The Salopian Summer 2023

48
SCHOOL NEWS
All Things Jazz
Serendipity is a wonderful thing and
can sometimes lead to an extended
period of grace. It doesn’t happen
often that a group of young musicians
all land up at the same School, at the
same time, all with extraordinary talent,
discover each other and make magic
happen. Such is the transitory nature of
schools that this can only be called ‘a
period of grace’.
In late 2021 Kathryn Turpin, in her
Concert Party activity on Thursdays,
spotted the opportunity to group
together some musicians in a jazz
format she quaintly named The Baby
Big Band. This group metamorphosed
over time to become what is now
known as All Things Jazz.
The band consists of Ethan Poon
(drums), Jensen Kong (bass), Ed
Pickersgill (piano, trumpet & vocals),
Kate Woodman (vocals), Ivo Winkley
(trumpet & piano), Billy Gardiner
(vocals) and Max Darke (saxophone).
They have pursued the genuine
jazz experience of creating head
arrangements of Jazz Standards from
lead sheets or recordings (ie no written
arrangements) and opened each one
up with extended improvisations. The
ensemble is the epitome of musical
democracy, led with gentle authority by
the inimitable and multi-talented Ethan
Poon, with only occasional direction
provided by staff.
This calendar year alone, besides
countless Thursday afternoon
performances at local care homes
and primary schools, the band has
performed at three Open Mic nights,
Jazz at the Barnes Theatre, twice at the
Hencote Restaurant, Attingham Park’s
Coronation celebrations and the REVS
Classic Car Rally at Trinity Church in
Meole Brace. They will also provide
parents with an elegant backdrop to
their pre-concert drinks at the Jazz in
the Big Tent on the eve of Speech Day.
Their star continues to rise!
Mike Skipper
Upper Sixth Leavers
From his early days at Shrewsbury
as a soaring treble to his impressive
leadership as Choregus over the last
year, Branton Zhao has always
been a consummate musician with a
wholehearted commitment to choral
singing.
Lwsi Roberts has effortlessly
embraced many different styles of
singing during her time at Shrewsbury,
from opera to the open mic nights,
and has introduced the Shrewsbury
audience to the beautiful Welsh
repertoire she makes so much
her own.
Annabel Thompstone has been
a stalwart member of the choral
community since arriving at
Shrewsbury, and has been both
charming and inspirational in her
leadership of her House singing and
as Choregus, culminating in a beautiful
solo in the recent evensong at St Paul’s
Cathedral.
Eva Garavini has worked tirelessly to
develop her singing and musicianship
over the last five years and was
recently rewarded with a Distinction in
her Diploma – a huge achievement for
a singer still at school.
Although only starting his school
singing career in the Fifth Form, Guy
Davies’ quick vocal progress and
natural stage presence meant that he