Students in tune for Lynn vocal event

Young voices from across West Norfolk came together to showcase their talents at an annual music event in Lynn, which featured a range of solo and choral acts.

The West Norfolk Academies Trust Cross-Trust Vocal Evening included performances drawn from the Trust’s four secondary schools: Marshland High School in West Walton; St Clement’s High School in Terrington St Clement; Smithdon High School in Hunstanton; and Springwood High School in King’s Lynn, which hosted the concert.

Around 120 students from Years 7 to 13 played to an audience of some 120 people who flocked to Springwood’s Peter Hopkins Hall for the event.

“This was a vocal recital evening, with a range of solos and choral groups from the four secondary schools within the Trust,” explained Robin Norman, WNAT Director of Music and event organiser. “Each school was asked to nominate students suitable for the evening.”

“It was lovely to see students not only performing but also being inspired by their peers,” he continued.

“Within the evening, we had some students for whom this was their first concert, whilst there were also some very advanced students who are about to leave Springwood Sixth Form to pursue Music at university. One has even been awarded a scholarship at Oxford.”

Mr Norman was supported by fellow Music Teachers from across the Trust, including Thomas Burt from Springwood, Jo Kemp from St Clement’s, Kevin Bell from Marshland, Andrea Barnes from Smithdon, and vocal peripatetic tutors Sam Ashby, Becky Harrington, and Gemma Saintierney.

It was the second time that the Cross-Trust Vocal Evening had taken place.

“The event took place last year on a much smaller scale,” added Mr Norman. “This was the first time that we had included vocal groups and choirs within the evening.

“It was really wonderful to see the students sporting each other, and then learning, and being inspired by their peers.

“In an event such as this, students can see ‘where they are going’ in their musical skills, and, as we have found with the piano recitals that are now in their third year, students return each year, and it is lovely to watch them grow in confidence and standard.”​