Normandy Music Trip

By Mrs Angela Chillingworth, Director of Music
Our musicians travelled to Normandy at the start of the Easter holiday to enjoy some French culture and to take part in outstanding performances. Students from Years 7 to 13 took part in the prestigious Honfleur Parole, Parole music festival and were invited to attend other unique performances during the festival. On our first full day we visited the Erik Satie Museum to learn more about this quirky composer and this was followed by some free time in the beautiful port of Honfleur. After lunch we set off to the venue for our concert. During the rehearsal people wandered into the lovely church, increasing in number until all the seats were full and they had to stand at the back. We gave a varied programme of choral and instrumental items, interspersed with performances from French students at the local Erik Satie Music School.
On Sunday we took part in Mass at Lisieux Basilica. This is the second most visited religious site in France and was full of pilgrims. The church was freezing, and the organist was a very long way away, with no means of communication, but despite that, the students gave beautiful renditions of four solemn pieces suitable for the Lent season. The service was followed by a traditional Normandy lunch and then a visit to a lovely chateau and medieval games in the sun. As always, music helped the students to bond across year groups and I was immensely proud of the performances the students gave.
In other music news, huge congratulations go to the many students who took music exams last term, in particular Maria and Evie, who both passed Grade 8 Singing with Distinction.