Harrogate Grammar School have experienced tremendous success at this year’s Harrogate Competitive Festival for Music, Speech and Drama with winners in eight categories.
The Competitive Festival has been running for over 80 years and continues to provide a nurturing place for new and returning performers to learn and develop performance skills and to practise their art. It offers an opportunity to hear a wide range of performances in different disciplines be that instrumental, vocal or through speech and drama.
The performers put in hours of work with their teachers in order to prepare fully for this event and it is great to see such friendly and supportive competitors across the classes.
The following Harrogate Grammar School students/ensembles won their classes; Sam Brockett, Saxophony, Rebecca Troy, Ben Sumner, Grace Malone, Elisia Spears, Phoebe Kyriakopoulos and Grace Brennan and the Senior Choir. Many more students took part entering individually and through other ensembles.
Harrogate Grammar School student, Sam Brockett, has all round skills being a saxophonist, violin player, pianist and singer as well as being part of the musical theatre scene. Her success in the Virtuoso class was outstanding given that she had to play two different pieces on two different instruments to win the prize.
Saxophony are a new ensemble at Harrogate Grammar School and this was their first time at the festival. Against a strong field, this group played remarkably well given that, they have rehearsed together for such a short time. They played two pieces in different styles and were worthy winners.
Rebecca Troy won solo from a Show, Film or Musical (Year 10) showing outstanding musical talent. Ben Sumner was winner of Solo Singing Boys (Year 13 and under) and also joint winner of the Vocal Challenge sing off which meant he gained a place in the Final of the Young Musician of the Festival 2017. This is the climax of the whole festival so a huge achievement. There were seven finalist and although Ben didn’t win, he sang brilliantly.
A special mention goes to Phoebe Kyriakopoulos and Grace Brennan for Vocal Duet (Year 11 and under) – winners with honours which is the highest accolade awarded. Other winners of their categories include, Grace Malone Woodwind Duet, trio, quartet (Year 8 and under), Elisia Spears Folk Song Class (Year 8 or 9) and Senior Choir (Year 13 and under).
