Trust News

Sir John Lawes school students enjoyed a spectacular evening at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 30 April, performing in the Hertfordshire Schools Music Gala. The Gala celebrated music making taking place in schools across the county. The Sir John Lawes Jazz Band performed ‘Count Bubba’s Revenge’ and the Sir John Lawes Chamber Choir took to the stage to perform 5 songs in the combined secondary massed choir.

Lyndsay Gillot, Head of Music at Sir John Lawes said:

‘Performing in the Hertfordshire Schools Music Gala was an amazing experience for all involved. It was an exhilarating and uplifting programme of music – a vibrant blend of musical styles that reminded us of the power of music to move and inspire us all! The Jazz Band’s performance of “Count Bubba’s Revenge” showcased the exceptional quality of our jazz musicians, and all SJL students, whether singers or instrumentalists, were truly fabulous and professional as always!’

 

Rosie in Year 12 said of the experience:

‘Performing at the Gala was an incredible experience. We were very honoured that the SJL Jazz band was chosen as a featured ensemble, meaning that we were given the opportunity to perform right in the heart of the Royal Albert Hall. While I’ll admit it was nerve wracking to be surrounded by such a huge audience, in one of the UK’s most important concert venues, the audience and staff members were nothing but supportive. A truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Our chamber choir made up part of a larger massed choir, which was accompanied by the Herts Youth Orchestra. It was so inspiring to watch the orchestral musicians from the choir seats, conducting themselves with a huge amount of professionalism and skill. Together we performed some very technically challenging pieces of choral music, such as Eric Whittacre’s acapella ‘Lux Arumque’, filling the hall with lush dissonances.

I would say that as a performer, the highlight of the evening was the moment when all the performers came together - from the dancers, to the orchestra, the primary and secondary school choirs, and even a rapper, beatboxer and solo instrumentalists. Those moments illustrated the power that music has within our lives, its ability to bring people together, and the talent of the young people in our local area’