Southbank Sinfonia
On Friday 7 October 2016, The Ladies’ College welcomed visiting musicians from the acclaimed Southbank Sinfonia for an afternoon of master classes for its students, followed by a private evening recital for its local supporters.
The links between Southbank Sinfonia and the island go back almost a decade with the whole orchestra having visited the island in 2008 to play in the Victor Hugo Festival. The educational links started soon thereafter when smaller groups of players started to visit to conduct master classes in local schools and with pupils in the Schools Music Service. This developed into the launch of a Guernsey bursary for one of the players in the orchestra, who visits the island each year, usually with one or two colleagues, to conduct a series of master classes.
Southbank Sinfonia’s visit to the College saw its professional musicians working with a string quartet made up of Senior School students, before directing rehearsals with the College's Junior and Senior String Orchestras. The two individuals leading the Master Classes were Eve Kennedy, violinist, who is the current Guernsey bursar holder, and Sarah Berger, cellist, who is supported by another Guernsey resident. At the recital they were accompanied on the piano by Simon Over, Music Director and co-founder of Southbank Sinfonia.
The visit marked the first event hosted by the College in its new music rooms, which comprise a performance room, main teaching room and four practice rooms. A digital recording studio is also to be installed later this year and will complete these state of the art facilities. The College's director of music James Henderson said: "We are delighted that members of the Southbank Sinfonia have shared their expertise with our young players, and helped us to celebrate the start of a new chapter in the musical history of the College."
Susan Lloyd has been working to support the Southbank Sinfonia’s presence in the island for many years and sees the event as an important element in Guernsey’s vibrant musical scene. “We are pleased to be able to forge links with the College and make use of its outstanding new facilities. A founding principle of the orchestra is to carry out educational projects throughout Britain and beyond, fostering the musical talents of young classical musicians, and we are delighted to be able to bring this expertise to the College”.
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