Colston’s creates massed choir for 300th anniversary concert

School and Bristol Concert Orchestra join forces at the Colston Hall

	Head Girl, Rosie Belcher, and Head Boy, David Poole, in front of the Colston Hall

Colston’s School and Bristol Concert Orchestra have joined forces to launch the school’s 300th anniversary celebrations at the Colston Hall on March 13th.

The school has created a massed choir of 180 voices with Director of Music John Shooter drawing together members of the Upper and Lower School choirs, Colston’s Choral Society, including parents, staff and friends, Henbury Singers, Thornbury Choral Society and the Old Colstonian Society.

	Colston's Director of Music John Shooter

They promise an exuberant performance of John Rutter’s ‘Feel the Spirit’, an arrangement of several well-known spirituals.

The second half of what Bristol Concert Orchestra describes as its most ambitious concert is given over to a performance of Mahler’s Symphony No 2 ‘Resurrection’ when the orchestra will number over 100 players.

Conductor Stefan Hofkes said: “This is truly overwhelming music to introduce older children to the unique experience of live large-scale classical music.

“The monumental conclusion of the symphony featuring nearly 300 performers on stage will leave a life-long impression on any younger people in the audience.”

Stefan is a regular visitor to Colston’s where he teaches piano twice a week. He and John Shooter have worked together to create the event, and John will conduct the Rutter before handing over the baton to Stefan for the Mahler.

	Stefan Hofkes

“The school is most grateful to the Bristol Concert Orchestra for collaborating on this scale,” John said. “We strongly recommend music lovers to book early.”

Colston’s Headmaster Peter Fraser added: “This ambitious concert is a most appropriate start to our Tercentenary celebrations.

“The Colston Hall stands on the site of the Great House, the building purchased with Edward Colston’s bequest to found Colston’s School. Three hundred years later we return to celebrate in style.”

The concert starts at 7.30pm. Tickets, priced £10-£14 with concessions from £7, are available from the Colston Hall box office (Tel 0117 922 3686) and from the school (contact Tercentenary Co-ordinator Diane Iles on 0117 965 3376 or dianeiles@colstons.bristol.sch.uk).