"Collectively, you enrich us all" — stunning Barbican concert brings curtain down on Lent Term

27 March 2024

500 musicians of all ages took to the concert stage to perform works by Brahms and Cecilia McDowall

The short trip from Westminster to Barbican has been made once again, with a grand concert starring young singers from nine schools and music projects, the full Westminster Symphony Orchestra, Westminster Choral Society, and star guest soloists.

The eleventh annual Barbican concert in March, featured two major works, Brahms’ noted 18th century German Requiem, and the 2018 work by Cecilia McDowall, Everyday Wonders: The Girl from Aleppo, led by the School’s Director of Music, Tim Garrard.

The first half performance of Aleppo was more significant as in the audience was McDowall herself, alongside the work’s librettist, Kevin Crossley-Holland. Performing was a choir of 285 children from Burdett Coutts CofE Primary School, Harris Westminster Sixth Form, Pimlico Academy, The Grey Coat Hospital School, Westminster City School, Westminster Under School and Westminster School, as well as from the Pimlico Musical Foundation, and Tri-borough Music Hub, accompanied by violinist Suzie Collier and pianist Richard Gowers. The second half Ein deutsches Requiem, saw the full Westminster Symphony Orchestra take to the stage with the School Chamber Choir, and the 170-strong Westminster Choral Society made up of current and former school parents and Old Westminsters. At the front of stage were soprano soloist Aoife Miskelly, and baritone Matthew Hargreaves.

The concert ended with a retiring collection in aid of UNICEF.

Following the performance, the success of the evening was clear for both those in the audience and those on stage.

"One really does have to pinch oneself and recall that this is a school orchestra and choir, the standard is so high. It was truly wonderful, from beginning to end, though, of course, I’m a sucker for the second movement of the Requiem — who couldn’t be? I also loved The Girl from Aleppo, and enjoyed talking to the composer Cecilia McDowall at the interval — she was I think really pleased by the performance, which I thought very powerful and moving — not least because it involved so many children from different ages and from different schools. It’s been another remarkable term for Music at Westminster, and I know there is more to come. Collectively, you enrich us all."

— Dr Gary Savage, Head Master

"Congratulations on your Barbican concert on Monday evening. I can well imagine the amount of preparation, coordination and rehearsal it entailed, and do hope you were delighted with the end result."

— Audience member
"Congratulations for the schools’ performance. They were amazing and to bring it all together into such a cohesive performance is breathtaking."

— Chorus member
"The Brahms requiem is still swirling round my mind with wonderful phrases of music surfacing again and again throughout each day. It was such a privilege to be part of it. Thank you for such a wonderful experience."

— Chorus member

"I am now spending my customary month listening to all the requiems and other pieces we have sung. Happy days."

— Chorus member
"I'm sure I can't be the first to say an enormous thank you to you. I feel very privileged to be have been able to take part in a concert with such glorious music."

— Chorus member
"I wanted to thank you for once again providing us with an opportunity for enormous joy. If that sounds fulsome, I mean it!"

— Chorus member

"I’m always completely astonished by the level of musicianship, professionalism and enthusiasm of your students. It really is a total pleasure any time I’m asked to come along and sing a few notes."

— Aoife Miskelly, Soprano soloist
"It was a pleasure to be there and share the stage with you — many thanks for a memorable evening!"

— Matthew Hargreaves, Baritone soloist