‘Making Musicians’ forms part of the schools’ long-standing and highly respected programme of music enrichment. It affords Music Scholars the valuable opportunity to perform in front of an engaged and supportive external audience, whilst offering a free lunchtime concert of the highest quality to our audience. See: Making Musicians - Norwich School (norwich-school.org.uk)
A large audience of parents, ONs, pupils, staff and external visitors in the Cathedral’s south transept were treated to a memorable recital on 25th January 2024 from two experienced and talented U6 pupils.
The concert was kicked off by Rosemary Zhang (U6B) who has given vocal Making Musicians recitals in the past, but this time we saw her skill on the violin, which she has been playing since aged seven. Rosemary is the current Concertmaster of the senior school orchestra and she gave a very mature and accomplished rendition of a Bach’s Sonata No 1, followed by the first movement of Mendelssohn’s beautiful, but fiendishly challenging, Violin Concerto in E minor, accompanied by stalwart Brenda Blewitt at the piano.
The recital concluded with a masterclass from former chorister Dylan Parsons (U6V) singing classical works by Quilter and Vaughan Williams interspersed with well-known songs from musicals Newsies and My Fair Lady. However, his pièce de résistance was the challenging Gethsemane solo from Jesus Christ Superstar (Rice / Lloyd Webber); the expressivity and emotional intensity he generated brought tears to the eyes of his rapt audience.
It was a joy to see so much talent on display, to brighten a chilly winter’s day. Grateful thanks to all our performers. For those who missed this recital, both performers will be back in action as part of the spectacular choral concert on 6th March, where Rosemary wil be performing a violin solo of the Mendelssohn piece once again. See: Norwich School Choral Society Concert in association with Norwich Baroque.
These daytime Making Musicians concerts are free, and all are welcome. The next recital on site will be at 12:05 in the School Chapel on Thursday 29th February 2024.
Details of all the upcoming cultural offerings at school this Lent Term can be found here: At Close Quarters - Norwich School (norwich-school.org.uk)
