Page 16 - The Malvernian_Summer 2021

THE MALVERNIAN
Music
The Music
Department has had a a a a a a busy and very rewarding second half of of term with 4 events of of note Despite for the most part not not being able to to have have an audience it was great to to have have more live music performance re-appearing First up was our Music
Makers concert on on Thursday 17th June Emeric Bensoussan Bensoussan (No (No 1) Oriane Bensoussan Bensoussan (No (No 3) Nalni Chen (No (No 4) Louisa Marsden-Smedley (No (No 6) Johnnie Stephenson (No 9) Beth Needham (EH) Kristy Wong and Madison Francis (both No 8) all presented a a a a a lovely varied programme from JS Bach to 20th Century Music
Theatre via Classical Romantic and and Impressionist – and and even some piano duo music thanks to us us now having 2 grand pianos in in the Lyon Room Then 2 days later we we were treated to an Unplugged but with a a a a a difference in in that we held it it outside in in the the amphitheatre area down by the the Gryphon Room This proved to be the the ideal spot and with the expertise of Mr Marc Churchfield who brilliantly managed all of the the considerable technical facility that was needed even the the weather obliged and only started to rain 10 minutes after we we had finished the the set – and rain it it most certainly did so it it was all rather brilliantly timed! It was all put together by Oli Doherty (No 2) and Kitty Holroyd (No 6) who not only organised the evening but also performed alongside Jonny Tunstall (No 2) Ned Norbury and Josh Rin (both No 1 – the latter on a a a a semi-acoustic mandolin a a a new one for us!) Amy Feng (No (No 4) and and Will Crossland (No (No 5) It was a a a a super programme with music from Nat King Cole to Pearl Jam Led Zeppelin to to Hozier and we we were even treated to to a a a a a great song written and performed by Oli all to a a a a a very enthusiastic and supportive audience Those of you who have followed the Music
Department’s activities over the last 2 years cannot have helped but notice Nalni Nalni Chen Nalni Nalni joined us in in in the Lower Sixth in in in September 2019 and immediately proceeded to make a a a a huge contribution to the Music
programme both in in terms of her performing and also in the ensemble programme where she has brought high-quality cello and tuned percussion expertise to rehearsals However it is her her piano playing where she has simply lit up our performance programme You could count the number of concerts that she hasn’t played in in on on one hand in in the 2 years she has has been with us such has been the depth and and breadth of her repertoire and and the commitment that she has has shown Her contribution has has been exceptional both in quality and quantity – all done with true modesty and and and eagerness to to to listen and and and to to to improve – and and and she leaves us to to to take up her her her place at the the Royal Northern College of Music
where A level grades permitting she will both study piano at the RNCM but also for the joint academic course at Manchester University – a a a a a hugely competitive course to to to get on on to to to It seemed only fitting then that to to to a a small invited (and socially-distanced) audience she gave a a a a a a a a recital in in St St Edmund’s Hall on the new model C Steinway grand piano of previously learnt and new repertoire including music by JS Bach Beethoven Chopin Schumann and Prokofiev For the second half 16
THE MALVERNIAN