In the midst of the titanic West Side Story, usual Chapel services and Music School concerts, lies an event where the beacon of popular and dramatic music shines, showcasing the College’s melodic talents. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Songfest.
Songfest was created to be an interlude between the Haydns and the Handels, briefly replacing them with the Joels and the Johns. The event is a great convergence of ensembles, from close-harmony groups such as The Incognitos, expertly led by Will V (Year 13), Etonality, directed by the newly appointed Dr Horseman, to Mr Powles’ Pop Choir. As ever, they were joined by the Songfest Musical Theatre Group, adding a dramatic side to the performance.
The programme included The Incognitos’ rendition of Yesterday, Pop Choir’s performance of Man in the Mirror, Etonality’s I’m Still Standing, and Songfest Musical Theatre Group’s Bad Guys from Bugsy Malone.
I was lucky enough to be a part of Songfest Musical Theatre Group, as well The Incognitos, which led to some very dramatic costume changes! I can say with full confidence that the build-up, preparation, and the execution of this wonderful event would not be at all possible without the effort and hard work put in by the boys. From learning music, rehearsing for hours on end, to perfecting the final bits of choreography, every second we practiced helped to create this masterpiece.
Every boy was so grateful for the help of all of the staff behind the operation. I would like to thank Ms Hardwick, for the hours of rehearsals she assisted with and her good humour at having to replay the same melody forty times when boys kept singing the wrong note.
To Mr Fischer, who made the pieces of music come alive on stage and is, spectacularly, able to make a group of sweaty boys match his undying energy. And a special thanks to Ms Kemp, who was always there to perfect the music, to chase boys when they are late, and for devoting her time to manage this logistical behemoth. Thank you so much!
In the end, when the months of hard work and seemingly endless practices came together, it definitely paid off. Songfest was another addition to the long list of great successes this year, and we will look forward to the next one. The great memories will stick with us for the years ahead.
