From their first experiences in the Junior groups, through to the Senior groups featured in this week’s concert, we ride the roller coaster of musical triumph, near misses and pure hard work. Week on steady week the boys begin to craft notes and technique into that most magical of communications: a musical performance.

The Spring Concert offers the opportunity to ice the cake and share that performance with the wider Pilgrims’ community. It is such a pleasure to see these musicians straighten their ties, and get their ‘concert faces’ on, as they take to the stage. Unbeknown to you, behind the scenes there is such a sense of camaraderie; the joy of an en-masse warm-up tune, the kindness of helping a friend out with a new reed, the delight in showing off the less usual instruments to a gaggle of interested younger boys and above all the respectful awareness that each boy needs to ‘hold up his end’.

It is not just the pride that we take in sharing the music we make ourselves. As a bit of a Kodály fan, I thoroughly enjoyed the orchestra’s performance of the Intermezzo from Háry János, and more than that, enjoyed watching the boarders in the audience grooving along to it too. Come the new term, a little buoyed by Monday evening, we look forward to diving into the next set of repertoire towards the Summer Concerts.

Thank you to all who contributed to the evening; the staff at the United Church, our maintenance team, and colleagues who ferried boys and instruments too and fro.

Elizabeth Willcocks
Assistant Director of Music