RGS Musicians Light Up the Cathedral with Colour and Celebration

This year’s climax to The RGS Worcester Family of Schools’ musical year took place in Worcester Cathedral on Tuesday evening with ‘Rhapsody in Blue: A Concert in Colour’. Featuring twelve colour-themed pieces of music, the evening opened with solo songs from the choirs of RGS Springfield, RGS The Grange and RGS Dodderhill before Senior School musicians took to the stage for an astonishing performance of George Gershwin’s ever-popular ‘Rhapsody in Blue’.

Expectations were high as Lower Sixth student Sasha Penlington appeared, dressed elegantly for the occasion, to play the piano part, truly impressing the whole audience with her brave and composed performance of this fiendishly difficult piano concerto. As Sasha’s fingers flew across the piano keys, the RGS Orchestra supported her with panache, mastering the jazzy rhythms and complex ideas excellently. Special mention must go to Upper Sixth student Theo Mason, who began the whole piece with the world-famous solo glissando, standing in the Cathedral pulpit, letting his clarinet sound across the heads of the 650-strong audience. They, in turn, were on their feet at the end of this piece, giving a well-deserved standing ovation to Sasha and the orchestra for a mature and captivating performance.

The second half of the Concert began with the Junior Choir, conducted for her one and only appearance by Ms Guidotti, first presenting a charming ‘Colours of the Wind’ from ‘Pocahontas’ before entertaining with a unique rendition of Eiffel 65’s ‘Blue (Da Ba Dee)’, accompanied by the String Quartet. Smiles quite rightly met the faces of many of the audience as the sixty-five Years Seven and Eight pupils in Junior Choir chanted about being a ‘blue man’ in a ‘blue house’ with ‘blue feelings that live inside me’. The entertainment continued with Chamber Choir’s version of ‘The Pink Panther’ theme, before a mood change came care of Eriks Esenvalds’ haunting a cappella ‘Stars’, which saw several members of the choir both sing and play wine glasses (by rubbing a wet finger around the top of a part-filled wine glass to produce a beautiful shimmering tone). This extraordinary piece conjures the majesty of celestial bodies in the sky; Chamber Choir sang their hearts out in both delicacy and blaring bravura in a truly powerful performance.

 Mr Soman took the opportunity before the final performance to say a few words about his time as Director of Music, focusing upon the word ‘Majesty’, and highlighting his faith as he moves to work in the Church. His words were extremely moving as parents, pupils and staff showed their great appreciation.

 The Concert closed with a specially-curated medley of Gold songs which Mr Soman has keenly been developing since the start of term. Bond’s ‘Goldfinger’, Jill Scott’s RnB earworm ‘Golden’, Sting’s moving ‘Fields of Gold’ and Spandau Ballet’s ‘Gold’ fused to create a 15-minute blaze of golden glory, with an accompanying band and a choir of around 270 pupils and staff bedecked in golden accessories (with several challenging Mr Soman for the most golden sequins on show). When paired with the special lights which turned the Cathedral different colours and an enthusiastic audience, the Gold medley closed the Concert in style.

The Headmaster spoke of Mr Soman’s huge contribution to the development of RGS Music over the past six years, which included the comment, “Mr Soman started a bit green, became very RGS green….and now leaves as pure gold”, as Mr Soman glittered in his golden jacket. He welcomed Mr Conway to the RGS Family and thanked Mr Soman from the pupils, staff, parents and Governors for all that he has achieved. 

As Mr Soman’s final Cathedral Concert, this week’s Concert in Colour was testimony to the power of music, creativity, hard work and camaraderie, all of which epitomise Music at all four RGS Schools. With this Concert also seeing new Director of Music, Mr Jamie Conway, on the stage, ‘Rhapsody in Blue: A Concert in Colour’ was both a celebration of things past and a look to things to come; we all look forward to cherishing memories of the former and making new musical memories in the coming years.