News

Purcell School singers had great success at the recent Association of English Speakers and Singers Junior Recital Competition.  The Catherine Lambert Junior Recital Prize was awarded to Georgia Odette and Stephanie Edwards was runner up.  Emily Christian won the prize for the best spoken item, and Jack Whiting also put in a great performance.  All four are taught by…

Congratulations to the eleven Purcell pupils who have places in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain for 2015 (nine of whom are pictured above). They won their place through auditions involving almost 1,000 teenagers, all of whom have at least a distinction at Grade VIII.Hannah Condliffe (Principal Oboe)William Gough (Bassoon)Ruth Dingle (Horn)Isobel Daws (Trombone)Verity Lloyd (Percussion)Victoria Gill (Violin)Yasmin Strevens-Chen (Violin)Millie…

We were delighted to welcome Kate Hill for a wonderful masterclass yesterday. Kate has been a professor of flute at Royal Academy of Music for seventeen years whilst also playing with the English Chamber Orchestra for the last twenty-five years.  ​Kate was able to assist pupils with their scales, arpeggios and audition technique in preparation…

Congratulations to Purcell alumna Charlotte Ashton, announced as the new Principal Flute of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra!  Charlotte recently graduated from the Royal Academy of Music, with a First Class Honours and the ‘Principal’s Prize’, where she learned flute with Karen Jones and Sam Coles and piccolo with Sophie Johnson and Helen Keen. Her formal…

Purcell alumnus, Glen Dempsey, currently studying music at Cambridge, received a First Class result in his examinations this year, and will be made Scholar of St. John’s College for the coming academic year.  In addition, Glen has been awarded a Wright Prize, conferred on those who rank in the top third of First Class results, along with a…

A level results achieved by the 2015 cohort at The Purcell School were the best in recent years, with 42% of pupils receiving A* or A grades, and 72% achieving grades in the A* to B range.  Interim Head James Harding commented: “this is a fabulous set of results for our young musicians and a…

Congratulations to …  Evie Rogers, for winning the 16-and-under solo category and the String Exhibition at Ealing Music Festival. She was presented with The Eleanor MacDonald Violin Trophy and a monetary reward for outstanding playing.  Andrew Garrido, who was awarded Gold Medal in both the Baroque and Classical classes at the North London Music Festival….

Congratulations to sisters Francesca, who achieved Taekwondo Blackbelt (3rd dan), and Lucia, who achieved Taekwondo Blackbelt (1st  dan), proving yet again that our pupils don’t just do music. It is also clear that their Head of Department, Mr Hathway, doesn’t stand a chance!

Wonderful afternoon yesterday with Chamber Choir, singing Evensong at Westminster Abbey. Not allowed to take photos of the actual service, of course, but here are some of the choir, paying homage to Henry Purcell. Well done to everyone for some really excellent singing, and thanks to all the parents and friends who came to support.

On the first day of the new term, this was the sight that greeted me outside my study – the flowers of the lovely magnolia, planted in memory of Rosemary Rapaport, one of our founders. What a pleasant way to begin the term. Meanwhile, inside the building, the shiny new corridor was revealed in all…