Another stunning concert

Another stunning concert

29 March 2017

ON the afternoon of Sunday, March 12, the girls of Assumption Grammar School assembled at the Ulster Hall in Belfast once again for their annual concert, an extravaganza of instrumental and vocal music involving nearly 400 participants performing to a packed house in a host of styles and ensembles.

The programme got off to an atmospheric start with a performance of Saint-Saens’ ‘Danse Macabre’’ by the schools 50-strong Senior Orchestra followed by an arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s ballet music for ‘Romeo & Juliet’.

This opener was followed by two junior groups, starting with the Junior Choir who gave an atmospheric rendition of ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ from Les Miserables. The singers were followed by the Junior Chamber Ensemble, a string orchestra of over 40 students from years 8-10 who performed a selection from the music for ‘Pirates of the Caribbean – On Stranger Tides’ followed by Schubert’s music for ‘Rosamunde’ in which they were joined by a supplementary group of woodwind and brass players.

A place in the award-winning Barbershop Group is one of the more coveted positions for singers in Assumption and this ensemble was represented by two arrangements by the group’s director, Nuala Murray – ‘Africa’, the 1982 song by Toto and the Jackson’s ‘Blame It On The Boogie’.

Following this, a group of senior students performed a highly accomplished set of traditional Irish pieces including an ‘Irish’ version of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Kashmir’. They were joined in their final item by the school’s group of Irish dancers. The first half was then brought to a close by the full Senior Choir with a set that included Kern & Hammerstein’s ‘Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man Of Mine’, the haunting ‘Seal Lullabye’ and a quirky performance of ‘Mr. Sandman’.

The second half was introduced by the intoxicating rhythms of the African Drummers before the continuing popularity of jazz in the school was demonstrated with performances of ‘Good Times’, ‘Feelin’ Good’ with solo singer Katy Keaveney and finally, Stevie Wonder’s ‘Superstition’.

The Chamber Choir, a smaller vocal group specialising in sacred music, performed ‘A Song of Love’ a setting of words by Lewis Carroll and a magical arrangement of the African-American song ‘Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord) in an arrangement by Belfast composer Philip Stopford. This was followed by the Senior Chamber Ensemble’s performance of Mozart’s ‘Eine Kleine Nachtmusik’ and the ‘Theme from Schindler’s List’ with soloists Cora Timoney and Orla McGarrity.

The stage was then set for the finale in which a choir of 230 girls from years eight and nine sang three songs by Michael Jackson – ‘Can You Feel It’, ‘I Just Can’t Stop Loving You’ and the spectacular ‘Thriller’ in which the choir and orchestra were accompanied by a group of dancers from year nine with choreography developed by girls from the school.