Hereford Cathedral School

We threw open our doors to welcome parents and children from 14 other schools in an inspiring and captivating performance of Zimbe under Director of Music David Evans, supported by Zimbe composer Alexander L’Estrange and his jazz quintet ‘Call me Al’.  The professionalism of the young choir was quite magnificent, as was the sound and spectacle they created, especially during the parts of the score when all 400 plus singers sang together - blending together superbly. 

For the first part of the concert the small orchestra led by Oliver Layton played with lightness and elegance, helping and supporting the four outstanding soloists.  Flautists Patrick Dunachie and Beth Smith set the tone of the evening with a mesmerising rendition of Vivaldi’s ‘Concerto in C for two flutes’.  Then pianist Amalie Fisher in Mozart’s ‘Piano Concerto No.23 in A major’ produced a gloriously agile sound showing exceptional musicianship at such a young age.  The third item in the programme was Mozart’s ‘Horn Concerto No.3’ which was played beautifully by Emma Leeman demonstrating great technique and confidence.  The final part of the first half saw the orchestra raise the Cathedral roof with ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, a vibrant and assured end to prepare the audience for the spectacle of the second half.

Hereford Cathedral School's Cantabile Girls' Choir were magnificent on BBC1's Songs of Praise last Sunday (22 April), singing For The Beauty Of The Earth. Cantabile were being broadcast as part of the BBC's coverage of the Songs of Praise Choir of the Year 2012 competition - School Choirs 2012 Senior, Semi Final.

The programme (at 4.15pm) saw the six best senior school choirs in the land competing for the top prize as Russell Watson, Suzi Digby and David Grant judged the senior schools' favourite hymns as Aled Jones introduced the second of three special programmes from The Lowry Theatre in Salford.

Please CLICK HERE or visit

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01gw18f/Songs_of_Praise_School_Choirs_2012_Senior_Semi_Final/

to watch last Sunday's Songs of Praise on BBC's iPlayer. 

To just watch Hereford Cathedral School's Cantabile Girls' Choir performance on Songs of Praise last Sunday (22 April) please CLICK HERE or visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00r93cr

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Judges Comments:

Russell Watson (English Tenor) said he was totally impressed with the Girls’ Choir, adding that “the end of the song was just beautiful; angelic.”

Suzi Digby (Choral Conductor, Music Educator and TV & Radio Broadcaster) commented on the choirs difficult to produce natural sound, while adding that “the sound was full bodied, but without being over developed.”

David Grant (Vocal Coach and Singer) spoke of the subtlety of how the song developed, “you built and built, it was beautiful, beautifully balanced.”