It has certainly been a busy start to the term and one of the highlights of this early part of the academic year is the school's House Music Festival, which is always hugely anticipated and hotly contested. 

This year was no different and there was fierce competition in the House Shout, which this year was won by Seagrim. The whole school met at St Andrew’s Hall to see all eight Houses perform. They were also able to enjoy performances by the three soloists selected from earlier classes to compete for the Bernard Burrell Prize.  These were Colette Maxwell-Preston U5 on cello, Christian Carter U6 on clarinet and Karsten Chung U6, who played the Chinese drum.  The prize was won by Colette – this is the second time she has won it.  We were also delighted to enjoy Isabella Rushen U6 performing the song she had entered for the Vocal Class earlier in the day.

Prior to the House Shout, the solo classes were held in the School Chapel. Choral Ensembles and Instrumental Ensembles then competed in the Blake Studio. 

This year, we were very lucky to secure renowned choral composer Bob Chilcott as our main adjudicator. Our thanks to Bob and are also to Jody James, Director of Music at St Peter Mancroft Church, for assisting with the adjudication of the House Songs and Bernard Burrell Prize.

Caitlin Obee, Music Graduate Assistant, said:

"Bob Chilcott’s Creation Song was premiered in Norwich last year during the residence of Dippy the Dinosaur in the Cathedral Nave. We were thrilled that Bob was able to return to Norwich to adjudicate our 2022 House Music Competition. "A contemporary hero of British choral music” (The Observer) and former member of the Kings Singers, he was able to offer particular insight into the innerworkings of choral ensembles – especially relevant for the House Song and Part-Song competitions. Bob offered perspicacious comments to soloists throughout the two-day festival and inspired the whole school pupil body in St. Andrews Hall with his comments on the importance of music-making in communities like ours."

Huge congratulations to Coke, who won the overall House Cup.  Well done on your hard work.