On Thursday, April 16, the High School musicians performed their final concert of the academic year. The program featured strong performances from the Jazz Big Band, Jazz Combo, IB Music students, Choir, Orchestra and Senior Band.

The program featured strong performances from the Jazz Big Band, Jazz Combo, IB Music students, Choir, Orchestra and Senior Band.

The concert opened with a stunning unaccompanied flute solo, Kokopeli by Katherine Hoover, performed by one of our Senior musicians who is currently preparing for a college-level Trinity ATCL Diploma. This wonderful performance in front of the curtain, contrasted perfectly with the lively performance by the Big Band who opened with a new bluesy vocal number, Sweet Home Chicago, followed by entertaining versions of funk classic The Chicken and a Latin take on You Can Call Me Al, arranged by Michele Fernádez.

Next up was the Jazz Honor Combo, who opened with a more traditional jazz standard, There will never be another you, featuring excellent improvised solos, followed by their own unique version of Just the Two of Us, arranged by Head of Music, Jonathan Doherty and sung impressively by another of our graduating IB Music students.

The first half ended with a stunning rendition of Disney favourite, The Lion Sleeps Tonight, followed by a performance of a challenging Kansas classic Dust in the Wind by the Middle and High School Choir. The audience were thrilled by the rich vocal harmonies and impressive counterpoint on display by the group of talented singers led by maestro Shoko Kumagai.

During intermission guests were entertained once again by members of the Jazz Honor Combo whilst enjoying a refreshment sale organised by our parent and staff volunteers.

The second half of the concert was carefully crafted by our talented instrumental music director, Cameron Bradley. It began in dramatic style with a thrilling performance of Saint Saëns' Baccanalle, followed by a more lyrical and cinematic number, Cadence Everlasting by Rossano Galante by the Secondary School Orchestra.

In a change of pace, the Senior Band performed Cantina by Hollywood great John Williams, followed by a wonderful interpretation of a Baroque piece Little Fugue in G, by J.S. Bach. To conclude the musical extravaganza, the Orchestra and Senior Band joined forces as a part of a super-group to perform Tico Tico by Zequinha de Abreu.

After this fitting finale, the Music teachers bid farewell to the Senior musicians with a series of short personalised speeches and our All Star winners of the KPASS Composition Festival and participants of the KPASS Honor Band & Orchestra event were presented with patches.

You can rewatch this performance on SaintMaurLive.