At last, we have reached the final week of the school year, and what a year it has been. This year, the music department has burst back to life with great vigour and double the enthusiasm post-pandemic. All the musicians (and even non-musicians!) in the school have rallied together to create a year crammed with so many musical events that even our department of five plus the heroic Mr Benji Page (certainly the largest music department I’ve ever known) were crawling towards the finish line at times! Nevertheless, I think it is safe to say that we have all adopted the grit, resilience and courage that is idiomatic of the true FHS way of life.

We are all immensely proud of every student who has demonstrated commitment and perseverance in creating music after such a tumultuous couple of years. Now, more than ever, we need to promote music-making in our everyday lives (indeed, music is life and so crucial to our well-being) and there’s no one else better than our own FHS pupils to demonstrate this. Music is almost always about collaboration and teamwork, and with everything the students (and even the musical staff and parents) have achieved – new friendships have been born and I think we have all learnt the value of companionship in our journey of life. Moments over the year come to mind – Ludovica Verdun Di Cantogno and Chiara Tondo performing their first co-written composition ‘Man on the Moon’, Sofia Gironi and Georgie Wood’s duet of ‘For Good’ from Wicked, and Bea Gironi and Cordi Jones’ duet of ‘One of Us’ by ABBA – these special moments, to me, are the epitome of pure, unconditional love and friendship.

‘My Companion’ by Elaine Hagenberg is a “tender setting of a text by American poet, Edith Franklin Wyatt, that speaks of companionship and the joys of sharing it as we travel along the road of life. Hagenberg employs her characteristically rich harmonic language to create a piece with great depth and beauty.” As the school year comes to an exciting close with Prize-giving at Cadogan Hall and the end of year service, a moment of reflection accompanied by ‘My Companion’ is certainly something worthwhile to do. I hope you all have a lovely summer break and I look forward to another busy year of brilliant music!

You are my companion

Down the silver road,

Still and many-changing,

Infinitely changing.

You are my companion.        

Something sings in lives—

Days of walking on and on,

Deep beyond all singing,

Wonderful past singing.

Wonderful our road,        

Long and many-changing,

Infinitely changing.

This, more wonderful—

We are here together,

You and I together,        

I am your companion;

You are my companion,

My own, true companion.

​

Let the road-side fade:

Morning on the mountain-top,        

Hours along the valley,

Days of walking on and on,

Pulse away in silence,

In eternal silence.

Let the world all fade,        

Break and pass away.

Yet will this remain,

Deep beyond all singing,

My own true companion,

Beautiful past singing:        

We were here together—

On this earth together;

I was your companion,

You were my companion.

Maki Gajic-Murata, Composer-in-Residence