the wellington college year book 2010/2011
62
why they were named European Champions
of a cappella three times running. The Spring
Concert took Wellington musicianship to new
heights with performances by the Symphony
Orchestra, Camerata, Brass Ensemble,
Percussion Ensemble and Clarinet Choir. The
Jazz Concert dazzled with a wealth of musical
talent, with all proceeds going towards the
Crowthorne Community Minibus.
The very first Inter-House Dance
Competition was a smash hit. With contributions from all seventeen houses, it looks
as though the future of dance at Wellington
College is assured. There is nothing better to
see Wellingtonians putting heart and soul into
a new venture.
The irrepressible Director of Drama Sarah
Spencer put on a mesmerising performance of
the classic musical Guys and Dolls aided and
abetted by the assistant Director of Music
Xavier Iles. The boat truly rocked with some
of the best musical performances witnessed
at Wellington. Henry V, performed in the
round in Old Gym, was a truly unique and
caption
original interpretation of the Shakespeare
classic. Set in the context of an England v.
France rugby match, the intense pupil and staff
performances matched the fast, action packed
pace. With sterling directorial work by Nicky
Allpress, the production will live for a long
time in everyone’s memories.
The Summer Arts programme was simply
astonishing in its ambition to put on the very
best Arts Festival in Southeast England, but
more of that later?…
The Third Form play Totally over you was an
ambitious production, reflecting the zeitgeist
of a celebrity obsessed culture and the pitfalls
of instant fame. With a cast of over sixty
pupils, it showcased the unique talents of our
Third Form pupils. Oliver?!, a collaboration
between both Wellington College and
Wellington Academy, saw both schools join
forces in this truly unique venture which ran
over four nights: two at the College and two
at the Academy. No one could fail to be
moved by the performances of all pupils, who
worked so well together on the first of many
collaborations between our two schools. We
have the triumvirate of Pandy Dean, Simon
Williamson and Sarah Spencer to thank for
this really spellbinding production.
With master classes by members of the
London Mozart Players and Remus Azoitei,
along with the beautiful Summer Concert, the
Music department excelled in delighting all
audiences this term.
The Art School Speech Day exhibitions
were a heady mixture of traditional media
mixed with cutting edge textiles, film and
video. It’s always great to see pupils really
pushing themselves beyond their limits.
Rebecca Hossack was responsible for
introducing Aboriginal Art to the uk in the
1980s and we were truly lucky to list en to
her lecture: ‘From Dreamtime to Machine
Time’, a remarkable talk about the origins of
Aboriginal art and how it is inextricably linked
to a culture dating back fifty thousand years.
Rebecca engaged, enlightened and inspired a
full Theatre of Third and Fourth Form pupils.
Laurence Hedges