The Chamber Choir from Rydal Penrhos Prep School took part in the Chester Music Festival on Saturday – and came 
away with a Distinction and a well-earned 2nd place in their class.
The Prep Chamber Choir was formed this year under the leadership of Director of Music at Rydal Penrhos, Julian Whittaker, and Head of Music at the Prep School, Peter Williams.
The choir has already performed at the Christmas and Easter services, and at concerts in school, but this was their very first experience of singing in a competition.
They performed two contrasting pieces, ‘Ave Verum’ by WA Mozart, and ‘The Heavenly Aeroplane’ by John Rutter. Both are demanding in very different ways, and the choir rose to the challenge superbly.
They were complimented by the adjudicator, Jeffrey Wynn Davies, who noted the ‘lovely two-part singing with well-balanced and shaped phrases, pleasing use of dynamics and clear words’ in the ‘Ave Verum’, and in ‘The Heavenly Aeroplane’ praised the choir for ‘singing with real punch, eager and detailed… Great top notes!’
The choir was awarded 87 points : a Distinction…’Excellent performance both technically and artistically.’
Pupils from Rydal Penrhos Senior school were also taking part in individual classes throughout the day. Congratulations go to Anjalina Mitra and Adele Parry who came 2nd in the duet class with ‘My Favourite Things’. Anjalina also came 2nd with ‘Somewhere’ in the solo song class.
Vlada Shuskevich, although not placed, was commended for her performances in three solo song categories.