vocal performances from Georgina Braidley in The Christmas Song and This Christmas. It’s always nice when the gathering crowd are applauding before you even get to the end of the music! 

A short video can be seen here: https://youtu.be/NT_DgJpcGCU 

4. Richmondshire Orchestra Winter Concert

Five of our talented sixth form musicians made their debut with the Richmondshire Orchestra on Sunday afternoon in The Garden Rooms, Tennant’s, Leyburn. The wonderful orchestra, with a mix of amateur, semi-pro and professional players, performed some of the world’s greatest music. This concert featured Berlioz’ Carnival Romaine and Harold in Italy, a Symphony with solo viola. The second half consisted of Haydn’s Symphony 104 which is one the students study at A Level. Noah Boyd played in the violins, with Philippa Kind on clarinet, Andrew Lunn on trombone, Tom Pyrah on tuba and Will Hume in the percussion section. The students excelled themselves and thoroughly enjoyed their first outing with this terrific orchestra. 

Well done to all our musicians for showing such commitment and hard work over this busy weekend, with a special mention to Thomas Pyrah who played in all four concerts!”