The School Concert 1958

There was a choral concert produced almost every year. First and second form boys were dragooned into taking part, generally as sopranos and altos respectively. Older boys, staff and guests provided the tenor and bass parts.

Practice sessions began in the autumn term, and for this production, we spent many hours in the old school hall. (This was later divided into two classrooms when the new hall was built on the lawn of the caretaker's house.)
I remember that Gethin Evans or PEP would rehearse us endlessly to perfect these rather challenging choral works. Junior boys remained involved in the choir for one or two further years, according to vocal condition and motivation. Some boys returned to singing in the choir in the sixth form taking base or tenor parts. For this concert, T.R. James was the accompanist during rehearsals until he left in December 1957; subsequently a senior boy, possibly Sheridan George or Robert Jones, provided the accompaniment. However, as the programme indicates, T.R. returned in May and took part in the concert.

The concert performances were special occasions; the Coliseum stage was fitted out with raked seating for the choir and enough space for the Morgan Lloyd orchestra and professional soloists at the front.

As the programme shows, these concerts had been taking place since at least 1941. The following works were performed in the two years after performance of The Creation:

April 30th, 1959: Five Psalms (Le Fleming) and The Song of Miriam (Schubert)

May 11th, 1960: Church Cantata No. 98 (Bach) and Horn Concerto No. 3 in E flat (Mozart), soloist K. T. Johns (5a).