Last weekend, members of our Lower School Choir embarked on a fantastic tour to the Netherlands and Belgium.

Around 60 members of Year 7 and 8 had a packed itinerary and were excellent ambassadors of the school as they enjoyed many different excursions and widened their musical and cultural horizons together.

Upon arrival to Haarlem, Netherlands, the girls visited a tulip farm, learning all about the science and careful art of caring for the beautiful flowers. We had a terrific time exploring the streets and canals of Amsterdam, with just enough to take in some masterpieces at the Rijksmuseum and explore the water on a scenic boat tour. A real highlight was our visit to the world-class Concertgebouw to see one of the world’s greatest symphony orchestras play Petrushka by Igor Stravinsky. Away from Amsterdam, we had a thrilling day at Duinrell theme park and exploring Brussels, supporting the Belgian waffle and chocolate industries with great enthusiasm.

The girls sang superbly, filling two of the most beautiful Dutch church acoustics and the glorious Brussels St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral with their exceptional voices. We showcased a selection of our ‘Songs of the Earth’ programme, formed around our Creative Perspectives on Climate Change project with Cape Farewell, which was received brilliantly. We are glad that members of the public have written into the school to express their appreciation to the students.

In fact, all of those we came across on our trip expressed how friendly, polite and kind all of the students were. Erik, our excellent bus driver, said that we were his ‘best ever’ group in many years of touring and we learned a lot from his expert advice, tips and life coaching while travelling.

Above all, we enjoyed the culture and cuisine of these amazing cities. They expanded their musical repertoire and developed their singing skills, but also made new friends, strengthened existing bonds and made memories that will last a lifetime.

Thank you so much to our magnificent students, who were exemplary, and the incomparable staff, as well as everybody else who made this incredible trip possible.

Mr Mercer, Head of Co-Curricular Music