Kilgraston Christmas showcase review
History will dictate that Christmas 2021 was a moment when separation, social distancing and the side-stepping of airport terminals was de rigour.
Global constraints included Austria in full lockdown - Germany following suit - Italy introducing a ‘super green pass’ and England not quite sure what it thought about the wearing of facemasks.
The very notion of zipping around the world for a spot of cultural interaction was the preserve of that rosy-cheeked chap, sporting red suit, beard and a vaccine passport recognised by every authority.
All this changed with curtain-up at Kilgraston School’s multi-cultural musical medley, ‘Christmas Around the World’.
Hosted by Perth’s magnificent Concert Hall, the entire school – from five-year-olds with vocal ranges rising and falling like those of their hem lengths – to accomplished senior pupils demonstrating orchestral prowess, took audience members on a whirl-wind tour across international time zones.
Scandinavia became our journey’s departure lounge, 16th Century ‘Gaudete’ heralding a spookily cool blue backdrop, quickly morphing to the warm glow of a Swedish summer sunset.
France was the next in-flight snack, a cheeky little ‘Noel Nouvelet’ delivered by cheeky little Junior Years’ pupils, beaming and blushing to the able direction of Director of Music, Andrew Morley.
Gathering altitude, we were off to Wales, native speakers reminding viewers the country was “very good at rugby, but even better at singing!”. Clarsach and violin tinkled like cats’ paws on Cardiff Bay, the hauntingly beautiful ‘When Christ was born of Mary free’ bringing a tingle to every spine.
Soaring above borders, next stop Austria, restrictions an unpleasant memory: “Here we are in Vienna,” trilled a native speaker, “the capital of classical music.” How lovely, there we all were, strolling aside the Danube, Kilgraston’s Junior Choir’s ‘Still, still, still’ ebbing and flowing like the great river itself.
Bang!
A bit of in-flight turbulence as we approached the States. Wind Band, full orchestra and all three choirs upped the ante with an ear-popping Christmas Medley of everyone’s favourites: “Happy holidays,” beamed a native New Yorker, “It’s time for eggnog!”
Sadly, air stewards refrained from serving alcoholic libation to the stalls, but, after a swift spot of in-flight refuelling, time to buckle-up for the rest of the ride, Caribbean beaches our next destination.
The Dominican Republic - land of festive “suckling pigs and fireworks” according to our captain - was brought to the banks of the Tay by a finger-clicking, foot-tapping Chamber Choir, knocking-out upbeat ‘Cantemos a Maria’ as if maracas were mandatory in Perthshire.
Breaking sound barriers, the same pupils demonstrated all the agility of an F-16 fighter, jetting seamlessly over the Italian Alps with ‘Hodie Christus Natus Est’, both A cappella and in native Latin.
Nosecone over the Balearics, the Instrumental Ensemble was deftly guided through Spain’s traditional carol, ‘Campana Sobre Campana,’ guitar strings plucked.
Swooping over rural England, the Senior Choir ‘Watched their Flocks by Night’ - the song-flight nearing its terminus - circling over France, where pupil soloist Hannah-Rose lit-up the skies with her spiritual ‘Oh Holy Night.’
It certainly was.
Having landed safely, caution was promptly thrown to the tail-wind with a bracing rendition of legendary Live Aid’s, ‘Do they know it’s Christmas?’
Answer? Yes, they most certainly did!
Readings, in a multitude of languages, delivered with the crisp pronunciation of a British Airways pilot: full-throttle audience participation of traditional favourites, all made for a First-Class ride.
Throughout the world, many will wonder if it is indeed the season to be jolly.
But for a few short hours, at least, Christmas Around the World - Kilgraston style - was very definitely the destination of choice.
5.12.21
St Cecilia’s Concert 2021
Kilgraston’s St Cecilia’s Concert 2021 took place this week with musicians from a variety of different year groups taking part.
This event is a Kilgraston tradition, as we celebrate St. Cecilia, the patron of music and musicians. It takes place on November 22, and this year, as with the concert in 2021, we recorded the concert so that we can all still enjoying the outstanding talents of Kilgraston pupils.
So, welcome to the St. Cecilia’s Concert, we hope you enjoy it:
Kilgraston Junior School show - The Little Mermaid
Under the sea…in the marquee…
Disney’s classic musical, The Little Mermaid, splashed onto our screens for the Junior Years’ end of term production, ensuring everyone had an opportunity to shine on the sea bed.
Government rules don’t allow singing, a fact not deterring Music Director, Jason McAuley, sound-effects supremo, Jamie Pryke, or Drama Director, Carly Smith: “We had to think outside the box,” said McAuley, “In fact, we had to think outside altogether, recording the sound separately in a windy marquee on the school’s front lawns!”
Subsequent sound and visual synching took over 20 hours of editing, the end result a slick, half-hour ‘film’ worthy of Walt himself: “We’re pretty pleased with the results,” said Mr Pryke, “the children were amazing, so patient and enthusiastic. We asked a lot of them and they just gave and gave.”
The story swirls around troubled-teen mermaid Ariel, blessed with a beautiful voice (although, obviously, not utilised indoors!) harbouring a fascination for life on the land. Falling in love with Prince Eric, she’s prepared to sacrifice her impressive vocal-chords for a chance above the surface.
Tense moments ensue as Evil Ursula and her adoring acolytes have their doom-laden personas cleverly enhanced with lightening effects and seasick-inducing visuals: “Ill, insane or water on the brain?” words, sounds and lighting melding together.
But (spoiler alert) all’s well that ends well; a beaming Ariel, reunited with both voice and love-interest, bobs along on calm waters, while less tasteful sea creatures slither under their rocks.
A joyous, fun-filled production, packed with impressive performances, inspiring voices and extraordinary special effects.
The last year may well have blown us all a little off course, but everyone involved with The Little Mermaid certainly found their compass, a safe-passage found right to the very end of term.
Mairi Fraser
Nb. because of licencing restrictions, the production was only available to parents and guardians via a direct link. Apologies if you didn’t have the opportunity to view it.
Kilgraston’s musical talents at Perth Festival Of The Arts
Strings and singing are just some of the outstanding musical talents of Kilgraston pupils on display at this year’s Schools Lunchtime Concert Series.
It is part of Perth Festival of the Arts and the hugely popular Schools Lunchtime Concert Series usually takes place in Perth’s historic St John’s Kirk. This year however with COVID restrictions organisers moved this event to an online performance.
So you can now enjoy this fabulous concert from wherever you are in the world. We very much look forward to enjoying this event in person again in 2022.
Find out more about music at Kilgraston here and you can also watch this year’s Young Musician Of The Year competition.
Perform in Perth 2021 results
Perthshire’s annual festival of music, speech and dance, Perform in Perth, took place this year virtually with contestants sending in their entries by video.
Kilgraston pupils from all ages put in outstanding performances across a variety of different categories.
Lucy, Upper Sixth
1st in Euphonium/ Baritone Horn Solo (Advanced)
Emily, Lower Fifth
1st in Classical Guitar Solo (Transitional)
Madeleine, Lower Fifth
1st in the Dramatic Solo (aged 15- 17)
Libby, Upper Four
3rd in Pipe Band Solos Practice Chanter
Rebecca, Lower Four
1st in Harp Solo (Elementary)
Chloe, Upper Third
1st Under 12 Scots song winning the Anne Nicol cup
1st under 12 classical song
1st place under 12 dramatic solo
Erin, Upper Third
1st in under 12 – Disney Song category
Lucy, Upper Third
1st in Descant Recorder Solos (Elementary)
1st in Flute Solo (Transitional)
1st in Bible Reading (aged 11 or 12)
Sally, Lower Third
1st in Clarinet Solo (Initial)
Alice, Lower Second
1st in Bible reading (aged 7 or 8)
1st in verse speaking (aged 7 or 8)
Well done to you all and congratulations to everyone who took part.
You can see more examples of the outstanding musical talent at Kilgraston with this year’s Young Musician of the Year competition.
St Cecilia’s concert in press
Our annual St Cecilia’s concert featured in the January edition of the Independent Schools Magazine.
Our music department and Kilgraston pupils all worked within COVID restrictions to ensure the concert went ahead.
You can read the Independent Schools Magazine article here (turn to page 24), and click here to enjoy the wonderful concert again.
Kilgraston’s Young Musician of the Year 2021
Music runs to the heart of Kilgraston and Kilgraston’s Young Musician of the Year competition is always one of the annual musical highlights.
Every year the standard of musicality is outstanding and even though this year, the competition was performed virtually, the pupils’ talents are clear. As Kilgraston’s Director of Music, Mr McAuley says, “You really are exceptional young musicians.”
So it is with immense pleasure that we can announce this year’s Senior School competition winners.
The Grade 3 and 4 class was a large class, so we have numerous positions to highlight. The results are as follow:
Winner: Martha, L5 Voice Feed the Birds, Sherman
2nd Place: Emily, L5 Guitar Yesterday, Lennon and McCartney
3rd Place: Maia, U4 Voice & Guitar Closer
In addition, the following two are Highly Commended:
Lexie, U5 Flute Chasing Pavements, Adele
Isla, U4 Piano Walking in the Air, Blake
In the grade 5 and 6 class the winner was:
Emily, L5 Piano Princess Mononoke (Ashitaka and San), Hisaishi
Before the Easter holidays, we were also delighted in being able to announce our Junior School Young Musician of the Year.
Huge well done to everyone who took part. We would also like to say thank you to Mr McAuley for organising, to Mr Cormack and Mr Murch for accompanying, and Mr Pryke for the recording.
You can enjoy performances from our 2020 winners, Olivia in our Junior School and Emma in our Senior School, as well as watch our 2021 Open Class where the winner of Kilgraston’s Senior Young Musician of the Year 2021 is announced…enjoy.
Kilgraston’s Covid Christmas Show
Kilgraston’s Covid Christmas Show proved that anything really is possible…
What’s Christmas without a little family drama and Kilgraston’s seasonal homage had it with bells on. But, like any tension-inducing event, it was very much all alright on the night.
Director of Music, Jason McAuley’s ambitious production of an hour-long drive-in movie was testament to the grit and determination of a small school to not have its annual Christmas showcase spoilt by Covid: “We just wanted to give everyone a good time, something to bring a little cheer into this gloomy climate.”
And deliver joy he most certainly did.
With the help of a blow-up movie screen imported from Truro and school bus drivers hastily morphing into car park attendants and instant Bluetooth speaker experts, the weather also played ball, allowing nearly 200 cars to slip seamlessly into their allotted space and enjoy one of the three movie showings over one hectic night.
“I can’t tell you how hard everyone’s worked on this,” said an emotional Mr McAuley, wrestling with momentary sound interference and a sea of blinking hazard lights indicating poor reception.
Christmas is a time when magical things happen and just as tensions piqued, the technical fairies flicked their wands and all was well in the world.
The Kilgraston community is a cohesive unit with all 260 pupils and nearly 100 staff doing their party piece and adding to the festival spirit. Recorded over two weeks and appropriately socially distanced measurements in draughty marquees and windy front lawns, dancers, singers, pipers, jazz musicians, orchestra members, choirs, actors and speakers led the audience through the traditional tale with a contemporary twist: “We included ‘flock immunity’, gifts of fragrant hand-sanitiser and the R-number – rational reaction of reasonable repetitive response – to add a touch of much-needed humour,” said Mr McAuley.
Diced and spliced during a week of late-night sessions in the School’s recording and editing suite, the movie promised to take viewers on a ‘new journey’ where we ‘thought a little differently’. During the first few minutes, one performer asked: “Where are you Christmas, where is the laughter?” It was all there. Teachers donning cardboard camels, pupils re-enacting appropriately spaced nativity scenes.
You couldn’t make it up, but they did and to spectacular effect, spreading joy and happiness to a chilly car park in Perthshire, the audience going home for the night full of festive bonhomie.
“Phew,” said Mr McAuley.
“Thank you,” called everyone else.
Read more about the press coverage of this event here.
Kilgraston’s Christmas movie features in the Telegraph
Kilgraston’s Christmas movie, a school only, drive-in movie event, featured in The Sunday Telegraph.
The article looks at how some schools are inventing ways of still allowing pupils and parents alike to soak up the excitement of the annual Christmas show.
In the article, Kilgraston’s Director of Music, Mr Jason McAuley, says: “It would be easy to say, ‘We can’t do this and we can’t do that’, but we have to accentuate the positive. It’s vital for the girls’ enthusiasm. Besides, their grannies want to see something.”
Our families will be able to enjoy this wonderful performance very soon, with the show available on YouTube in the coming weeks.
You can read more about the Kilgraston Christmas Movie by subscribing to the Telegraph at this link.
Image via Telegraph: Chris Watt
St Cecilia’s Recital 2020 - music at Kilgraston
Kilgraston’s dedicated musicians and staff continued one of the school’s long-standing traditions - the St Cecilia’s Recital 2020.
St Cecilia is the patron of music and musicians, and the Kilgraston concert, which traditionally takes place in school on 22 November, the annual celebration of the feast of St Cecilia, is a long-standing fixture in our musical calendar.
The pupils and staff worked with the current COVID regulations, and rehearsing and recording this concert, and now it is available for everyone to enjoy.
Musicians from up and down the school took part from the Junior Strings to Sixth Form with a wealth of musical talent on display.
From an inspiring rendition of pop star’s Lewis Capaldi’s ‘Someone You Loved’ by the Clarsach Ensemble, the title music from the Oscar-winning film, Schindler’s List by John Williams, here performed by Upper Fourth’s Emma, to the traditional, and sublime performance by Lower Sixth’s Yolanda on the vibraphone of ‘The Swan’ by Saint-Saens, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
So, press play, sit back and enjoy the Kilgraston St Cecilia’s Concert 2020.