Concert Performed on 2 February 2010 at farnham United Reformed Church: Music Students from Frensham Heights
Students declare that the show must go on
 Coughs and sneezes are a common feature of school life in winter, and it was no surprise to learn that three of the students from Frensham Heights who were to perform at the lunchtime concert at Farnham United Reformed Church were unable to do so at the concert held on Tuesday 2nd February as part of the regular series.
However, the five students who were available were determined that the show must go on, and played or sang extra music to make up.
The concert was opened by James Collymore, who played the brilliant Praeludium which makes the first movement of Grieg's Holberg Suite, which set the tone for the rest of the concert.
Josh Clarke played the first movement of the G major 'cello sonata by Sammartini, and, later, a Nocturne by Franz Strauss. Josh seemed a little tense but that did not show in his playing: he drew beautiful sounds from his 'cello.
Mimi Doulton has a nice soprano voice and gave us a Handel aria, "V'adoro, pupille", from the opera Giulio Cesare in Egitto, where Cleopatra is attempting to seduce Julius Caesar; and, later, some more Grieg: this time his sad but beautiful "Ein Schwan".
Mimi's sister Gisella is well known to Farnham audiences as a very fine oboist, and she did not let us down this time, playing some more Sammartini (the third and fourth movements of another sonata in G) and two movements from Jean Françaix' witty piece based on a flower clock, L'Horloge De Flore.
We shall not see Gisella Doulton this time next year for she has a place at the University of Cambridge, where we are sure she will have a distinguished career.
Another artiste we shall not see next year is Bronwen Ramsdale, who is taking a gap year prior to reading medicine. Bronwen has a fine soprano voice, and gave us four well contrasted songs: Dido's lament from Purcell's opera "Dido and Aeneas", Der Tod und das Mädchen by Schubert, the Habanera from Bizet's opera Carmen and "So in love" from "Kiss me, Kate" by Cole Porter.
As always, we are very grateful to the school authorities, the Director of Music, Edwin Rolles and, above all, to the splendid performers who provided so much sunshine on a dull day.
In the picture: Josh Clarke, Mimi Doulton, Gisella Doulton, Bronwen Ramsdale, James Collymore; click on the picture for a larger version.
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