House Music
2022 WINNERS
GRUGGEN HOUSE
The House Music Festival took place over two nights in February 2022 and was the culmination of many hours of preparation and rehearsal . Everyone involved in organising or taking part had worked hard and stepped up to deliver some outstanding performances over both nights . Each House was tasked with presenting an Ensemble , a Partsong , a Solo and a Finale . Despite having the difficult job of weighing up the four constituent performances for each House , judge Jonathan Sage , decided that Gruggen were the worthy Trophy winners and Jess Kneeshaw was awarded the prize for ' Best Individual Item ' following her performance of Allegro Brilliant by Willem Ten Have ( 1831-1924 ). Well done to all pupils and thank you to everyone who helped and supported !
Sam Austin , Director of Music
Lectern Society
Hosted brilliantly by Lower Sixth former Anna Marshall , ten students took part in Lectern Society on Wednesday the 16th of March . Participants performed a five-minute-long speech in front of a sixty-person audience . Behind the lectern , each student responded deftly to questions and presented confidently about whether being forgotten is a natural part of being alive . The stimulus of ‘ As an individual , you have no say on change , no influence , and are destined to repeat others ’ prompted diverse , engaging speeches . Topics included Hitler and Thunberg to neurology , feminism , the Montgomery Bus Boycott , nihilism , and Lawrence of Arabia .
Jess Kneeshaw provided a noteworthy musical interlude on the piano and the evening was facilitated by the English department , courtesy of Mrs Tomlinson , with two judges , Mrs Lisa Hutchinson , and Ms Julie Franks along with timekeeper Mrs Wilson .
Autumn Flanagan took home third place for her speech of history , control , and inevitability . Isadora Philip ’ s spoke about suffragettes , gifting voices to the silenced women of the past and present . This , rightly , awarded her second place .
First place went to Henry Hudson , with his linking of dictators to environmental activists which secured him the Sir Paul Bryan Public Speaking Cup .
In addition to these three winners , every one of the ten participants are to be commended : Harry Newbould and his ingenious historical inference , Sophia Lisboa ’ s take on ignored women of colour , Vivi Mayman ’ s speech ranged from footballers to the Kardashians , John Baker ’ s stance on determinism and quantum physics , Phoebe Anderson and rebelling against history , Jenni Harrison ’ s questions of whether we are predetermined to be forgotten , and George Walster ’ s ideas of love , nihilism , and humanity .
Anna Marshall , who hosted the evening commented :
“ The breadth of variety was something I did not anticipate would stem from my stimulus , and the camaraderie and good sportsmanship between friends made the evening unforgettable . To everyone involved , to everyone that attended it was a great honour to host Lectern Society 2022 .“
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