Holy Trinity Church Hall, London NW3

What an interesting start: having the older students supporting the counter melody of the Hungarian Duckling song whilst the younger children sang the basic melody and the words to this introduction. Then there was the surprising stage set up of a scene from John Blow's (Purcell's teacher) 'Venus and Adonis'. The operatic responses between Venus and the little Cupids were divided between Agnes and 8 young children (supported by Johanna, Alice and Susan). A similar musical mood followed with a chorus from Purcell's 'Dido and Aeneas'. The Bach chorals demonstrated to all present the depth of discipline and the marvellous mastery of the Kodaly technique nurtured by Agnes into musical fruition.

Alice Butcher (violin teacher) is such an accomplished and patient violinist! She played with Akira (2nd year) performing Bobby Shaftoe and then later accompanied Peanut (Matthew Gold, 5th year) in a duo by Mozart. We were impressed by the 3rd year (7-9 years olds) sight singing from John Gay's 'Beggar opera'.

James Boyd (guitar teacher) and adult beginner guitarist Sibel played 'Greensleeves': the old time favorite went down very well but Sibel could not be coaxed into playing an encore.

We then travelled (musically) into Hungary for 'Bicinia Hungarica' (3rd year and older groups) and Bartok's 'Breadbaking' (older groups). What a funny man Sary is to have concocted/composed and adopted idiosyncratic style breathing and music making. What goulash! There is always a method in the madness. It is only because of some tittering and chuckling in the back of the choir that this demonstration ended on a perplexing note.

We were then entertained by a sprightly Shostakovich trio (played by adult class members Alice Butcher, Gary McConnell and Robin Rubenstein) and a wonderfully melancholic composition by Johanna Riesz for cello and piano (played by Johanna and fellow adult class student Susan Horcsog).There were nuances of Dvorak or was it Smetana? Fascinating and very nice!

The melancholic mood was continued by 11 year olds Peanut and Daniel Grant Smith's recital of 'Panis Angelicus' and by Peanut serenading Mendelsohn's 'O for the wings of a dove'.

Delightful family duets followed: father Howard (guitar) and 14 years old son Michael Richmond (violin) played two Beatles songs. Little (5 years old) Akira and mother Catherine Leyon amused us with 2 Jamaican 'jigs': we could almost imagine sandy beaches and the swaying of the palm trees. What vocal clarity in 5 years old Joey Wadsworth's rendition of a song from 'The Wizard of Oz'! Well done Louise (Joey's piano accompanist mother) too! But my favorite was Sophia Dignam's marvellous violin playing of Clebanov's 'Millionaire's Howdown' accompanied on the piano by her mother Kate. What superb intonation, double stringing, poise and maturity from one so young!

The finale was an absolute musical treat from the gifted David Franklyn's virtuoso playing of Chopin's 'Fantasy Impromptu in C# minor'. We were brought back to earth by 6 years old Shenaia's 'End of Term Ode' which got everybody singing.

This was a musically pleasurable day. Hip-hip-hip-HURRAY for Agnes and the BBCM. And we also had time for refreshments and a bit of tittle-tattle.

by Cornelius Yap
father of Clotilde (the mermaid), 2nd year class