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Thursday 10th October will live long in the memory of many of the South’s finest young musicians as they came together for an orchestral masterclass at Wellington College. 123 pupils from 15 prep schools were invited to spend the day honing their instrumental skills before combining for a spectacular concert in the College’s iconic GWA theatre.
On arrival the players were split into sectional groups – strings, brass, woodwind and percussion – to learn and practise the first movement of Mahler’s 3rd, the finale, arranged by Jonathan Heeley, of Dvořák’s New World Symphony and a syncopated version of Disney’s Bare Necessities. Rehearsals done, the players came together as one mighty orchestra to perform their pieces under the baton of Natalia Luis-Bassa, Undergraduate Professor of Conducting at the Royal College of Music, stalwart of the National Children’s Orchestra, and Principal Conductor of the Wellington College Symphony Orchestra.
Wellington’s Head of strings, Sarah Durrant, who organised the event, had this to say: “We welcomed 123 young musicians from 15 Prep Schools to Wellington on Thursday. Our brilliant team of Visiting Music Teachers and Music Staff led intensive sectional rehearsals, to which the pupils responded with great enthusiasm and excellent musicianship. Orchestral rehearsals were directed by the wonderful Natalia Luis-Bassa and her baton ‘Nick the stick,’ who challenged pupils to fully engage with the task of learning to play as an ensemble. The final concert featured an energetic and colourful finale to Dvořák’s 8th Symphony, some serious and solemn playing in the third movement of Mahler’s 1st Symphony, and a rousing rendition of Disney’s The Bare Necessities, which was even repeated as an encore at break-neck speed!”
For many of these young musicians, this was their first experience playing in a full orchestra, and we hope the joy of this experience will stay with them as they continue their musical journeys.
