This year, three Chamber Groups from Dean Close School won their way through to the Final of the Pro Corda National Chamber Music Festival for Schools.  This was the first time that the School has entered the competition, and with two groups from the Senior School and one from the Preparatory School gaining places, made it even more fantastic that all three groups did so well.  All three groups have been led by Emma Denton, part of our Head of Strings foursome and cellist in the Carducci Quartet.

The competition was open to all schools in the UK, including Saturday Junior music Colleges.  The chamber groups entered at the initial stages, went into the semi-finals and then into the finals which took place earlier this month in Pamoja Hall, Sevenoaks.  Part of the competition involved taking part in a masterclass after each stage, allowing the competitors to assimilate the adjudicators comments and respond to them.  

Prizes included a performance at the Wigmore Hall this summer (the best hall in the UK and arguably the world for Chamber Music) and/or a lunchtime concert at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.  

Representing U14s from DCPS

Tinwai Cheung - violin
Hannah Brooks-Hughes - violin
Orly Giannini - viola
Andrew Whitford - cello

Representing U19s from DCS

String Nonet

Matthew Paget, Chris Paget and Ellie Williams - violin
Thomas Dyer, Boboi Rahedi and Marisol Hillier - viola
Sash Lowdon, Stephen Whitford and Alice Helm - cello

Clarinet Quintet

Amy Hayes - Clarinet
Hannah Farrugia Sharples - violin
Marisol Hillier - violin
Tom Dyer - viola
Sash Lowdon - cello