Over 120 musicians came together on Sunday 24 March to take part in the Choral Society concert. Boys in the Prep Senior Choir and the Chapel Choir joined forces with girls from Bedford Girls’ School Chamber Choir, Bel Canto, as well as the Eagle Choir, Bedford School’s adult community choir, made up of parents, past parents, staff and friends of the school.
Two substantial works were performed, namely the Chichester Psalms by Leonard Bernstein and Urbs Beata by John Sanders. The Bernstein featured a brilliant solo by young treble, Fraser Morgan, who sang a Hebrew setting of Psalm 23 (The Lord is my shepherd). The Sanders’ piece was a musical medieval mystery play, with brass, organ, percussion and cello accompaniment. The choir was joined by professional counter-tenor Owen Willetts, as well as five student soloists, who all took on different roles in the semi-dramatic performance. In the lead up to Easter, the Urbs Beata was a suitable reflection on the Easter story, written by the current Director of Music’s late father.
Director of Music, Mr Joss Sanders, said “I was particularly pleased to be able to put on another performance of my father’s piece, which was first performed in 2001 at the Three Choirs Festival. Giving the pupils both here and at the Girls’ School the opportunity to take part in a large choral concert is a really important part of their musical education – this was a perfect example of a successful artistic outcome for the wider school community!”
