Musicians help raise money for GOSH

Haileybury musicians were able to support Great Ormond Street Hospital on Thursday, 19 November with an unusual concert in London. Pupils from both Haileybury and Richard Hale School merged forces with the soprano soloist, Lucy Taylor and the Brentwood British Legion Youth Band (who blasted out a fanfare to commence the festivities) to perform an all-Mozart programme to an audience that included Mayors, dignitaries and the Alderman of the City.

The concert, performed at The City of London School, included concertos, sonatas, choral music, songs and opera, and involved over 120 pupils and no fewer than five diploma-level pupils offering solos. Alistair Hamilton and Johanna Hockmann were our brilliant soloists, though the Chamber and Chapel Choirs performed moments from the Requiem and the lollipops Laudate Dominum and Ave Verum in a sublime manner, and the quartet accompanying Alistair with the Clarinet Quintet were incredible.

There is a saying that Mozart is "easy for amateurs but impossible for professionals" to play, reflecting the relatively easy process of getting the notes in place, but the high demands needed to bring his music alive for its needs of purity and effortless transparency of texture. Having pupils perform this genius’ music to such a remarkably high standard was thus a great joy, and revealed considerable and fulfilling journeys in terms of preparation and accomplishment.

Children performing to raise money to help children, playing music by one of the greatest child prodigies to have ever walked the planet, made this a wonderful event.