Christmas Concerts 2017

This year's Christmas Concerts have been another triumph for the Performing Arts department! Returning to the Playhouse in Weston-super-Mare, audiences were treated to a diverse repertoire of classical, traditional, popular and festive music making from a cast and crew of over four hundred students! 

This year, student leadership was in evidence throughout the concerts. Both shows were ably compered by Year 13 students Lucy Bucombe and Nina Halper, whilst the Big Orchestra's performances, including a Russian Dance by Tchaikovsy, were directed and conducted by George Skeen in Year 12. Our sixth formers also produced and directed a stunning flute quintet arrangement of Eleanor Rigby, whilst the A-level Music students' arrangement and performance of Kate Bush's "And Dream of Sheep" was beautifully textured and moving. The ever-popular Year 13 Band raised the roof with their version of "Proud Mary," and Ella Hutchinson (10HND) conducted and directed the soloists in the ever-popular Junior Choir. The Year 7 winners of our Young Music Maestro Competition, Matthew Lucas and Maddie Pole, also took to the stage to show the Playhouse audience why they were such worthy winners. 

All of these student-led items gave the Academy's wonderful Performing Arts staff the opportunity to bring some truly wonderful music out of our students. Mr Spencer's arrangement of Ravel's "Valses Nobles et Sentimentales" opened the second half, whilst Ms Cooper-White's Concert Band made a fantastic sound in the first. Mr Harrison's Chamber Choir goes from strength to strength, with some great young singers joining this year to add to the group. The Academy remains incredibly proud of the  Youthful Spirit Gospel Choir, and again new voices have invigorated the choir's sound - soloists Alex Wahab and Morgan Sinclair stood out. Our brilliant instrumental teachers led Flutella, the Brass Monkeys and our especially funky Jazz Band!

The Christmas Concert is always a great opportunity to get a preview of this year's musical, and two excerpts from "Singin' in the Rain" showed that we have a lot to look forward to when we return to the Playhouse at the end of February. Watch this space for ticket information! 

The finale to the show featured the largest ever Junior Choir to grace the Playhouse stage! 264 singers from Year 7 and 8 gave voice to songs composed by choir members, telling the Christmas story with humour, tenderness and lots and lots of actions. Special mention must go to the superb soloists, including rappers this year! Maddie Pole, Amelia Briffitt, Zac Harbun, Arthur Burston and Alex Leyshon stood out - names to watch for the future! 

Click here to see more videos from the concerts. 

Thanks to everyone involved in supporting and helping make the event happen. Christmas starts here!