Chester Music Festival - Hitting all the Right Notes!

It was great to see Ellesmere returning to the Chester Music Festival this year. Following a successful and busy year in Festivals, Concerts, Services and Touring, our students are able to perform at consistently high standards both in ensemble and as soloists. Team skills and mastery lie at the heart of this performance level and Chester Music Festival was no exception.

The Chamber Choir performed everything from 17^th Century sacred Cathedral music to modern contemporary classics and everything in between. Adjudicator Brian Hughes was impressed at the balance between parts, the quality of the boys voices, our attention to expressing the text and the overall quality of sound. He paid tribute to Ellesmere's outstanding contribution to the Festival at the end of the session. Diane Rooney (Choir Secretary) said: 'Well, what can I say? Your young singers are superb and a credit to you and the school.'

The Raven Four (joined by Anthony Coupe as a stand in) performed a beautiful set with great character and refinement, earning them the highest mark of the day for vocal ensembles and choirs.

A number of our students performed as soloists, all gaining 1^st or 2^nd places including Molly Fry on Clarinet and Lewis Reardon, Huw Lloyd and Olivia Philbin as singers. Lewis did particularly well achieving 1^st place in two categories. At the end of this year he will be heading on with his vocal studies at the RNCM.

A really nice day out with students who serve as excellent ambassadors for the school. I continue to be inspired by them.  

Trophies and Cups were presented during Senior School Assembly. 

PLACINGS

CHAMBER CHOIR PLACINGS:

Youth Choir                             1^st Place          Senior School Choir Cup

Young Adult Choir                   1^st Place          Waltons of Chester Trophy

Choral Ensemble                      1^st Place         Yates Challenge Cup

Highest mark for Youth Choirs and Ensembles  Oriana Cup and Choral Award

Mixed Voice Groups                 1^st Place        Stamford Cup

THE RAVEN FOUR PLACING:

Close Harmony Quartets          1^st Place      Ierston Cup     

Highest mark for Adult Choirs     Rushworth and Dreaper Cup and CMS Award

LEWIS REARDON

Vocal Solo 17-26 years     1^st Place   Jackie Leech Trophy    

Open Lieder Class                    1^st Place    No trophy

2^nd in 20^th Century Song Open

Honourable Mentions:

MOLLY FRY - Clarinet              2^nd in Open Instrumental Solo

OLIVIA PHILBIN – Soprano      2^nd in Open Folksong

HUW LLOYD – Baritone          2^nd Vocal Solo - Open              

ANTHONY COUPE - Composition Open Class   1^st Place   The Barlow Cup

For more information on Music at Ellesmere, please visit: The Arts at Ellesmere College

Anthony Coupe, Director of Music - 2nd May 2023

5th May 2023  Back to News