The Croft Preparatory School wowed at the Holy Trinity Church, Stratford upon Avon last month on 6th June, to celebrate the school’s grand 80th Anniversary.
The concert opened with a big bang from the brass ensemble with a fabulous and fantastic fanfare! The combined choir and orchestra of 150 singers and 40 musicians then performed the Zadok the Priest.
Just before the interval there was an exhilarating performance from The Junior Saint James’s Singers at The Croft, performing extracts from Anya, which they had learnt for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Head of drama, Mr Bixley, narrated a Russian folk story in between their songs, adding voices for each of the characters in the story.
After the interval, the junior choir sang Le Bestiaire ou Cortège d’ Orphée’ in French, which was very challenging, as the song is about six different animals. The senior choir and former pupils then performed some amazing solos, with a performance of Lascia Ch’io pianga. A former pupil, who had left The Croft to become a chorister at Westminster Abbey, gave a performance of Pieta Signor
The Croft senior choir sang Sheep may Safely Graze with the recorder ensemble.
The junior Saint James’s singers at The Croft sang O Quam Gloriosum and Weep you no more sad fountains, from Shakespeare’s Grave in the chancel.
For the finale, the Gala choir performed again, comprising the senior choir, the staff/parent choir and Holy Trinity Church choir. They sang The Call of Wisdom, a song composed for the Diamond Jubilee, with the lyrics written by William Todd, who used to go to King Edward VI School, in Stratford upon Avon. Then to finish off proceedings the whole event ended with a joyful Hallelujah Chorus.
Croft Preparatory School hits all the right notes
