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Gala Concert Spectacular!

This has been an exciting year for Moreton Hall’s musicians with the launch of the Barbirolli Society, a plethora of prizes at the Oswestry Music Festival and super results in recent music exams so it was no surprise that last Saturday’s Gala Concert was quite simply “the best ever”!

For the full-house of parents and friends who braved the snow, the Gala was a wonderful celebration of the many hours of music making enjoyed throughout the school with performers from the newest Removes to the soon to depart Upper Sixth. As well as our own musicians, the evening was also the chance to showcase the work of the North Shropshire School’s Orchestra with pupils from around the area joining us for this musical feast.

The Gala opened with the sublime sounds of the Chamber Choir with a wonderful variety of songs which included Karl Jenkins’s ‘Adiemus’, a piece the choir will be performing with the composer in Birmingham Symphony Hall next month. The first half continued with fabulous solo performances by Sammy on her drums and by musical theatre fan, Kitty, with a haunting rendition of ‘You Don’t Know That Man’. Moreton’s talented international students were showcased by Cici and Natalie on the piano and by the Chinese Ensemble, a quartet who included the traditional Chinese Erhus in ‘Horse-riding’ by Huang. Oswestry Festival winner, Morgan Darcy, treated us to a soaring rendition of Sondheim’s ‘Green Finch and Linnet Bird’ and Quliter’s ‘Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal’, whilst the first half was rounded off fabulously by our youngest performers of the night, the Stables Choir.

In a diverse and beautifully balanced programme the second half opened with all the drama of the West End as the Show Choir brought the barricades of Paris to the Musgrave with a spellbinding performance of a medley from Les Miserables. More diverse  treats followed with Janice and Daisy’s piano duet, Megan’s stunning voice filling the hall with ‘Maybe This Time’ from Cabaret and Clarinettist, Jemima, demonstrating why she has been offered places at top Conservatoires with her Clarinet. Georgina wowed the hall with her dexterous performance at the piano with Debussy, before the North Shropshire Orchestra took to the stage with Bizet, Wagner and the Dambusters.

In keeping with the Gala theme, the massed choirs and orchestra closed the evening with a rousing rendition of Rule Britannia, with Morgan Darcy in full Union Jack costume and fine voice!  

There was a final treat still to come as five of the Upper Sixth, some of whom have lived and breathed Moreton Music since Year 4, surprised their music teachers with a rendition of ‘Bright Eyes’ which left not a dry eye in the house: a memorable end to a truly memorable night.