Over the past two weeks, the annual Hepburn Music Festival celebrated the School’s musical talent, and hosted 387 separate performances in 39 different classes across seven venues. Eleven professional musicians were invited to adjudicate the performances that included foundation to diploma levels and a vast range of orchestral instruments, as well as singing, guitar and bagpipes.
For Sunday’s Final Recital, nine winners of advanced classes were selected for a final performance before an audience in the Great Hall. Musicians displayed the virtuosity and range of musicianship that characterises music at Oundle. Pupils’ mastery ranged from marimba, drum kit, saxophone and electric guitar to singing, French horn, piano and cello.
In the interval for adjudication, last year’s Hepburn winner, Marcus McDevitt (OO) returned to Oundle to perform Liszt on the piano. Presently the Organ Scholar at Guildford Cathedral, Marcus will be taking up the Organ Scholarship at New College Oxford later this year.
The Festival’s final judging awarded the Music department’s most prestigious prizes to three performances. The Hepburn Cup winner was Max (Ldr) on piano, who performed “Regard de l’etoile” by Olivier Messiaen. In the latest round of Oxbridge success, Max was also the recipient of an Organ Scholarship to Oxford.
The runner-up and winner of the Tatum Cup was Marcus (StA) on alto saxophone, playing “Deep Purple” by Rudy Wiedoeft. Arun (L) performed “Scherzo Brilliante” by Jan Koetsier on French horn, and was awarded the Bateman Cup for musical promise.
