COLCHESTER  SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Plume – Maldon’s Community Academy

30 GCSE Music Students attended our concert on 11 January 2020

The music department was delighted to welcome Chris Phelps, conductor of the Colchester Symphony Orchestra, to talk to our GCSE students about orchestral music during their music lessons at the beginning of January. This was in preparation for the concert we attended at St Botolph’s Church on Saturday 11 January 2020.

For many of our students this was their first experience of a live orchestra. The presentation given by Chris really helped them to understand the conventions of an orchestra and the music we listened to. One of the pieces performed was ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’ by Mussorgsky which Chris had arranged for the orchestra himself! It was interesting to hear how he had completed the arrangement, and then hearing the piece performed in the concert.

The students were able to speak to members of the orchestra during the interval. One of our students now knows his future career path having spoken to the trumpet players. They inspired him to strive towards orchestral playing.

We are looking forward to attending a second concert later in the year.

Mrs P Adams - Head of Faculty