Arts and Events brochure - Spring 2016

ST JOHN’S SCHOOLLEATHERHEADARTS AND EVENTSSPRING TERM 2016



ARTS AND EVENTS AT ST JOHN’SThe Spring Term calendar of events at St John’s showcases theexceptional talent of our singers and musicians with a number ofconcerts, recitals and musical competitions, as well as a visit from therenowned Surrey Philharmonic Orchestra. Explorer Levison Woodvisits the School to give an illustrated talk on his latest expedition, andlocal schools are invited to show off their musical ability in anorchestral play day concert and Choral Evensong.We warmly welcome you to our spring programme of events, andinvite you to experience the breadth of talent that St John’s pupils haveto offer. ARTS AND EVENTS 2016 I 1

SPEAKER‘WALKING THE HIMALAYAS’ ILLUSTRATEDTALK BY EXPLORER LEVISON WOODFriday 15 January7.30pmVenue: ChapelRenowned explorer and writer Levison Wood will give an illustrated talk at St John’s on hislatest expedition, as he follows up his 2014 trek along the River Nile by attempting to walkthe entire length of the Himalayas. His expedition will be followed by Channel 4 for adocumentary series in 2016.Beginning in Afghanistan and trekking 1,700 gruelling miles across the roof of the world,Levison will be travelling through some of the most remote, beautiful and perilous places onearth, teaming up with local guides and meeting soldiers, monks and nomadic tribes as heattempts the challenge.Following the talk in the Chapel, there will be a drinks reception during which Levison willsign copies of his latest book,‘Walking the Himalayas’, as well as his Sunday Times bestseller,‘Walking the Nile’.The talk is in aid of The AMECA Trust, a charitycommitted to healthcare delivery, healthcareeducation and the training of healthcareprofessionals in sub-Saharan African countries.The Trust was founded by Ruth Markus inmemory of her son Alex, an Old Johnian.Churchill House has chosen The AMECA Trustas its ‘House Charity’ for the 2015-16academic year, and proceeds from ticket saleswill go towards the Trust’s continued efforts tomake a difference through a number ofsustainable initiatives.Tickets for the event are £15 and include acomplimentary glass of wine.There will also bea cash bar available after the talk, and Levison’sbooks will be available to purchase for signing.This event is open to the public, but booking isrequired. Please book your tickets online:www.stjohnsleatherhead.co.uk/events.aspx2 I ST JOHN’S SCHOOL LEATHERHEAD

MUSIC AT ST JOHN’SFEEDER SCHOOLS' ORCHESTRAL PLAYDAY CONCERTThursday 28 January7.00pmVenue: Performing Arts CentreAll are welcome to this annual event that will see a nearly 200-strong orchestra perform inthe auditorium of the PAC.The children, assembled from scratch and made up of juniorschools and prep schools from around the local area, work throughout the afternoon topresent an exciting evening recital of pieces ranging from Mozart to musical theatre.Theconcert is informal in nature, and lasts around 20 minutes, providing many children with theopportunity to play repertoire they would not normally. It is a delight, this year, to welcomelocal junior schools alongside their prep school counterparts.This event is open to the public. Free admission, no booking is required. (Please note this concerthas no interval.) ARTS AND EVENTS 2016 I 3

MUSIC AT ST JOHN’SINAUGURAL ORGAN RECITALFriday 5 February7.00pmVenue: ChapelInternational organ superstar David Briggs gives the inaugural recital on the new Hicksonorgan, now resplendent in the School’s Chapel. Designed and built by Kenneth Tickell Ltd, itis a very fine instrument indeed and the whole event promises to be quite unmissable.Therecital will include a spoken introduction to the organ, a demonstration, a silent movie, andthe chance for audience members to submit their favourite tunes to David Briggs ahead ofan exciting improvisation finale at the recital’s close. Members of the local community areparticularly invited to come and see what an exciting addition the organ is to the School.Tickets £20Concessions £12 (students and seniors)Tickets include a complimentary glass of wine or soft drink during the interval, which will beserved in the School’s Dining Hall.This event is open to the public, but booking is required. Please book your tickets online:www.stjohnsleatherhead.co.uk/events.aspx4 I ST JOHN’S SCHOOL LEATHERHEAD

MUSIC AT ST JOHN’STHE FORBES SENIOR MUSICCOMPETITIONTuesday 9 February7.00pmVenue: Old ChapelThis is an exciting new addition to the St John’s annual music calendar.The MusicDepartment is reintroducing a full day-long music competition, involving all pupil musiciansacross all years. Pupils will be awarded prizes in three categories (junior, intermediate andsenior) across all instruments taught at St John’s.The winners of the senior categories inkeyboard, woodwind, brass, strings and percussion will perform at an evening recital in theOld Chapel, where a final winner will be announced. It promises to be an excellent eveningof sublime music making!This event is open to the public. Free admission, no booking is required. Complimentaryrefreshments will be served ahead of the concert. ARTS AND EVENTS 2016 I 5

MUSIC AT ST JOHN’SSURREY PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRASaturday 27 February7.30pmVenue: Old ChapelThe Surrey Philharmonic Orchestra began life as the Surrey String Players in 1932, andthroughout its history many international artists have appeared with the orchestra, includingVladimir Ashkenazy, Jacqueline du Pré, Paul Tortelier, Steven Isserlis, Nigel Kennedy andEvelyn Glennie. In this evening’s concert, Nicholas Smith conducts three great standards ofthe orchestral repertoire in the delightful surroundings of the Old Chapel. Pianist AndradaBrisk takes centre stage in the performance of Schumann’s Piano Concerto, his onlycomplete work of that kind for piano.Beethoven Overture: PrometheusSchumann Piano Concerto in A minorMozar t Symphony No. 41, JupiterTickets £14Concessions £9 (students and under 18s)Interval refreshments will be available to purchase.This event is open to the public, but booking is required. Please email the orchestra directly [email protected] I ST JOHN’S SCHOOL LEATHERHEAD

MUSIC AT ST JOHN’SA LEVEL RECITALTuesday 8 March7.00pmVenue: ChapelThis annual recital is a good opportunity to hear the excellent work that has been achievedthroughout the past year by the School’s AS and A level pupils. A significant percentage oftheir final awarded mark is given to performance – both solo and ensemble – so thiscelebratory evening is a chance to hear the high standards that have been achieved by ourtop academic musicians, and is good reason to celebrate with them the work that has beenundertaken since the start of the academic year.The recital will include works for piano,violin and voice. Not to be missed!This event is open to the public. Free admission, no booking is required. Complimentaryrefreshments will be served ahead of the concert. ARTS AND EVENTS 2016 I 7

MUSIC AT ST JOHN’SST JOHN’S SINFONIA CONCERTThursday 10 March7.30pmVenue: Old ChapelThe School’s now-established premier string ensemble, St John’s Sinfonia, takes on thechallenge of exciting new repertoire in a concert that will thrill from beginning to end.Nicholas Smith, Director of Music, and Christopher Mortlock, composer-in-residence,conduct – amongst others – Saint-Saens ‘Danse Macabre’ and Mendelssohn’s ‘HebridesOverture’, also known as Fingal’s Cave. It will be the orchestra’s largest event of the year inthe ambient acoustic of the Old Chapel. Smaller string ensembles will also have theopportunity to perform in this ‘strings-only’ performance.This event is open to the public. Free admission, no booking is required. Complimentary intervalrefreshments will be served.8 I ST JOHN’S SCHOOL LEATHERHEAD

MUSIC AT ST JOHN’SFEEDER SCHOOLS’ CHORAL EVENSONGTuesday 15 March6.30pmVenue: ChapelAlongside the Orchestral Play Day, this Choral Evensong is another opportunity at St John’sfor junior and prep school choirs to enjoy music-making with a large ensemble, and perhapstackling music that would not normally be available to them.The service is well-attended byparents and staff of the respective schools, and it is another opportunity in the term toenjoy the cadences of the Book of Common Prayer, set to music by composers across manycenturies.This event is open to the public. Free admission, no booking is required. ARTS AND EVENTS 2016 I 9

ST JOHN’S MUSICIANS AT ST ALBANS AND ROYAL HOLLOWAYThese events are open to the public. Free admission, no booking is required.CHORAL EVENSONG AT ST ALBANS ABBEYFriday 29 January5.00pmVenue: Cathedral and Abbey Church of St AlbansSt Albans, HertfordshireThe Chapel choir take their music-making further afield for this annualCathedral Evensong in the exquisitesetting of St Albans Abbey.This eventis a particularly good opportunity forOld Johnians living in the surroundingarea to hear the standard of musiccurrently being produced at St John’s.Music will include Howells’ sumptuous‘Gloucester Service’.The service takesplace in the season of Epiphany, andthe other music will be seasonalanthems associated with the birth ofChrist and the visit of the Magi.CHORAL EVENSONG AT ROYAL HOLLOWAYThursday 3 March6.15pmVenue: Royal Holloway College ChapelRoyal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey,TW20 0EXSt John’s has a happily informal link with the chapel choir of Royal Holloway University.TheSchola Cantorum has sung alongside the chapel choir (latterly in the winter of 2013) and arecent OJ now sings with the ensemble.This joint Choral Evensong, in the Victoriansplendour of the chapel at Royal Holloway, is another opportunity for the Schola Cantorumto sing alongside a group that has achieved extraordinary successes under the direction ofRupert Gough. It is always a good opportunity for some of the School’s aspiring youngmusicians to be inspired by the music-making in tertiary education, and provides a goodreason to be lost in that gem of Church of England worship, Choral Evensong.10 I ST JOHN’S SCHOOL LEATHERHEAD

LIBRARY EVENTSLIBRARY EVENTS(closed to the public)Lunchtime Library Talk, ‘The Ten Best Adverts of All Time’Wednesday 20 January, 1.00 – 2.00pmSpeaker: Nick Johnston-JonesHead of Surrey House and English teacher Mr Johnston-Jones will share his experiences of aprevious career in advertising to reveal his thoughts on the ‘10 Best Adverts of All Time’, givinghis reasons why these are so good, what makes a good advert and some interesting insightsinto the world of advertising.The talk will include a buffet lunch and is open to pupils and staff.Harry Potter DayThursday 4 February, all dayWe will be celebrating Harry Potter Day with a series of challenges and events throughoutthe day to include activities during lunch break and a treasure hunt for boarders.World Book DayThursday 3 March, all dayWe will celebrate books and reading with a ‘read a million words’ school challenge andother events throughout the day.Lunchtime Library Talk, ‘ISIS and Al Qaeda: can war really be wagedagainst the hidden?’Wednesday 16 March, 1.00 – 2.00pmSpeaker: Joe PepperHistory teacher Mr Pepper will deliver a fascinating and thought-provoking talk about thechanges to terrorist organisations in the past and how the fight against terrorism can moveforward in the modern world.The talk will include a buffet lunch and is open to pupils and staff. ARTS AND EVENTS 2016 I 11

LUNCHTIME RECITALS AND CHAPEL SERVICESLUNCHTIME RECITALSThursdays throughout the Spring Term1.15 – 2.00pmVenue: Old ChapelThursday 14 January: Senior singersThursday 21 January: WoodwindThursday 4 February: BrassThursday 11 February: Junior singersThursday 25 February: Piano and stringsThursday 3 March: OrganistsThursday 10 March: PercussionThursday 17 March: Classical guitarThese recitals are open to the public. Free admission, no booking is required.CHAPEL SERVICESSunday 17 January, 7.15 - 8.15pm: Sung EucharistSunday 31 January, 7.15 - 8.15pm: Choral Evensong for CandlemasSunday 28 February, 7.15 - 8.15pm: School EvensongSunday 13 March, 7.15 - 8.15pm: Sung Eucharist and ConfirmationAll services are sung by the Chapel choir.These services are not open to the public.COMPLINEThe exquisitely beautiful sung service of Compline – with music for the end of the day –takes place twice this term on Thursday 21 January and Thursday 10 March, starting at6.30pm in the Old Chapel.These services are not open to the public.12 I ST JOHN’S SCHOOL LEATHERHEAD



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