Oswestry School Bellan House

OUR SEXCENTENARY CONCERT
The 600th Anniversary Concert
IN THE YEARS building up to our 600th anniversary
celebrations, several of us from different areas of the
school attended a series of meetings to plan events that
would mark this important year. Many ideas were put
forward and when it came to my turn I said that I’d been to
a concert of past and present pupils and staff at another
school and it had been a huge success.
There are times when it is best to keep quiet at meetings
and as 2007 came closer I began to think that I should have
done just that. There it was in the brochure. It was going to
happen. We even had a date, 13 October, and a venue, St
Oswald’s Church.
The next stage was to contact people and let them know
it was happening. This proved to be quite an object exercise
in investigation, but slowly, over the months, more and more
people came forward. Letters, emails and newspaper adverts
were sent out. Music was hired, programmes written and
rehearsals organized. Wine was ordered (of course) and a
small army of people was “invited” to lend a hand.
My earlier fears that we might not have enough
performers soon disappeared as offers came in from many
different quarters. Some had to be gently persuaded, but
others offered their services in more than one area.
The afternoon before the concert was spent busily
rehearsing. Performers came from as far away as Devon,
Manchester, Leeds and Rugby and some were seeing the
music for the first time. It became very clear that Oswestry
School, including Bellan House, has a long history of
encouraging music at a variety of levels. Concerts and shows
were remembered and it was a time for old friends to
perform together again.
A packed church listened to a programme which ranged
from two young harpists to experienced opera singers: from
a string orchestra to a wind ensemble.
One of the wonderful things to come out of this event
(and there were many) was talking to people I’d never met
before who told me of their experiences at the school, either
as a teacher, or as a pupil. We made many new friends,
including an ex-pupil James Jones, the conductor of the
National Children’s Choir, who was the guest conductor for
one of the choral pieces and who also proved that he was a
fine baritone. We are hoping that James will visit the school
soon to take a choral workshop.
It was quite a sacrifice for some of our performers as that
was the evening when an important rugby match was taking
place—England v Australia in the quarter final of the Rugby
World Cup. Videos had been set to record the event.
However, part way through the evening, we became aware
of what sounded like a rowdy crowd in Church Street, which
we could hear quite clearly in the church. Much to the delight
of some in the audience—but to the horror of others who
didn’t want to know—the Rev Preb David Crowhurst
stepped up to announce that England had won.
So—a successful night all round!
I would personally like to thank Mrs Sue Morris who,
as always, worked so hard preparing groups and rehearsing
soloists to her usual high standard; without her the evening
couldn’t have happened. And Mr Christopher Symons, who
not only entertained us (as he often has in partnership with
Mr John Croft) but who also accompanied many of the
performers. Behind the scenes Mrs Hazel Yates was, as
always, a great support.
Thank you to all who took part. As you can see from the
programme on the opposite page and the “cast list”, we were
lucky to have so many musicians performing on this special
occasion. Let’s hope the concert for the 700th anniversary is
just as successful!
Juliet E Woollam
64 The Oswestrian