LVS Ascot Students Excel As 250 Young Musicians Descend On LVS Ascot For Music Masterclasses
28 Apr 2020
A record 250 students from schools across the south east of England gathered at LVS Ascot earlier this month to participate in one of the largest student music competitions in the area, with the independent all-ability school topping the medal table. The LVS Ascot Music Festival, held from Friday 31st January to Sunday 2nd February, saw students from as far away as North Kensington take the opportunity to perform on stage in the school’s professional theatre, watched by over 200 people.
The sixth annual event has grown into an important date in the regional student music calendar, with high level contestants from many schools around Berkshire and beyond testing themselves on the stage and in LVS Ascot’s recital room over three days. LVS Ascot topped the medal table with an incredible 20 gold medals from its Infant & Junior and Senior school participants, up from 15 last year, along with a further 12 silver medals and 7 bronze.
A large contingent of students from London’s Nucleo Project made the journey worthwhile, as around 40 instrumentalists from the ‘music for social action’ programme in North Kensington performed, winning 28 medals in total, whilst Ascot girls’ school Heathfield finished third with 13 medals. Ensemble categories were won on the Sunday by both Newbold School recorder group and the LVS Ascot Infant & Junior School Chamber Choir.
Piano classes on Friday and Saturday were followed by musical theatre, classical and folksong, strings, brass and woodwind classes and ensembles on Sunday as LVS Ascot demonstrated its ethos of helping all students to excel and exceed their expectations whatever their specific talents.
LVS Ascot Director of Music James Bryant said: “This was our biggest and best Music Festival yet, and it was a pleasure to open up our fantastic performing arts facilities such as the theatre and recital room and welcome such a wide range of schools to enjoy using them with us. It helped to give everyone a taste of competitive music on a professional stage and gain valuable feedback from the adjudicators which will hopefully inspire them to improve yet further, which is always our goal at LVS Ascot”.
Picture: Holly Johnston, 10, celebrates medal success at the LVS Ascot Music Festival