Final Music Concert

Well Wednesday saw a very busy, and very emotional, final Music concert for myself and Erik.

The day started off with Erik and Mat heading off to Brooke to set up for the concert during period 1.  I had tried to devise a schedule of rehearsals but it seemed that it didn't suit everybody, so it was quite difficult to juggle it all around.  Eventually a reasonable solution was found, so I took advantage of the 'free' time in period 1 to finalise the programme and get it printed.  Mistake 1.  The Murphy's law of school concerts is that you should never print the programme until the absolute last minute, as there are always changes.  Oh well.

The rehearsals throughout the day all ran very smoothly, and contrary to my usual form, I didn't appear the least bit stressed (although I will admit, I was a bit).

So the start time comes, and then we have a mini-freak out.  There's no-one there.  To be fair though, that is quite usual for our concerts, as, in the words of my girls, we run to 'Brixton time' - which means that 6pm is really 6.30 and so on... its a habit I've been trying to break for 10 years, but with very little success.  Surprisingly though this time, it was the school governors who were late!  And there was a surprise guest too, our previous headteacher - who had the vision and foresight to direct funds into the music budget and get the second specialism running - without her our department would really be nothing.

So we managed to kick off around 6.15pm, and I will admit, for the first part we seemed to be firing through the programme at an incredibly brisk pace - quite unlike our regular concerts.  I actually thought we may finish well within the alloted hour and a half.

However with the arrival of the concert band for their numbers, we soon lost pace again, as the pieces they played were a lot longer than I had anticipated.  We played 'Instant Concert', 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' (leaving off Mvt III Violet Beauregarde as no-one could really play it) and 'The Blues Brothers'.  Then I gave my little speeches, made my presentations, including an impromptu speech to Erik as I hadn't really planned to say too much about him at this event, as tomorrow night would be the big staff farewell - and the pressureful speech moment.  After this, the band wrapped it up with 'Pirates of the Caribbean' and that was that.  Or so I mistakenly thought.

The Deputy Head got up and said, "You don't really think you're going to have the last word, do you?" and then up got Nana, who read out a lovely speech to Erik and I.  Phew, that over, I thought we could go home.  No, up gets Mat - and suddenly Myrtle and Funmi, past students from 2 years ago, come out of the audience with their instruments, and the whole group performed an arrangement of "Land of the Silver Birch" for Erik, and "Waltzing Matilda (coupled with a few bars of "Auld Lang Syne") for me.  It was a complete and utter surprise, and I had no idea of how they managed to even pull it off - although I found out later that the students had all stayed back for rehearsal the day before until 5pm - how lovely that they would do this for us.  I was deeply moved, and of course the tears started to flow - and then out came the gifts.  I was overwhelmed by the generosity of the students and the instrumental teachers - they gave me the most lovely amber earrings, and the string orchestra had arranged a photo and frame of them at Bowles, and other students gave me individual things including chocolates, and teddy bears, and perfume... it was just overwhelming.  And the teachers gave me a gorgeous box with 2 mollard conductors batons - these are the best in the business - with a lovely inscription.  I was truly moved and touched.

Afterwards we went to the Dark Horse for our Christmas meal, just yummy - and then it was the time to say goodbye to all the team... so sad....

So I just want to take the time now to say thanks to all my students, and thanks to all my team - I love you guys and I will miss you terribly... please do stay in touch.  All the best.