Extraordinary piano recital from our students and closing notes for Saturday - Week 3 Day 5
10th August 2019
Final preparations for our last concert have been taking place, and as the big day approaches, the anticipation and excitement rises!
Lunchtime piano recital
The orchestra’s final day of full rehearsals displayed how far they have come in just four days. Under the strong direction of conductor Dionysis Grammenos, they have made progress in challenging Haydn and Prokofiev, as well as colourful Honneger. Although it was important to cherish this last opportunity of refining their selection of classics, what was also recognised was the need for the students to save their largest energies for the big day tomorrow, so some time to process what they had learned was vital for these young musicians.
Final rehearsals with Dionysis Grammenos
Continuing work on our new arrangement of Schwarz’s Wicked!, the choir found a revitalised energy. With a whole host of repertoire this week, singers have experienced the sounds of Africa, songs of unifying messages and now two numbers from an internationally renowned musical. The group spent some time learning the structure of the piece, as well as how their individual parts fit in with the orchestra that would join them later in the day for a runthrough. The rest of the day was spent reaching for finer details, those that would enhance the performance and make it one to remember.
Last choir rehearsals
After working through their warm ups, for our saxophones the day began with a further exploration of extended techniques, something which, as saxophone players is crucial to their development. The focus was primarily overtones and altissimo, honing in on how to manipulate the air stream to access the highest register of the instruments. The players also had the opportunity of playing with our orchestra this afternoon in a rehearsal of our Whole School Finale, which, perhaps for some of them was their first time! It was a great experience for the team, experiencing the difference in performing as part of a mixed ensemble.
Sarah Markham and our saxophones
Today was a chance for our piano students to really shine. In today’s showcase, the students showed our supportive audience how far they have come with some truly excellent solos. There was music from huge figures: Beethoven, Chopin and Tchaikovsky just to name three. Each pianist brought a different flavour to this concert palette, and with that the audience was completely captivated. This useful informal concert gave the students a great experience before Saturday’s finale, as did hearing Clíodna Shanahan’s and Simon Callaghan’s amazing rendition of Rachmaninoff’s Suite for Two Pianos. The inspiration in the room could be felt from the start and will certainly be taken forward for tomorrow.
Pianists performing brilliantly in today's recital
The afternoon’s activity brought our whole school together for a rehearsal of Ingenium’s very own arrangement of Schwarz’s Wicked! First the orchestra and choir worked separately on their own parts before the whole school united as one to run through with Dionysis Grammenos. Seeing all our students come together was truly warming and highlighted all the dedication that has gone into the last week, as well as the whole month of music. One thing is for sure: with this arrangement, tomorrow is going to end on a high!
Rehearsing our Whole School Finale
Friday’s barbecue didn’t bring the sunny weather we hoped for, but regardless we still enjoyed a fun evening together as one Ingenium family. After tucking in to hot dogs and burgers in the boarding houses we joined forces to play the ‘Choc Olympics’ – a series of games involving everyone’s favourite sweet treat. Some were more ridiculous than others, but it was clear that everyone had a great time and many laughs were had. To end the evening, the final certificates for 2019 were handed out and we said a huge thank you to our pastoral team and admin team, who have helped make this extraordinary vision become a reality.
Final certificates of 2019!
That’s it for today: tomorrow brings our final concert of the Ingenium Academy 2019! See you then.
See more photos from this summer on our Facebook page.
Musicians of the day:
- Orchestra: Oliver, for working hard in and out of sessions, improving in the week, helping others and being kind to colleagues
- Vocal: Ines, Kiki, Manon and Roberta
Ines, for great solos, improvisation and always being assured in what she's doing
Kiki, for trying her solo and coming out of herself
Manon, for always hitting the right notes and taking in the text
Roberta, for reading well in solos - Saxophone: PJ, for growing in confidence, supporting the rest of the group and developing sound
- Piano: Ingrid, for incorporating everything learned so far, contributing ideas and developing so much from the first week
Our Programmes
More information on our seven programmes: Chamber Music, Composition, Conducting, Orchestral, Piano, Saxophone and Vocal.
Programmes range from 1 week to 4 weeks long. Students can attend one immersive programme, or broaden their experience by combining programmes to suit their interests.
Any Questions?
We love speaking to young musicians, teachers and families from around the world - so don't hesitate to get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!
Email: info@ingeniumacademy.com
Phone: +44 (0)20 7060 4076
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