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HRH The Duke of Gloucester today visited QE, as the reigning Sunday Times State Secondary School of the Year prepares to celebrate its 450^th anniversary early next year.

Members of the School’s Combined Cadet Force flanked the main entrance and the senior rugby team provided a sporting backdrop as the Duke arrived for his visit, during which he marked the anniversary by planting an oak tree and by presenting a specially embroidered banner to Headmaster Neil Enright.

The visit had an eye to the future as well as the past: the Duke was given a demonstration of VEX Robotics – QE is a multi-time UK champion and was the first UK school to win a World Championship title – and even tried out driving the robots himself.

He came to QE almost exactly 90 years after another royal visit, by HRH The Prince George, Duke of Kent, who opened the new buildings – still in use as QE’s Main Building – following the School’s relocation from its historic Tudor Hall site in Wood Street, Barnet.

Following the visit, Mr Enright said: “It was a tremendous honour and my great pleasure to welcome HRH The Duke of Gloucester today. With the anniversary fast approaching, there was much to show him, including the School’s original 1573 Charter signed by Elizabeth I, our Ties through Time installation of 232 School photographs from the 1880s until comparatively modern times, and, to bring things right up to date, the robots and our new Music building, opened in May.

“The Duke showed a keen interest in everything, and I know our roboteers will be especially delighted that he was brave enough to try his hand at the controls of two of their creations.”

On his arrival, the Duke was presented to the Headmaster by Martin Russell, Representative Deputy Lieutenant of the London Borough of Barnet and a former QE parent.

He was then introduced to:

• Barrie Martin, MBE (Chairman of Governors and Chairman of the Friends of Queen Elizabeth’s)
• Nick Gaskell (Vice-Chairman of Governors)
• The three Deputy Heads: Anne Macdonald (Academic); David Ryan (Pastoral) and Tara O’Reilly (Operations)
• School Captain (head boy) Theo Mama-Kahn, and Senior Vice-Captains Ansh Jassra and Antony Yassa, all of Year 13.

The Duke was shown the charter and Royal Seal, together with original artefacts from the 1932 royal visit drawn from the School’s archives. The materials were introduced by Jenni Blackford, Curator of QE Collections and Head of Library Services, and two Year 13 boys involved in the work with the archives, Ishaan Mehta and Gabriel Gulliford.

The Headmaster then gave a formal welcome to the Duke in front of 100 selected pupils in the Main School Hall. He said: “Your Royal Highness, it is my honour and privilege to offer you the warmest welcome on behalf of the Elizabethan community…2022 has been a year full of accomplishment at the School. We have had our status as an outstanding school confirmed by Ofsted, been named State Secondary School of the Year by The Sunday Times, and opened The Friends’ Recital Hall and Music Rooms – the latest enhancement to our campus, built from the generosity of our School community. You could say it has been our annus mirabilis.”

QE’s Senior Barbershop group sang the hymn Abide with Me while the new School banner was brought into the hall by a representative of the CCF. Commissioned in advance of the 450^th anniversary service being held in Westminster Abbey on 24^th March 2023, the banner was passed to the Duke, who presented it to the Headmaster.

After visiting the Ties through Time photographic installation and enjoying the robotics in the School’s Conference Centre, the royal party headed to the new Music building to watch rehearsals for this Thursday’s Winter Concert under the watchful eye of Director of Music Ruth Partington.

Then it was back to the front of the School before the Duke walked down the drive, lined by Year 7 pupils, stopping close to the gates to plant the anniversary oak tree. It is intended that the tree, which has been marked with a commemorative plaque, will come into full leaf for the first time at the School in the spring of 2023.

The tree will also form part of The Queen’s Green Canopy project inaugurated to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. Senior Vice-Captain Antony Yassa read a short extract from the wording of a new anthem composed for the anniversary year by internationally renowned composer, Howard Goodall, which is to receive its debut performance in Westminster Abbey in March: “Let us fill this place with hope. Face fate and fortune in our stride. That like an oak, we draw our strength from ancient roots spread deep and wide. From ancient roots spread deep and wide.”

Pupil representatives from the School’s Eco Network and its six Houses placed soil at the base of the tree, with the Duke invited to complete the process.

The seven members of the School’s Senior Barbershop ensemble enjoyed entertaining guests at a dinner for The Worshipful Company of Farriers – and the feeling was mutual!

They had been invited to the 666-year-old London Livery Company’s annual dinner by its Master, Martin Russell, who is the Representative Deputy Lieutenant for the London Borough of Barnet, as well as the parent of an Old Elizabethan.

The boys’ performance of a varied repertoire that included songs from the Renaissance through to the present day was very warmly received, with guests pronouncing themselves both impressed and moved by the music.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “The Barbershop boys were brilliant. I was very proud of them and enjoyed spending time in their lively, fun company.

“Martin is an active supporter of the School and I am very grateful to him for extending this invitation to us: it was an honour, and I know that the boys relished the opportunity to perform in such an illustrious setting.”

Livery companies are prestigious London trade or craft associations that originated as mediaeval guilds and now play a significant part in the life of the City of London, with many involved in charitable fund-raising.

The Worshipful Company of Farriers’ Livery Dinner was held at Founders’ Hall in Cloth Fair, Barbican. This modern building – it was opened by the Lord Mayor of London in 1987 and became Grade II-listed in 2018 – is built on one of the few streets to survive the Great Fire of 1666 and is constructed of traditional materials.

The evening gives Liverymen the chance to meet each other at a dinner which is less formal than Court dinners and lunches.

The Barbershop septet comprised: Year 13 pupils Jao-Yong Tsai, Olly Salter, Suraj Cheema and Atul Kanodia; Arjun Patel, of Year 12; Leo Sellis, of Year 10, and Rishi Watsalya, of Year 9. They are rehearsed by Jao-Yong and by Music teacher David Woodward.

After the event, Mr Russell was among those who wrote to the Headmaster to express his appreciation. The boys performed with “élan and with panache”, he stated. He thanked Director of Music Ruth Partington for her work in preparing the boys.

The boys’ version of Abide with Me was noted as being particularly moving. In addition to this traditional English hymn, which has been sung before every FA Cup final since 1927, the Senior Barbershop ensemble performed:

• Dindir´ın – one of a set of more than 450 Spanish songs probably written for Ferdinand II around the 1490s
• Windham – a 19th-century religious song written by the American composer, Daniel Read
• Tee-idle dum dum – a traditional, romantic song that was popular in the US during the barbershop revival of the 1930s
• My Evaline – another short, traditional barbershop song with a romantic theme
• Matona mia cara – a comic song written by Renaissance composer Orlando di Lassus describing a German solider struggling to speak Italian to woo a lover
• Ye banks and braes – a traditional Scottish folk song set to words by Robert Burns in 1791
• My own sweet valentine – a modern barbershop song written by musician Charlie Bodley in memory of his wife.

The main image shows the boys warming up before their performance.

QE played a central role in the High Barnet Chamber Music Festival, with the School’s new Friends’ Recital Hall serving as the main venue and its own musicians performing in a special charity concert there.

Pupils and staff performed to support victims of the war in Ukraine, with donations going to UNICEF and the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR.

Joshua Ballance, artistic director of the festival, which is now in its second year, told interviewer Nick Jones, of The Barnet Society, that QE had blazed a trail for others to follow. “It is a real breakthrough for the festival to stage a showcase concert by a school orchestra and jazz band, and we hope other schools will join us next year.

“To demonstrate our involvement with local schools, we shall be running master classes at Queen Elizabeth’s with some of the professional musicians who have performed at the festival, ” said Mr Ballance. “We want to extend our reach-out programme and offer master classes at other schools. Our link with Queen Elizabeth’s demonstrates the partnership we would like to create.”

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “QE is very much a part of Barnet, so it was splendid to support this new festival bringing professional music to our community. I was also pleased that our own musicians were involved and that we were able to showcase our new facilities to music-lovers beyond our immediate Elizabethan family. I look forward to many similar events in the future.”

During the charity concert, QE’s Director of Music, Ruth Partington, joined Year 12 pupil Jao-Yong Tsai and the School’s accompanist, Tadashi Imai, in a performance of Mozart’s Kegelstatt Trio, for clarinet, viola and piano.

There was a performance of Brahms’ Clarinet Trio, Op. 114, i. Allegro & ii. Adagio. The Jazz Band and QE’s junior jazz group, conducted by Music teacher Caroline Grint, performed a medley for the concert’s finale that included Rock Around the Clock, Georgia on My Mind, and Bandstand Boogie.

Following the charity concert, audiences returned to the 230-seat recital hall – part of the School’s new Music complex officially opened in May – for the festival’s final two events.

First the Mad Song ensemble of young musicians, directed by Mr Ballance, performed a range of music by modern composers Missy Mazzoli, Kaija Saariaho, Joan Tower, Richard Causton, Barbara Monk Feldman, and Steve Reich. The evening was acclaimed by Bernard Hughes, reviewer for specialist website theartsdesk.com as an “ambitious and intriguing concert”.

More familiar musical fare came in the final concert held in The Friends’ Recital Hall, when cellist Ben Tarlton and pianist Robin Green played Beethoven’s Sonata in F for Cello and Piano, Nadia Boulanger’s Three Pieces for Cello and Piano and Rachmaninoff’s Sonata for Cello and Piano.

From the very first notes played by the Indian and Guitar ensembles in their Wednesday morning breaktime appearances through to guest pianist Béla Hartmann’s closing bars in the Friday night gala concert finale, the opening festival for QE’s new Music building was a feast of high-quality performance.

The three-day extravaganza marked the official opening of The Friends’ Recital Hall and Music Rooms by showcasing both the talents of the School’s young musicians and the new multi-million-pound facilities themselves.

And in celebration of the expanded extra-curricular opportunities the state-of-the-art building will provide, a string of professional musicians were invited in to give talks, to lead masterclasses and to perform.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “I am very happy to say that the festival was a great success, with many, many memorable moments, two magnificent evening concerts and a splendid atmosphere over the three days. All in all, this was a very worthy way to inaugurate this significant addition to our facilities, with participants truly rising to the occasion.

“Music is really flourishing here at QE, and the department now has the facilities it needs to support the teaching of the Music curriculum for all pupils, as well as the extensive range of extra-curricular music that enriches the QE experience for so many of our boys.

“My congratulations go to our Director of Music, Ruth Partington, her Assistant Director, James McEvoy-Stevenson, Music teacher Caroline Grint and the small army of peripatetic teachers who have all helped the boys reach such high levels of performance.”

The new building received the go-ahead in 2019 after the School’s application for a £1.2m grant and £1m loan from the Department for Education was successful. It has been completed with extensive financial support from the Friends of Queen Elizabeth’s (FQE) and through fundraising by the boys, including the Pianoathon held last summer to help pay for new upright pianos for the seven practice rooms. Pride of place in the recital hall goes to the new Yamaha CF6 grand piano, valued at just under £75,000, which was purchased by the School’s Foundation Trustees.

In addition to the Music facilities, the complex features a covered atrium for boys to use at lunchtimes and breaktimes which incorporates the new Mayes Atrium Café.

“My heartfelt thanks go once again to all those in the Elizabethan community who have donated to FQE and thus made possible this exciting project,” said the Headmaster.

The first day of the festival saw the breaktime performances by the Indian Ensemble and Guitar Ensemble, with lunchtime slots filled by Junior Jazz and the Jazz Band. In the afternoon, GCSE and A-level Music students, along with selected musicians from other Music groups, enjoyed talks by three Old Elizabethans and professional musicians: Rhys Bowden (1996–2003), an operatic tenor who teaches singing at QE; composer Richard Collins (2005–2012), and violinist Simon Purdy, who teaches the instrument at the School.

Day two saw the Junior Strings perform at break, with Junior Winds and Senior Winds both in action at lunchtime. The afternoon was taken up with masterclasses for the Pianoathon winners and for members of Junior Jazz and the Jazz Band led by pianist and improvisor extraordinaire, Harry the Piano.

The evening saw Harry perform in concert in his inimitable style, with pre-concert and interval music provided by the Junior String Quartet, Sax Ensemble and Trumpet Ensemble. Two of the School’s star musicians, Year 8’s Noah Morley and Conor Parker-Delves, of Year 13, even had the chance to shine alongside Harry, performing improvisations with him.

On Friday, the 160-strong School Choir gave the breaktime performances, enjoying the experience of all being together – something that was not possible in the old Music department. Lunchtime appearances were by the Orchestra and Senior Strings. Afternoon masterclasses for élite musicians were given by award-winning international pianist Béla Hartmann.

The final evening brought the Festival Concert, which was arranged particularly to demonstrate the acoustics of the recital hall and the capabilities of the Yamaha grand piano. The Senior Vocal Group played during the Headmaster’s Reception for donors and other VIP guests; the pre-concert welcome music came from the Saxophone Quintet and music during the interval was provided by the Senior Piano Trio and Senior Violin Trio.

The concert’s main line-up featured a piano duet and piano, viola, cello and saxophone solos by the boys, as well as a first-half appearance by pianist Tadashi Imai, resident accompanist at the Royal Academy of Music and a piano teacher at QE. There were also appearances by the Jazz Band, Chamber Choir, Junior Violin Trio and Year 13 Flute Trio, before Mr Hartmann brought the concert programme and the festival to a conclusion. The repertoire ranged from Beethoven Chopin, Mendelssohn and Ravel to lesser-known composers such as Jules Demersseman and Carl Bohm, with one soloist, Jao-Yong Tsai, of Year 12, playing a sonata that he had composed himself.

After QE hosted the qualifying round of a national chamber music festival – the first competitive event to be held in the new Friends’ Recital Hall – ensembles from the School went on to further success in the later stages of the competition.

Six groups reached the semi-final of the Pro Corda National Chamber Music Festival for Schools – a total exceeded by only two other schools nationally – and two of the QE ensembles went all the way to the final at Millfield School in Somerset.

Director of Music Ruth Partington said: “All of the chamber musicians who took part in this year’s Pro Corda competition should be exceptionally proud of themselves. Not only did they perform with great musical maturity at the highest level, but the groups that progressed through the rounds demonstrated a remarkable ability to respond directly to the feedback given by the adjudicator in the masterclass sessions and improve each performance.”

In 2020, the festival final due to be held in March was cancelled because of the looming pandemic. All that year’s finalists, including QE’s Saxophone Ensembles, were named the 2020 Chamber Champions. 2021’s festival was largely called off, again because of the pandemic.

Ten ensembles entered this year’s qualifying round held in The Friends’ Recital Hall – part of QE’s £3.5m-plus new Music School, which will be officially opened next month.

Among them, the Year 13 Flute Trio certainly caught the judges’ attention: they were described as having given “a simply outstanding performance”.

Pro Corda Chief Executive Officer and Artistic Director Andrew Quartermain wrote afterwards to Miss Partington and Music teacher Caroline Grint to offer his “huge congratulations for what you have achieved with the chamber music in the school (at any time, but most especially after these recent times!).”

The festival had been honoured to be among the inaugural users of QE’s “wonderful new hall and facilities”, he wrote. “Great students, great day, great company – thank you!”

Of the ten, the trio and the following five other ensembles reached the semi-final, held at Charterhouse School in Surrey:

• Senior Piano Trio
• Piano Quartet
• Junior Violin Trio
• Saxophone Quintet
• Junior Violin Trio

Only the independent Sevenoaks and Perse schools saw more ensembles qualify for the semi-finals nationally. QE’s semi-finalists are pictured, top.

The two ensembles which then reached the final at Millfield were the Junior Violin Trio and the Saxophone Quintet.

The trio were one of five groups competing in the U14 category. The trio comprises: Year 8 pianist Shreyas Iyengar; violin 1, played by Jamie Lam, of Year 7, and violin 2, played by Alex Kronabetter, of Year 8.

There were also five groups in the Saxophone Quintet’s U19 category. The five musicians were: Conor Parker-Delves, of Year 13, playing the soprano saxophone: Leo Sellis, of Year 9, playing the baritone saxophone; Suraj Cheema, of Year 12, playing the tenor saxophone; Leo Dane-Liebesny, of Year 12, playing the alto saxophone, and Nathan Woodcock, of Year 11, also on the alto saxophone.

“Our musicians also presented themselves – and the School – in a totally professional manner, appearing at ease on stage, introducing their repertoire with confidence, and bowing to acknowledge the audience’s warm applause after their performances,” said Miss Partington. “Whilst it wasn’t a win this year for QE’s chamber musicians, to have two groups make it through to the final is an enormous achievement in itself, particularly given the context of difficulties of music-making over the last two years. Bring on next year’s competition!”

Five QE musicians of different ages have had their talents recognised at a national level, being chosen to participate in a number of National Youth orchestras and bands.

Among the Sixth Form, Raphael Herberg (Year 13) and Jao-Yong Tsai (Year 12) have been playing with the National Youth Orchestra (NYO); whilst Conor Parker-Delves (Year 13) has maintained his involvement in the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO), being elevated to first tenor saxophone in the NYJO Big Band.

Year 10 trumpeter Joel Swedensky is part of the National Youth Concert Band, and Ryuki Watanabe (Year 9) has passed his audition into the National Children’s Orchestra.

Director of Music Ruth Partington said: “I congratulate the boys on their notable achievements. Being selected to participate in these nationally-acclaimed orchestras and ensembles places them alongside the finest young musicians in the country. Practising and performing in these environments will only help them further as they progress in their musical development.

“I am also pleased that, following audition, Conor has been offered a place at the highly competitive Royal Northern College of Music to study saxophone when he leaves QE this summer, and Raphael has been offered a place to study Music at Clare College, Cambridge.

“The senior boys are fantastic role models for those younger in the School and already give a great deal of support and guidance to others.”

On his unconditional offer to study at the Royal Northern College of Music, Conor said: “I am really looking forward to study among like-minded individuals who are as passionate about playing music as I am. Being a part of the music programme here at QE since Year 7 has helped me immensely in getting used to a competitive environment where music is cherished and performed to a high standard. I look forward to pushing myself as far as I can, hopefully reaching a professional standard and sharing my experiences with younger students, taking inspiration from the brilliant teaching staff here at QE. ”

Raphael joined with the national Youth Orchestra this winter, as they expanded the strings section. “We played some fantastic music, including Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances and Ravel’s La Valse, and had the opportunity to perform at the Barbican. I am also incredibly excited to be offered a conditional offer for Music at Clare College, Cambridge. I am looking forward to studying music in such an inspiring environment, as well as exploring the huge range of extra-curricular opportunities available.” Alongside the cello, Raphael is a highly accomplished pianist, and also sings in the choir, chamber choir, and barbershop group at QE.

Raphael joined Jao-Yong Tsai, who navigated two rounds of auditions. “I was delighted when I found out that I had been given a place” said Jao-Yong. “Thus far, I have participated in one residency, culminating in a performance in the Barbican in January. What I have tremendously enjoyed is the extremely high standard of the ensembles, and the exhilarating feeling of playing as part of such a large orchestra. I wish to continue my music-making, through the Sixth Form and beyond, whether it be with the department at QE, the NYO or at university when the time comes.”

Joel, who says he was first alerted to the opportunities to audition for national ensembles when he was in Year 7, has been part of the National Youth Concert Band over the past couple of years, following an audition process that involved having to record himself playing a mix of both set pieces and his own choices. His first involvement came during the pandemic: “Two years ago there was only a virtual event over half term, last year luckily we could go in person for a week in the summer holidays. Going forward, I would like to look at other bands such as the NYO (I’m doing NYO Inspire soon) or the National Youth Brass Band.”

Ryuki, who plays the violin, noted that the School had given him experience of playing in different sized ensembles, as well as in prestigious competitions. “My trio got to the final of the Music for Youth Chamber Music competition and I have played in the Pro Corda Chamber Music competition in both a quartet and a quintet. I aim to take Grade 8 and then try to get into more big orchestras.”

Performance music at Queen Elizabeth’s has received a further boost with this term’s opening of the new £3.5m Friends’ Recital Hall & Music Rooms, intended to support widespread participation and excellence.

Headmaster, Neil Enright, added: “With over 20 different ensembles and around 160 boys in the School’s choir, extra-curricular involvement in music continues to be a hallmark of the QE experience. In bringing music into the heart of the campus through these new facilities, we are enabling more opportunities for the boys to learn, rehearse and perform. I have no doubt that this will support other boys to emulate Raphael, Conor, Jao-Yong, Joel and Ryuki’s great achievements.”