I have read in the national newspapers that it may be easier to find gold dust than it is to lay your hands on a ticket for the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest. Tickets for May’s glittering and elaborate extravaganza, which went on sale last Tuesday, are priced from £30 to £290 for the Semi-Final shows and from £80 to £380 for the Grand Final shows. To the tens of thousands of aficionados around the country, they are doubtless worth their weight in gold, or at least worth every penny- even in a so-called ‘cost of living crisis’.
Shakespeare told us in ‘Twelfth Night’ that music is the food of love. And we at BCS don’t need to be reminded of the fact, for the School this week braced itself for one of our very own (admittedly slightly humbler) highlights of the year, the heats for ‘Young Musician of the Year’. You will be aware that, due very largely to a great work ethic and a strong partnership with home and music teachers, we are blessed with some wonderfully talented and deserving musicians. So, please do come and see the finalists in action at our Gala Concert on Thursday 16th March at 6pm, with guest adjudicator, Old Scholar and Director of Music at Marlborough College, Philip Dukes.
This promises to be an entertaining and inspiring evening. And unlike for the Eurovision Song Contest, you have no need either to book in advance or to put your hand into your pocket!
Still on the theme of music, I must congratulate the children in Pre-Prep for this week’s wonderful recital. I was amazed by the stunning musicianship of our youngest pupils. From piano-playing to singing to violin, they were prodigious. The music ranged from Francois-Joseph Gossec’s Gavotte on cello to Shruthi Rajasekar’ Virginia Hall on Piano. Unbelievable! ‘Dix points sur dix pour tout le monde.’
What a pleasure it was to welcome the Chief Master, Dr Katy Ricks, and two Old Scholars, Aurillio and Ismail, to speak about life at KES. It certainly gave our parents the opportunity to ask questions and hear about the special relationship between our two schools.
This week our Residential Plans really got motoring. The informative talks online by the trip leaders to Year 3 to Year 6 parents were wonderfully detailed and allowed parents to see the opportunities on offer and the excellent outcomes for the children. The children are blessed with so many chances to take part in a multitude of activities. BCS really does offer more than just an onsite education.
I must congratulate the Under 11 girls, who came second nationally at the Malvern National Cross Country event last Sunday. This was a great team effort; ‘Individually strong, unbreakable as one,‘ as we say. Thank you to Mr Melia for supporting this event.
Finally, I must thank Mr Moss for offering the children the opportunity to sample food from around the world. The Food Explorers passports are proving a great hit with the children as they sample delicacies from around the world, from Ukraine to Australia. I must say, I am most curious. In fact, I would rather sample just one of these dishes than make the trip to Liverpool in May. But then, as our French neighbours would say, ‘Chacun à son goût’!
