News

Term was brought (almost) to an end tonight with the Finals of the Senior Concerto Competition. Six outstanding performances, any of which would have been worthy winners. Adjudicator Peter Stark commented on how attentive and silent the audience was, as this view from the back of the hall demonstrates. Well done to all tonight’s performers,…

We welcomed the Chinese New Year today with a Chinese-Style lunch, lovingly prepared and immaculately presented by Steve, our Chef Manager, and his team. The wonderful food was appreciated by staff and pupils alike.

  A rapt audience of Purcellians, teachers and guests spent two hours getting to know better the violin music of George Enescu (1881 – 1955) thanks to a recital and lecture which took place on 22nd June in the school’s Constance Pilkington Hall.  Sir Noel Malcolm, world authority on the life and music of Enescu…

Six happy soloists onstage at Wigmore Hall, post-concert. On Friday 26 September, six of our senior pupils gave solo recitals at the prestigious Wigmore Hall for one of The Purcell School’s annual autumn showcase concerts. They all played fantastically, and were great ambassadors for the School. The programme included arias for soprano by Mozart, works for…

Photograph: Brian O’ Connor Last Thursday, sixth form Jazz students Asha Parkinson and Alex Ridout played to a big audience at Jazz on the Pantiles in Tunbridge Wells.  The band line-up included players from Trinity Laban and the University of Oxford, as well as Purcell.  They’ve been asked back next year. Asha has had her own…

Here are six of our wonderful young musicians, beautifully dressed and ready to go on stage at the Wigmore Hall last week. Well done to everyone for a great evening of music.

Commonwealth Festival Choir at Westminster Abbey On Monday 9th March, five Purcell School singers performed at the Commonwealth Observance Day at Westminster Abbey.  This high profile event was attended by The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, Commonwealth Religious Leaders, Commonwealth…

Oliver Knussen receives Queen’s Medal for Music – Photo credit David Sillitoe Former Purcell scholar, composer and conductor, Oliver Knussen was presented with the Queen’s Medal for Music 2015 on 20th May in a private audience with the Queen.  One of the pre-eminent composer-conductors in the world today, Knussen was born in Glasgow in 1952,…

The School’s Christmas celebrations started on Sunday evening with Carols by Candlelight, sung by the Chamber Choir, directed by Edward Longstaff, with organ accompaniment by Headmaster, Stephen Yeo. The beautiful, 700 year-old St. James’ Church in Bushey was lit with candles for a wonderfully festive evening of readings, carols and seasonal classics.  The choir set the…

​Congratulations to alumnus, Kerem Hasan, who reached the finals of the 2016 Donatella Flick Conducting Competition.  The Purcell School patron, Donatella Flick, founded the Competition in 1990 with the aim to bridge the gap between emerging young conductors’ training at conservatoire and professional life as a conductor.  The 2016 Competition saw twenty finalists from across…