An Evening at Berkhamsted’s Scholar’s Concert 2023

October 11th was a rainy Wednesday evening in Berkhamsted, but in the cozy setting of Dean’s Hall, our parents, music staff, and- vitally- our talented cohort of musicians gathered for an evening that showcased the impeccable talent amongst our senior and sixth form musical scholars.   

The evening commenced with an introduction from Mr Ben Noithip-Berkhamsted’s Head of Solo Music- who was eager to celebrate the outstanding talent he has seen and fostered in our music scholars. Mr Noithip wasted no time in introducing our first performer, Alex O, who played an uplifting rendition of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Sonata No.4: Allegro.  

The most remarkable element of the show (and there were many) was the breadth of instruments our pupils played, debuting the range of talent that exists amongst our pupils. From the French Horn to the Trumpet, there was no opportunity for the show to become monotonous.  

A magnificent performance on the organ was performed by pupil Lawrence F. This was a particularly exciting part of the show as the school has struggled to feature the instrument in the scholar’s concert until now. In prior years, Berkhamsted’s only organ remained in our chapel, but our school has recently acquired a portable organ which our music staff are hoping will encourage more pupils to take up the instrument. “We’re really hoping this portable instrument will encourage more pupils to take up the organ as it is such a fantastic instrument,” says Director of Music, Mr Oliver Bond.  

There was even some premature festive spirit in the air as Georgina K sang O Holy Night, to which she justified her early Christmas spirit to the audience by exclaiming “you may be wondering why I am singing a Christmas song in October? The truth is it was on my syllabus, and I am just as much of a fiend for celebrating Christmas early as any supermarket”. 

The evening ended as incredibly as it started with Bea M performing Willem Ten Have’s Allegro Brilliante on the violin before parents were reunited with pupils to congratulate them on their fantastic performances.  

A huge thank you to Mr Noithip, Mr Bond, and the entirety of the Music Department for all your hard work in producing the concert, and congratulations to all scholars for your incredible performances!  

If you’re interested in applying for a scholarship, find out more here:  

https://www.berkhamsted.com/admissions/scholarships/