Brilliant Beethoven performance secures national first place for junior quartet

Four young musicians won the junior category prize at the prestigious Pro Corda Chamber Music Festival – and the School put on a special concert to celebrate.

The Junior String Quartet impressed the Pro Corda judges with their rendition of Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 4 in C minor opus 18 movement I, Allegro ma non tanto. Following their achievement, the four boys later secured Music bars, which are awarded to those who already have their QE Music colours.

A second QE ensemble, a trio of senior musicians, also reached the grand final of the national competition, which was held this year at Woldingham School, Surrey.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “This is a well respected competition in which standards are high and competition fierce: I offer my warm congratulations to our young musicians on their striking success.”

The Junior String Quartet – comprising Year 9’s Eshaan Anil, Kevin Mao & Jeremy Shi, as well as Joseph Donovan, of Year 10 – competed over three months through the qualifying and semi-final rounds of the competition. As in previous years, QE was among the host schools for the earlier rounds. The final featured more than 40 ensembles.

Director of Music Ruth Partington said: “In the adjudication, it was noted that this was the largest Pro Corda ever, with the highest standard, so it really was a tremendous achievement for our quartet to win: they did brilliantly!

“Our violin trio (Jason Tao, Year 13; Ryuki Watanabe, Year 12; Noah Morley, Year 11) represented QE in the senior category, which is by far the most competitive – therefore getting into the final was also an amazing achievement for them,” Miss Partington added.

The older boys performed Christian Sinding’s Serenade No. 2 Op. 92 Movement II Andante sostenuto in F sharp minor and Igor Frolov’s Divertimento for 2 violins and piano.

Just a few days before the Pro Corda final, the trio played their pieces at the final of South East Schools’ Chamber Music Competition, which is again highly respected in the music world. “Jason, Ryuki and Noah did very well to reach the final and played impressively in the crowded senior category, where they were up against the likes of Harrow and St Paul’s. In fact, both our finalist ensembles really were spectacular,” said Miss Partington.

At the celebratory lunchtime concert in the Friends’ Recital Hall, both ensembles performed their pieces.

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