Music 1960

1960 School Magazine Report

The choir has just completed what must surely have been the most successful year in its not undistinguishable history. The finest achievement was our double success in the Wharfedale Festival, where the Under 15 choir was placed 1st with honours in a field of 12 , and the 4-part choir won their class with a 1st class certificate.

But Wharfedale was only one occasion in a busy year. In addition to playing their normal tuneful part in the school Carol Service and at Speech Day, the choir performed a lunch-time concert at St George’s Hall in December, sang carols to an appreciative audience of passers-by outside the crib in Hall Ings during the Christmas holidays, and staged a highly successful concert in Tetley Street Baptist Church as part of the school’s effort for World Refugee Year. The concert featured the most difficult work the choir has yet sung - Parry’s setting of “Blest Pair of Sirens”. One marvels at the way in which the modern generation take like ducks to water to 20th century rhythms and harmonies which would have baffled their fathers.

The orchestra continues to make progress and to respond valiantly to the calls made upon it. It would be unfair to compare its standards of achievement with that of the choir; after all, we gain constant practice in the use - and misuse - of the human voice from the first moment we enter this wicked world; learning a musical instrument is a more difficult and frustrating business. But the boys do very well, responding nobly to the lead given by arch-fiddlers Mr Mitchell, Mr Fowler and Mr Jackson. What we really need is a tuba for Mr Baines to perform on.

Thanks are due to the boys who have devoted so much time, both in school hours and out of them, to diligent rehearsal; to the members of staff who help so well when tenors and basses require augmentation, and above all to Mr Rhodes, whose devotion to the cause of good music is an inspiration to everybody.

 

The following photograph was kindly donated by Harry Atkinson (click on the image to view a full size version)

 

The following programmes were kindly donated by Harry Atkinson: