The fourth annual Orchestral Weekend saw our eagerly anticipated return to the magnificent Ilam Hall near Ashbourne in Derbyshire. Eighty pupils and staff set off by coach, just managing to squeeze on board all the luggage and musical equipment needed by two orchestras, a concert band, and wind, brass and string groups of various shapes and sizes!

The aim of the weekend is always to give members of our many instrumental ensembles the opportunity to spend time together working more intensively, and on a wider range of music, than is ever normally possible at school. Each participant has an individual programme of rehearsals in a variety of different groupings, with time for rest and relaxation – as well as some exercise – in between.

Our musicians tackled a wide variety of music, as ever with the goal of bringing it quickly to performance standard for Sunday afternoon’s concert for family & friends back in the Grange Theatre. All groups performed in the concert, and the final programme ranged in musical style from a Bach violin concerto, through Walton’s Crown Imperial March, to Bohemian Rhapsody arranged for concert band. The whole weekend came to a fitting end with a performance by all our musicians of a medley of John Williams’ favourite film themes.

The success of a trip like this does of course depend on the organisation and hard work of the staff involved, but what ultimately made Ilam 2010 so rewarding and enjoyable was the way our pupils responded, worked and behaved so positively, enthusiastically and considerately throughout the weekend.