Cranleigh celebrated its 160th anniversary with a memorable concert at GLive in Guildford, featuring a unique ensemble of current and former pupils, parents and staff.
Music has been woven into the fabric of Cranleigh since the very beginning, dating back to our first prospectus in 1864 when music lessons were advertised for £4 per year.
Sam Price, Head at Cranleigh School, said: “To stand in G Live and witness our current pupils performing alongside Old Cranleighans who have reached the pinnacle of the music profession is truly extraordinary. This concert is more than a performance; it is a celebration of our shared identity and our motto.”
The evening opened with our Symphony Orchestra, conducted with grace by Dr Andrew Thomas, playing a medley of Hollywood movie themes followed by highlights from The Sound of Music, which the School recently staged so successfully at the New Wimbledon Theatre.
Next, four professional OC singers returned to perform songs from Liebeslieder-Waltzer by Brahms, accompanied on the piano by Philip Scriven and Director of Music, Richard Saxel. This was a rare homecoming for Chloe Allison (alto) (South 2012), Michael Bennett (tenor) (2 North 1984), Hilary Cronin (soprano) (West 2010) and Timothy Nelson (bass) (North 2005), all of whom began their careers in Cranleigh’s music rooms.
The first half of the concert was completed by the String Orchestra, conducted beautifully by Kevin Weaver, playing the Burlesca Ostinata, Sarabande and Finale from the Concerto Grosso by Vaughn-Williams.
All three sections of the first half were hugely appreciated by the audience of current parents and pupils, OCs and past and present staff. The performances were all the more remarkable considering that many of the players were sitting down together for the very first time and rehearsals were limited to just a few hours earlier that afternoon.
The concert was affably and deftly compered by Rob Curling (West 1975) and Richard Saxel, who said: “I have had the great privilege of working in the Music Department for a quarter of a century now, and in that time have seen hundreds of young musicians develop and grow. Many of them appeared on stage tonight simply for the pleasure of making music together, and for the chance to reconnect with old friends. That they are happy to do so alongside our current pupils and parents is typical of the unique sense of community that Cranleigh nurtures. Tonight’s programme reflects our department philosophy; to perform music of quality, regardless of genre.”
The second half of the concert showcased Cranleigh’s choral pedigree, featuring a combined OC and parent choir and the Cranleigh Senior Choir delivering a poignant highlight of the evening with two movements from the Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem, which was composed in 1865, the same year that Cranleigh School opened. This section featured majestic solo work from Hilary Cronin, followed by another standout choral moment in the shape of a spine-tingling performance of Sleep by Eric Whitacre.
Straight after, the Cranleigh Prep Choir, which is soon to embark on its maiden tour abroad, gave the audience a wonderful preview of the pieces it will perform when it heads to Brussels in July, including a rousing rendition of the gospel number Let Everything that Hath Breath.
The finale was taken care of by the Big Band, under the direction of the kinetic Dave Eaglestone. The woodwind, brass and rhythm sections really cut through, blending youth and experience, with some terrific solos from long-time founder member John Sandford on saxophone and fifteen year-old Jonty Vincent on drums.
Fittingly, the final moment of the evening involved everyone, including the audience, who were invited to join the musicians and singers in a mass singalong of Bobby Darin’s well known standard Beyond the Sea.
As well as bringing back multiple generations of the Cranleigh family, the concert also served a vital philanthropic purpose, with money being raised for the Cranleigh Foundation, which funds life-changing places at the School for children who have had difficult starts in life and require significant pastoral support.
As everyone spilled out of the venue and into the night, there were smiles all around, with friendships rekindled thanks to the shared connection of music and pride from each performer at writing themselves into the latest chapter of Cranleigh’s rich musical history.
