Twenty-five choristers and three members of the Music Department from St Leonards-Mayfield School, led by Director of Music Peter Collins, experienced a night to remember towards the end of the Autumn Term when they postponed choral practice in the School’s chapel to meet the Red Hot Chili Peppers on an ‘access all areas’ visit to the band’s concert at the 02 Arena in London.
Ahead of the concert, the girls and staff were invited backstage to have refreshments in the band’s dining room, and they were later joined by singer Anthony Kiedis, bassist ‘Flea’ and lead guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, who chatted to the girls and posed for photographs. The girls were also given a guided tour of the stage before joining thousands of other fans in the Arena to hear the band perform.
The experience of a lifetime was courtesy of the manager of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Peter Mensch. Peter’s mother-in-law, Daphne Bagshawe, is Choral Assistant to the Director of Music at St Leonards-Mayfield School, as well as being a lifelong fan of the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s infamous fusion of rock, funk and hip-hop.
It has been a term of contrasts for the girls in the School’s choir, who only a fortnight previously, had enjoyed an incredible tour of Rome, where they enjoyed the rare honour of singing mass at St Peter’s Basilica. Mr Collins ensured that the girls were given the opportunity of singing at some of Rome’s most prestigious venues and were especially welcomed at the Papal Audience. Another unexpected highlight for the fifteen girls was singing at the Venerable English College in the presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
At the O2 Arena, however, the girls were delighted to lay to rest any notion that school choirs are stuffy and traditional. Chorister Catriona Franck commented: “Two weeks ago I was having a brilliant time in Rome with the School choir, attending a papal audience and singing mass at St Peter’s Basilica. Now, I’m hanging out with one of the biggest rock bands of all time! Only at this school would that happen!”