This year’s festival was as glorious as ever and as full. Dr Amy Bebbington, a choral specialist, really enjoyed her 2 days and waxed lyrical about the quality of the music-making. As always there were some fantastic performances, and some unexpected gems. And altogether a fantastic feeling of communal music-making and of generosity amongst music competitors.

This is what our adjudicator, Dr Amy Bebbington, has said in an email to all the competitors:

“It was a great privilege for me to witness the outstanding musical talent that exists within Francis Holland School recently. It is very reassuring to see that music is so valued and such a great asset across the whole school. From my experience, the overall quality and skill of all the young performers left me in no doubt that FHS is truly unparalleled, and superbly guided by an excellent music team.

The obvious thirst to share your musical gifts and to showcase boldness, strength, courage and confidence in performance, and with such commitment to your instrument, is commendable. I was particularly impressed since many of you performed Bach’s Mass in B Minor between both competition days! The high expectations and musical opportunities at the school are clearly highly valued, and rightly so.”

Many congratulations to you all, participants and winners alike, and especially those of you for which music will shape your future careers and lives. Music binds, thrills and comforts us in so many ways – socially, emotionally, mentally and artistically – and I hope you continue to allow music to nurture and inspire you.

Thank you for sharing your gifts with me!

Dr Amy Bebbington”

Huge congratulations to Vicky in UVI who won the overall prize. Please click here to see the full list of winners.

Miss Vickery, Director of Music