Mr Lovell's Piano Evening
On Tuesday, we had an evening of piano! It was a great opportunity for students of all ages to come together and see others perform - it's always inspiring.
Mr Lovell is very impressed, and we are all so proud of what they have achieved! Well done to all!
Big Band Interviews...
We sat down with a couple of members of Big Band, to see what their take on the last couple of weeks was. Please read what they had to say below...
Aimee B, Year 13, Singer
I love performing, it’s such an adrenaline rush. Singing in front of a crowd - there is no feeling like it, it’s brilliant. Big Band evening was amazing, it had a brilliant atmosphere, it really helps having a supportive audience full of familiar faces. Performing has massively helped me with my confidence. I did a gig in August which showed me I could do it, and I felt like I really proved that to myself at Big Band evening. I love how the band comes together, Mr Taylor makes it work very well, and what we achieve is amazing.
Once you’re up there, in front of a live audience, you just have to get on with it, it’s like fight or flight kicks in, you just enjoy it. Even if you mess up, you carry on smiling, you can’t run away, it’s not like the audience will know. You feel so proud of yourself afterwards, like you watch someone else do it, and you think ‘I did that’.
I think Big Band itself is fantastic, even the rehearsals are fun, it doesn’t matter if you’re going over the same thing over and over, the group of people make it fun. We hear the pieces over and over again, but I still think they are magical, and I’m sure others would agree. Big Band Evening for me, and I’m sure for other people, was like the light of the end of the tunnel after the last couple of years.
Gabriel D, Year 12, Trumpet 1
I loved Big Band evenings, this was my 5th one overall. I was really pleased to see so many ex-students coming back to support us. Big Band is such an encouraging community, everyone performs together, you all support each other, and you become friends with people you may not have met otherwise.
When I first joined Big Band, I was on Trumpet 3, then I moved up to Trumpet 2, and this year is the first time I’ve played Trumpet 1, which is a milestone for me! I finally got to experience what I looked up to in Year 7, it was a full-circle moment!
My favourite piece is YMCA, it’s a crowd pleaser, everyone gets to dance, even the instrumentalists get to move - it’s so entertaining. I think as I’ve grown older, I’ve come to enjoy and appreciate the music more, all of the pieces are fantastic.
The Big Band community is such a special aspect. Everyone is friendly, you all have something in common, and you realise you are all quite similar people, so age doesn't make a difference.
You never really miss something until it’s gone. In the last couple of years, we’ve all missed Big Band. I think if anything, it’s to enjoy it while it lasts, and live in the moment. You can appreciate the 105 minute long rehearsals, when you see the results at a Gig. I look back at younger years now, and I’m jealous that they still have so much time left! I want to make the most of it.
Poppy N, Year 13, Singer
It was so nice to be performing again after COVID, it feels like we’ve waited forever! Getting to sing with a live band again is just amazing. Big Band gives such a supportive atmosphere, it’s a good vibe. I think everyone knows in the moment that it is important to support each other, even if you are nervous yourself.
My favourite instrumental piece has got to be ‘In the Stone’, it’s a great intro to the evening, really setting the tone. My favourite trio song is ‘Blame it on the Boogie’, it’s so feel good, everyone knows it and can join in with the dancing! My favourite solo is ‘I Will Survive’, it’s so funky, there’s such a good build up, from the piano introduction to the whole band by the end. The audience always joins in, you’re all performing together!
I enjoy being in Big Band, you are creating the music that everyone enjoys - it’s a rewarding feeling. The rehearsals are something to look forward to in the week, everyone is in a good mood for it - you can bounce off of everyone’s energy. Big Band also creates a supportive community; you become friends with people across many different year groups, people you wouldn't have known before. There can sometimes be hierarchies in musical productions, but in Big Band, everyone is equal - I really like that.
Performing is what I want to do, Big Band is a great opportunity to practise this. Having this responsibility is good preparation for my career.