April 1st 2022
One aspect of life we all missed during the pandemic was live performance. The second half of this term has been so very special and uplifting as the easing of restrictions has given us the opportunity to celebrate the performing arts together as a community in a more relaxed manner, without the worry of face coverings, social distancing and restricted audience numbers. In particular, three events in this second half of term, have given us all a strong reminder of the importance of live productions and the huge benefits boys gain from them.
The Junior Concert was a wonderful opportunity for boys in Years 3, 4 & 5 to showcase their talents. As well as a performance by the Junior Choir (all boys in Years 3 & 4), thirty-eight boys played or sang short solo items. That so many boys put themselves forward is wonderful in itself and the beginning of such an important journey for them in developing their confidence on stage. It was so good to see the variety on show, and the concert bodes extremely well for the future of Moulsford music. Thank you to Miss Gould for all her hard work in developing the musical talents of this age group.
The Easter Service on Tuesday was an internal event in the Sports Hall, involving the Senior Choir, soloists and a quartet. All who were present were struck by both the quality of the singing as well as the passion the boys show and the fun they have in performing. On this day, we also had a visit from a journalist from the Good Schools Guide (GSG) and we were delighted that this concert formed part of her visit. Moulsford’s updated GSG entry will be published later in the Spring and we will send you the link when it goes ‘live’.
A defining feature of Moulsford, and an area we work very hard on across all disciplines, is opportunity for all boys. While this is an easy line for schools to give, it requires a clear policy and a determined will at all levels to live it out in practice. A highlight of the term has been the Year 7 musical, Annie, which was performed over four nights. The show was double-cast, meaning that on Wednesday and Friday nights boys acted one part, and on Thursday and Saturday, they took on a different character. The result is that we had two DAnnies, two Miss. Hannigans, two Mr. Warbucks, sixteen orphans and so on. Spreading opportunities across all the boys is great for both the individual, and for the development of a year group as a collective team body – there are so many spin off benefits for everyone.
However, this doesn’t happen by chance, and an enormous thank you to Mr Edwards who has now double-cast many recent Year 7 plays. It creates a lot of additional work, because in effect you are producing the same play twice with different casts. When discussing the pros and cons, Mr Edwards pointed out to me that you never have to worry about having an understudy - now there’s an example of someone who’s glass is half-full! Putting on a musical of this scale is a real team effort and I am so grateful for all the time and energy given by so many of the staff. In particular very large thanks are due to Mr Bissell for the music, and to Miss Roberts for the set and costumes. An enormous well done also to the boys for rising to the challenges set by their Director and for giving us four very memorable evenings.
Historically Moulsford has awarded ties to boys in Year 8 in recognition of sporting and musical achievements. As of next term, there will also be newly designed ties, which represent acknowledgement of boys’ contribution to drama, art, and design & technology. We know that all boys have different skills and interests and we want them to know that the school greatly values this variety.
