Audience members were treated to a glorious evening of Baroque music on Sunday 22 March at the biennial Joint Choral Society Concert, featuring pupils from Bedford School and Bedford Girls’ School, together with the Eagle Choir, made up of staff, parents and friends of the schools.
The first half showcased a variety of chamber ensembles from both schools. Bedford Girls’ School’s chamber choir, Bel Canto, opened the programme with a beautiful, unaccompanied performance of Weelkes’ three‑part madrigal, Thus Sings My Dearest Jewel. This was followed by Bedford School’s Baroque Trio, who delivered an elegant rendition of a Handel sonata. Chamber orchestras from both schools also took to the stage: the girls performed an expressive excerpt from Handel’s Water Music, while the boys played Bach’s Concerto in C minor for Oboe, Violin, Strings and Basso Continuo, featuring stunning solos from Ivan (oboe) and Seb (violin).
After the interval came the main event: a concert performance of Purcell’s opera Dido and Aeneas, the tragic and ancient tale of love and loss. A vibrant chorus of courtiers, witches, sailors, cupids and mythical creatures brought energy and colour to the drama, with boys from both the Prep and Upper School singing with confidence and enthusiasm. Special mention must go to the pupils who took on solo singing roles, all of whom performed with maturity and musical sensitivity. The choir was accompanied with great finesse by the string orchestra of boys and music teachers.
Head of Choral Music Mr Roberts was delighted with the effort all the musicians had put into the rehearsals and performance, saying, “”Dido and Aeneas gave everyone an opportunity to perform a real opera, as soloists, chorus members and instrumentalists, to get immersed into the characters and the story, and create a musical experience that they -and the members of the audience – will remember for a long time.”.
The concert was a resounding success and a fitting finale to the spring term – an evening that delighted the audience and celebrated the musical talents of both school communities.
