Music Highlights

Headline Performance: Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, 16 November

One of the hardest works in the mainstream choral repertoire, we had a gargantuan performance of Beethoven’s Magnum Opus, celebrating 200 years since it was premiered after a commission from the London Philharmonic Society. There were 95 singers from Chiswick Voices, Chiswick Community Choir, & the Junior choir who all sang their hearts out.

Make no mistake: Beethoven’s 9 is a horrid work to sing. Beethoven was a phenomenal instrumentalist but his ability to write effectively for voices is famously inept. This was discovered early on by the junior choir, who sung so high in the first rehearsal that half of them were on the verge of fainting, but two months later, their voices were much changed, and together with many others we gave performance that, according to one audience member, was ‘better than the Royal Festival Hall rendition I heard last week’.

We were also so grateful to be joined by Andy Slaughter MP and Karen Smith, Mayor of Hounslow. Watch the video here.

Performances

1 October - The Steel Bands went to Bedfordshire Police (of Channel 4 fame) for The International Conference of Women of Colour in policing. The band arrived at school for a 7am coach, and Beds police absolutely loved it. Watch the video here.

5 October - The Jazz band did a great 30 min set at an Arts Event at Chiswick Town Hall.  Watch the video here.

9 October - Noughties Night

A whole concert devoted to the best decade of them all. Great solos from Marco, Markos, Orla and Harry, but also 3 brilliant debuts for our year 7 bands: Ember, Carnage and Dawn. We definitely want to see more of them. Watch the video here.

12 October, 14 October, 7 November - Uncle Dynamite have burst onto the music scene with three shows of all original rock music in quick succession. They’re growing into a very tight group indeed.

16 October - Amelia in Y9 did her first ever solo show at the City Barge. With a wonderful, calm, family atmosphere in the pub, a parent remarked afterwards ‘That’s the nicest City Barge gig I’ve been to’. Thanks also to Ella, Emily, Skye and Isabella, who all sang solos. Watch the video here.

7 November - Junior Recital Evening

The motto of this concert is ‘have a go’ and we had many Y7s 8s and 9s making their concert and solo debuts in front of a small but supportive audience. Huge well done to all who signed up and performed.  Watch the video here.

8 November - Time Givers Christmas Single

Seven of our Year 9 and 10 students went to some (very secret) studios to record a single for our friends at TimeGivers. Mr Moxon is normally very skeptical of Christmas Singles, but this one is really quite impressive. Watch the video here.

26 November - No Refund at Age UK

Ms. Emmett got quite into it. Watch here

27 November - No Refund at the City Barge

We all got quite into it. Watch here

1 December

The Steel Band played at both the car boot sale and Chiswick House and Gardens.

4 December

Chiswick Voices went carolling at both St Mary’s care home and Harvey Nichols and saw some very expensive truffles. 

5 December

Our Carol Service at St Nicholas’ Church with Cavendish Primary School. A very special night indeed, where all of our local community came together, sang carols, heard readings in Portuguese and Farsi, and reminded each other of how special the area of Chiswick is. Watch here

9 December

Everyone left Giles Brandreth’s Christmas fundraiser at the Lyric Theatre because they heard Chiswick Steel Band playing in the foyer.

11 December

Steel Band Christmas Show The big Christmas caribbean extravaganza, featuring our new set of pans bought in the summer. It was so great to see all the work Mr. Dubois and the students had put in over the whole term. Watch here

13 December

Markos did a full solo show at Cavendish Christmas fair.

18 December

Our KS3 end of term Christmas Bash at the City Barge. We had two fantastic headline acts in Invasion and The Refreshers, as well as support from Dawn and Carnage. We also had an extremely loud debut from the new Y9 ‘metal band’.

19 December

The Junior Choir went carolling at Chiswick Business Park.

20 December

Tis the Season 2.0 - We are looking forward to Harry’s annual festive fundraiser, a wonderfully fun-filled, festive end to the year, and some very healthy funds raised for charity. 

News and Notices

• Congratulations to Melina in Year 13 who has just secured a place in the National Youth Choir. This is a fantastic achievement, and is a real testament to her hard work over the last few years. She will be on her first residential course in the spring.
• We have appointed our first 10 music scholars who come from all around West London and received a guaranteed place at the school for September 2025, as well as free music lessons for three years. All families have accepted the offer and are absolutely thrilled at the news.
• Sign up for individual music lessons next term here.
• ABRSM and Trinity Music exams. For the first time, we are hoping to book an examiner to come to Chiswick School to do ABRSM and Trinity grade exams in the summer of 2025. We know exams aren’t everything, but they are really helpful for motivating students to practise, improve their technique, and track their progress. If you would like your child to do an exam in the summer, simply fill in this form here

Upcoming Shows

Everything is on the calendar, but some particular highlights are:

Sun 19 January, 7pm - Joint Evensong with Eton College at Eton College Chapel

Weds 22 January, 6:30pm - New songs open Mic night at the City Barge

Tues 28 January, 7pm - Orchestral concert, Main hall

Tues 4 February, 7pm - Senior Recital Evening

Tues 25 February, 7pm - Chiswick Battle of the Bands

Saturday 22 March, 6pm - Mahler’s 2nd Symphony in the sports hall

Thursday 27 March, 7pm - Jazz And Blues Night, Main Hall