On Wednesday 23rd November, The Tiffin Girls’ School hosted its annual Autumn Concert, bringing bright tunes and lyrical melodies to the ears of proud parents, staff, and members of the community alike. From Mary Poppins, to an overture by Björk, to Mamma Mia, to songs from Shakespeare, the spectacle showcased the vast and diverse array of talent present in the school’s music department.

 

Highlights included the Sinfonia’s performance of ‘A Lonely Journey’, composed by Sixth Form student Rachel Dennis; the Jazz Band’s rendition of ‘The Blues Walk’; and the Symphony Orchestra’s charismatic take on the ‘Suite from Murder on the Orient Express’, which featured playful story telling, with the use of train whistles. Year 12 student Ayda Yazdani, who featured as the piano soloist in this performance, commented: “The piece was stressful but great. It’s a lot of pressure being the soloist - everyone can hear you, even over the whole orchestra and all the violins - but I’m glad I did it.” 

 

Along with the plethora of instruments being carted on and off stage, the concert also proudly showcased the school’s selection of choirs, in various shapes and sizes. Whilst the Middle Choir kicked off the night singing ‘Winter Solstice’ and ‘For Good from Wicked’, the evening also featured the A Cappella Choir performing ‘My Funny Valentine’, the Senior Choir singing a selection of music, and the Adult Chamber Choir, which featured voices from parents and staff, ranging across all departments. The night closed with the Junior Choir’s repertoire, of which ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’ was a crowd favourite. 

 

With headmaster Ian Keary in attendance, the Autumn Concert served as a thrilling reminder of the school’s encouragement of music and the promising talents of many of its pupils. Alongside high achievement in standard curriculum exams, with 96% of students achieving 8/9 at GCSE level and 75% achieving A*s at A level in the June 2022 exams, as reported by the school’s website, the music department also offers extensive extracurricular opportunities. Between the Senior Choir’s trips to sing abroad, and the Wind Ensemble’s preparations to visit local care homes to perform Christmas carols this December, there is no doubt that the Autumn Concert was simply the first of many events this year to showcase the student body’s diverse array of musical talent.