Music that matched the weather

Billed as 'Music on a Summer's Evening' it was exactly that. The evening sun shone through the windows of the QEGS Hall and the YPC presented an evening of 'sunny' music which had the large audience smiling and wanting more.

This was far more than 'just another concert' however as the YPC's special guests, the QEGS Junior Boys Choir were being conducted for the last time by Karen Cousins prior to her retirement. During the 28 years that Karen ( also a valued member of the YPC) has led the choir, they have share many concerts with the YPC, so it was fitting her last concert leading them should also do so.

The evening began with both choirs combining in the ever popular 'Gloria' by Vivaldi and it set the scene for further thrilling performances such as Zadok the Priest and Parry's 'I was Glad', each showing the YPC at their powerful best. In contrast though the YPC is equally at home with the flowing and delicate works. Mozart's Ave Verum Corpus and Faure's Cantique de Jean Racine, being 2 of the best examples during the evening.

The QEGS Junior choir too were at their best and showed not only the discipline and training instilled by their esteemed conductor, but also the enjoyment they find in singing in two sets of 3 songs which featured them singing in several parts but also enchanting the audience with their movements. Special mention must be made of their soloists who sang with such clarity and confidence, no mean feat when confronted with a large crowd, many of whom were parents and friends.

The choirs combined a further two times, firstly in the enigmatic 'Lord's Payer' from African Sanctus and John Rutter's 'All things bright and beautiful'.

That title probably summarised the whole evening and at the end the audience rose to their feet not only in recognition of the musical standard, which was superb, but in rightful acknowledgement of the dedication and service of Karen Cousin's both to school and choir.

Congratulations to all concerned on a superb, if bitter sweet, evening which not only gave us wonderful music but also sent us away with, simultaneously, a tear in our eye, yet a smile on our face.