Millfield

On Tuesday 17th June, the London Chamber Orchestra (LCO) held the largest pilot run of their new project, LCO Kids ‘A Musical Adventure’, in Millfield School’s state-of-the-art Music Department.

Children from local primary schools and from Millfield Prep School were invited to participate. Throughout the morning, 50 kids (from Brookside, Cossington, Charlton Mackrell, Meare, Oakhill, Wedmore and Millfield Prep) enjoyed musical games and instrumental mentoring sessions with LCO musicians and education managers. In the afternoon, a further 30 kids and many parents attended an open rehearsal, led by conductor Christopher Warren-Green, in which the children played the motifs they had learnt from Beethoven’s Symphony No.8 in F with the full orchestra. The young children came away having had a taste of the energy and the dynamics involved in top-level orchestral playing.

Later on, 12 musicians from Millfield School experienced the rigours of professional orchestral practice with the LCO. Over 150 pupils from the School came to watch this open rehearsal, in which everyone was given a flavour of the technicalities in and musical history of the concert programme.

In the evening, a tremendous performance was given by the LCO in the Millfield Concert Hall. Conducted by the masterful Christopher Warren-Green and with impressive soloists Peter Jablonski (piano) and Andrew Crowley (trumpet), the LCO led the audience through an exciting programme of Respighi’s Ancient Airs and Dances: Suite No.3, Shostakovich’s Concerto for Piano, Trumpet and Strings, and Beethoven’s Symphony No 8 in F. The concert was kindly sponsored by Pardoes Solicitors and Lloyds TSB.

Ben Charles, Director of Music at Millfield, commented,

“It was a truly fantastic occasion and a wonderful experience for the primary school children as well as for our own students. The concert in the evening was the culmination of an uplifting day for all concerned and I’m delighted that it proved to be so worthwhile.”