Xmas Concert & Grading triumphs
The school held its annual Christmas Concert on Wednesday, December 6, which featured performances from staff, pupils and the Community Choir.
Also featuring heavily were the Rydal Penrhos choir, orchestra and jazz band, with Miles Poller, Eddie Farrell and Ben Gibson showcasing their talents in the first half of the concert with solo efforts.
The second half took on a different form this year, with all songs based around the legendary tale of Ebeneezer Scrooge the Musical, with Director of Music Pete Williams directing his version of the classic tale at Theatr Clwyd in Colwyn Bay earlier this year.
Contributions came from Amy Yue, Miles Poller, Niamh Smith, Hannah Davies, in addition to the outstanding vocal quartet of Tegid Goodman-Jones, Darcie Harker-Weston, Zahra Shamsi and Eleanor Osbourne.
A number of teachers also performed in the form of Richard Davies, Leah Crimes, Mike Pender, Pete Lavery and Paul Sanders.
Mr Williams, said: “It was a fantastic occasion and I would like to thank all who contributed to making this year’s Christmas Concert a huge success.
“I have a huge amount of musical talent to work with here at Rydal Penrhos, and they all give up a great deal of their own time to ensure their potential is maximised and events such as this just show how much their commitment is paying dividends.”
A host of talented musicians have been acknowledged for their exceptional application with music grading success.
The four pupils all secured impressive marks from their recent Grade 4 Music Theory Assessment, which were administered by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.
Leading the way was Lower Sixth Form pupil Gowri Pradeep, who produced a flawless effort to emerge with a Distinction.
There was further cause for celebration in the form of Llywelyn Cowell and Kevin Farrell, who manage attained a Merit from their gradings, while the pair of Zhara Shamsi and Suhas Shekar also passed the difficult test.
All five will now begin working with Director of Music Pete Williams and his dedicated staff in the hope of gaining further accolades in the future.
Mr Williams, said: “This was a fantastic set of results and congratulations go to Gowri, Llywelyn, Kevin, Zhara and Suhas on their Music Theory assessment successes.
“They have worked very hard in the lead-up to their respective grading’s, and this was rewarded with a superb set of results."
Caitriona Searl managed to achieve three separate accolades from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music as a rewarded for her preparation in the lead-up to the exams.
The 11-year-old demonstrated her knowledge of the subject by passing her Grade 5 Music Theory exam, while also gaining a Merit in her Grade 3 Piano assessment.
She rounded off her triumphs with a Merit in her Grade Two Harp exam after impressing adjudicators throughout.
Father John Searl, said: “Undertaking all three exams in such close proximity to each other has been challenging, whilst she has been busy in her first term in the senior school.
“Thanks must go to her tutors Mr Alan McGuiness and Mrs Helen Wyn Parry.”
Caitriona has already proved to be a huge asset to the Music department, contributing to events such as the Young Performers’ and Christmas Concerts, in addition to aiding the school’s Choir at a series of event throughout the community.