Autumn Term Concert – Thursday 13th November 2025

On Thursday 13th of November, our large ensembles, orchestras and choirs delivered a superb musical extravaganza as part of our Autumn Term 2025 concert series. The concert took place in the magnificent setting of St Joseph’s Church, which is an ideal venue with its superb acoustics and ample space to welcome our large audience and the large number of students that took part.

The two Concert Orchestra numbers, Mission: Impossible and J. Williams Film Music Trilogy, were our curtain raisers; the members of this very popular orchestra performed with real flair and enthusiasm, delivering both pieces with fluency and stylistic awareness. The Conabor Choir followed up with an impressive performance of three characterful pieces, Autumn Fires, A Dark Stormy Night and One Song, that brought joy and smiles to our audience.

Mr Dodds’ Brass Ensemble took on the baton to deliver a very unique performance (arranged by Mr Dodds for this occasion) of the ever-popular seasonal Troika, followed by Ms Clifton-Everest’s youthful Cremona Strings, who performed with aplomb two movements from the Handel oratorio Judas Maccabeus and a very distinctive tango, La Cumparsita, featuring the accordion among all other string instruments for that real Argentinian flavour.

Next, it was the turn of the Brunner Show Choir, who performed a 3-part arrangement of the ever-popular P. Simon song Bridge Over Troubled Water, followed by Mrs Dodds’ refined Senior Strings, who gave a spellbinding performance of Vivaldi’s Winter from The Four Seasons, with Elizabeth S. commanding the solo violin part like a true pro.

Nothin’ Gonna Stumble My Feet was the chosen item for the superb Cantemus Chorus who followed next, and under the direction of Miss Bacon gave an assured and musical performance of this energetic number. Another superb collaboration of a soloist and ensemble took place next, with Kezia C. on the soprano sax and Senior Strings in the supportive accompanying role, giving a mesmerising performance of E. Morricone’s masterpiece Gabriel’s Oboe.

The Croatia Music Tour musicians took to the stage next and expertly delivered a selection of pieces they performed during October h/term while on tour in Croatia. The pieces were a haunting vocal arrangement of May It Be from the movie The Fellowship of the Ring, a traditional Croatian song, Oj Jelena, arranged stylishly by Mr Boxall for vocal ensemble and string orchestra, and Rocket, a fabulous arrangement for orchestra and vocal ensemble by Ms Zanardo featuring some of the most popular songs by Elton John.

The concert came to a close with the Symphony Orchestra’s rousing performance of Shostakovich’s ever-popular Festive Overture, a warhorse of the symphonic repertoire performed that evening with panache and scintillating energy by our musicians.

We would like to thank all our backstage crew, team of helpers and visiting music staff that contributed to this fabulous event. Big concerts like the one we witnessed last Thursday are a team effort where a large section of the Channing community come together; without the expert help and guidance from our trusted colleagues, concerts of this magnitude cannot happen. Finally, a huge thank you to all our students that took part in the concert and rehearsed tirelessly for it. We are immensely proud of all of you; keep up the good work.

Reviewed by Mr Kokkinos