On Sunday 23rd June, 56 talented string-playing students from across 10 GDST schools met in Sutton High’s Lees Hall to take part in a GDST String Orchestra Day. The orchestra was conducted by professional conductor, and cellist, Otis Endiko-Lineham, and members of professional orchestra, London Mozart Players, sat amongst the students offering their guidance and expertise.
The day started with the full orchestra, made up of 1st and 2nd violins, violas, cellos and double basses, playing together before each part of the orchestra went off to different parts of the school for sectional rehearsals. These were led by the relevant members of the London Mozart Players, from whom the students were given fantastic coaching.
There was a final rehearsal altogether under the guidance of the conductor before the students performed the pieces they had been preparing – Warlock’s Capriol Suite, Florence Price’s Andante Moderato and an arrangement of Piazzolla’s Libertango – to an audience that filled the Lees Hall.
Conductor, Otis, was very impressed with the focus and standard of string-playing amongst the students and thought they did an ‘amazing job’ particularly given the short time they had all been playing together. Organiser, Mr J Hargraves, Director of Music at Sutton High School, was extremely pleased with how the day went and hopes that this will be the start of many more such events bringing instrumentalists from across the GDST to perform together.
