Nonesuch Orchestra teamed up with Christ’s School Richmond on 23rd March for another “From Page to Performance” Composition Workshop with students from the school. These workshops are great fun and highly instructive. After studying the students’ pieces and discussing the process of transforming notes on the page into live music, we performed them all to Year 7 and music students from the rest of the school.

Alpha, Erica, Joshua, Alexander, Mattheo (who joined the workshop from a school trip to France), Reuben, Sophie and Abigail

And on 1st April, our evening concert at Christ Church East Sheen included a selection of the students’ pieces, as well as music by Rameau, Ruth Gipps, and John Ireland. A GCSE Music student from the school also played the solo violin in the first movement of Bach’s celebrated Violin Concerto in A minor with great confidence and musicianship – congratulations to him, along with all the talented young composers!

Heartfelt praise for a wonderful performance of Bach

“It was a privilege and a joy to have you all with us, encouraging our talented composers in playing their pieces live, and performing to Year 7….It was wonderful to see the composers taking in the experience of having their compositions come to life in front of them in the workshop sessions, and impressive to see the interactions between them, Dan and the orchestra during these sessions, exchanging ideas, excellent feedback and comments in a brilliantly supportive atmosphere. This was a very, very valuable, inspiring, impactful and memorable learning opportunity for students, both when their own pieces were being workshopped, and for those observing other students' pieces.

I know the composers were thrilled and proud to have their pieces performed in the concert, and it was great to be able to bring this live music to Year 7, some of who will be new to such music and live performance…

I know our GCSE Music violinist, also, is thrilled to be working with the orchestra, and the encouragement, opportunity and support being given him by you all is very special…”

Christ’s School Music Department