Online Recital: The Music Scholars of James Allen’s Girls’ School

The Programme

Elyssa Hatton – violoncello
Ellie Wu – violin
Myfanwy Meeran – oboe
Ola Kiezun – violoncello
Safiya Williams – piano
Emily Clare-Hunt – trumpet
Hannah Chadwick-Jones – violoncello
Viola Farbach – violin

Peter Gritton – Director of Music at JAGS – accompanist

Recorded live at St Bride’s on Friday 11th March.

Prelude and Gigue from Suite in G
(Elyssa Hatton)

Romanian Dances 4, 5 & 6
(Ellie Wu)

Romance No 1
(Myfanwy Meeran)

Concerto in C – first movement
(Ola Kiezun)

La fille aux cheveux de lin
(Safiya Williams)

Concerto in A flat – Andante—Allegro vivace
(Emily Clare-Hunt)

Romance
(Hannah Chadwick-Jones)

Dudziarz ‘The Bagpipe Player’
(Viola Farbach)

The Artist

The performers you hear today all hold Music Awards at James Allen’s Girls’ School in Dulwich, South-East London. While there are expectations of a Music Scholar to lead the way through their music, the chances are that the way a JAGS Music Scholar deports herself comes naturally, sharing her musical gifts with others in the school community. The standard of music-making at JAGS is high and there is tremendous enthusiasm for performing anyway, so Music Scholars can utilize their talents within a flourishing environment. The Music Scholars are often the leaders of a lively symphonic and chamber music scene at the school.

The ethos of the Music Department, and indeed of the whole school, is to be ambitious and inclusive. Jazz and pop groups feature at events throughout the year. Developing leadership skills and fostering teamwork are given much weight in the JAGS education, so there is a student-led Gospel Choir, as well as events in which the girls themselves feature prominently among the organisers, such as the House Music competitions.

JAGS has pupils from many different backgrounds and strong community links. The Symphony and Chamber Orchestras at JAGS perform mainstream symphonic repertoire, while the Holst Choir is frequently being asked to sing semichorus roles in London venues such as Cadogan Hall and Royal Festival Hall. Both Vaughan Williams and Gustav Holst used to be Directors of Music at JAGS; the Holst Hall has long been the spiritual centre of the school, but with the recent completion of a brand new state-of-the-art Community Music Centre and its Vaughan Williams Auditorium, it is probably the only institution to contain halls named after both composers.

Musicians of the highest calibre pass through the school’s precincts, honing their musical gifts within a full and rounded academic education. At entry, some girls consider applying for specialist music schools, but since JAGS operates at the cutting edge of girls’ education in Britain for the brightest girls, it is capable of providing a holistic education that is regarded by many as second to none.