Recent Musical Events
Christmas Evenings 2011
Our annual Christmas Evenings, which took place on 7 and 8 December 2011, were as always among the performance highlights of the school year. They included performances by all our choirs (senior choir, chamber choir, middle school choir and the middle school chamber choir Mezzo) and by our orchestra, wind band and swing band, and also featured performances by all the girls in year 7 and some impressive solo performances.
Photos of girls performing at the Christmas Evening 2011. Please click on the images below to see an enlarged version.
‘Honk!’
Girls in years 7 and 8 threw themselves enthusiastically into rehearsals for our second summer musical, Disney’s ‘Honk!’. Excellent singing, strong character performances, beautifully performed dance numbers and some exciting special effects all combined to entrance the audiences.
Photos of girls performing 'Honk'. Please click on the images below to see an enlarged version.
Scholars’ Concert, October 2011
This year’s Scholars’ Concert showcased the impressive performing skills of all our music, drama and performing arts scholars and exhibitioners. In styles ranging from rock’n’roll to French Impressionism and from Adele to Baroque, the audience was treated to a fascinatingly varied programme of instrumental and vocal performances, dance, and dramatic monologues and duologues.
Photos of girls performing in the Scholars' Concert 2011. Please click on the images below to see an enlarged version.
Blowing our own trumpets!
We would like to say a massive ‘thank you’ to the Parents and Friends of DHS who have kindly funded the purchase of a set of ‘pocket trumpets’ so that all the girls in year 5 can learn to play them. As the photos show, the class trumpet lessons are proving a great success, and we look forward to hearing the girls perform together.
Grease
This year our musical production at Durham's Gala Theatre in March showcased the performing talents of girls from years 7-13 in a sparkling, colourful, fast-paced production of 'Grease', which vividly portrayed life at Rydell High School, complete with the splendid car 'Greased Lightning'. Exciting dance routines and lively vocal numbers alternated with wonderful comic scenes and moments of dramatic intensity, to create a memorable and most enjoyable production. The photos say it all…
Photos of girls performing 'Grease'. Please click on the images below to see an enlarged version.
Yanomamo
On Monday 24 January we staged a production of the musical 'Yanomamo', which tells the story of the Yanomamo tribe and the creatures of the Amazon rainforest, as they fight threats to their way of life. This was our fourth year 5 production at the Gala Theatre and this year involved 95 year 5 girls from DHS and eight other local primary schools, and also featured our year 7-9 performing arts specialists as soloists. Other senior girls played in the band, operated the sound and lighting, ran the show backstage, and helped with choreography. The show was the result of just two days of workshops and rehearsals, in the Wendy Craig Studio at Durham High School on Saturday, moving to the Gala Theatre for the dress rehearsal and performance on Monday. Working so intensively on preparing a performance, and sharing that experience with children from other schools, was very challenging but also tremendously enjoyable for all the children.
Our year 5 girls said their favourite moments were:
- 'learning the songs'
- 'making new friends'
- 'dancing'
- 'the effects and the sparks'
- 'the moment when the curtain went up and we started to sing'
Varsha Krishnan summed up the whole experience: 'It was so much fun but the lights were so hot!'
Photos of girls performing 'Yanomamo'. Please click on the images below to see an enlarged version.
Music for a May Evening
