Singing

At BGS everyone is encouraged to sing – it is the easiest way in which those without any formal musical training can express themselves musically, and it is incredibly rewarding. The School has a total of six choirs which rehearse weekly, in addition to there being a number of singing events during the year. Singing is also an intrinsic part of the Key Stage 3 Music curriculum.

Boys’ Choir and Girls’ Choir: students in Years 7 and 8 are encouraged to join these two groups upon entry to the School; they rehearse weekly during Friday-morning Form Period. They sing a variety of repertoire, and perform in school concerts as well as at the Carol Service.

BGS Chorus: this choir is open to all, and rehearses at Friday lunchtimes. Repertoire tends to be fairly light in nature, and relatively simple. In the Spring term this group rehearses the music for the Pop Medley concert, held early in the Summer term.

BGS Choir: a more select group than the Chorus, this choir rehearses after School on Wednesday. Repertoire tends to be a mixture of sacred and secular, accompanied and unaccompanied. BGS Choir performs in school concerts, as well as providing the bulk of the music at the Carol Service and also singing for the school’s annual Charter Day service at the Cathedral. It also occasionally tours.

Cantata and Man Choir: these two choirs, female and male respectively, are the most selective, and both rehearse in the mornings before registration. Repertoire includes close-harmony arrangements, and they perform to a very high standard. Cantata recently toured Geneva and surrounding areas.

House Singing: ask most students what one House event is the most important in the School calendar, and they will reply ‘House Singing’. Each year the six Houses choose a song each to rehearse and perform in front of the rest of the School in an evening of immense enthusiasm. Senior members of the House tend to organise their entry, including arranging parts for their accompanying bands, taking rehearsals, and organising costumes and choreography. The end-result is an extraordinary series of high-quality performances, invariably leaving the visiting judge with a very difficult choice to make.

 

Pop Medley: every year the BGS Chorus joins with all the Year 7s and Year 5s to perform a through-composed medley of songs by a particular group early in the Summer term. They are accompanied in this endeavour by the Bristol University Symphonia, resulting in a performing force of about 250. The evening is always an amazing one, and the Great Hall is always filled to capacity.