Loreto College’s annual Easter Concert at the Royal Northern College of Music provided an outstanding celebration of musical excellence, creativity and collaboration, showcasing the remarkable breadth of talent that exists across the college’s thriving music department.
The evening’s programme demonstrated both ambition and variety, bringing together performers from across the college in a rich and engaging musical journey that encompassed Indian classical music, jazz, chamber music, musical theatre, popular song and large-scale orchestral repertoire. Throughout the concert, the consistently high standard of performance was matched by an evident sense of enjoyment, commitment and community, creating an evening that was both inspiring and deeply rewarding for performers and audience members alike.
The Loreto College Jazz Band, directed by Graham South, injected energy and flair into the first half with a varied set that ranged from Charlie Parker’s Now’s The Time to Denis DiBlasio’s Marketplace.
Harpist Dionne Char offered a contrasting moment of elegance in Pearl Chertok’s Ten Past Two, before the String Ensemble, directed by Dewi Tudor Jones, delivered a polished and stylistically assured performance of Handel’s Concerto Grosso in G Major.
One of the most memorable elements of the evening was the collaboration between Loreto’s Pop Choir, Session Orchestra and the choirs of Our Lady’s RC Primary School and Rolls Crescent Primary School. Their performances of selections from The Phantom of the Opera, Adele’s Rolling in the Deep and You Will Be Found from Dear Evan Hansen brought the first half to an uplifting conclusion.
The contribution of the primary school choirs added a special dimension to the event. Singing with confidence, enthusiasm and musicality, the younger performers clearly relished the opportunity to perform on the RNCM stage alongside Loreto students. Their preparation and commitment were evident throughout, while the partnership itself demonstrated the powerful role music can play in building connections between schools and inspiring young people to continue their musical journeys.
For first-year student Madeleine Hampson, who performed in both Pop Choir and the Musical Theatre Revue, the RNCM concert represented one of the highlights of her first year at Loreto. Reflecting on the experience, she described it as “an incredibly inspiring and rewarding experience”, one that showcased “the energy, creativity and collaborative spirit of the college’s performance culture.” Reflecting on the event, Madeleine described it as “an incredibly inspiring and rewarding experience” that showcased the energy, creativity and collaborative spirit of the college’s musical community
The second half continued with impressive performances from across the department. Trumpeter Maria Sanderson brought style and sophistication to Horace Silver’s Nica’s Dream, while the Piano Circus demonstrated exceptional ensemble coordination in their performance of Variations after Niccolò Paganini. The Chamber Choir delivered performances of Ave Verum Corpus, Autumn Leaves and Eleanor Rigby with sensitivity and refinement, while the Wind Ensemble brought excitement and colour to the programme through selections from The Lord of the Dance and Wicked.
The evening concluded with a powerful performance by the Loreto College Orchestra under the direction of Head of Music, David Lloyd-Mostyn. Strauss’s iconic Sunrise from Also Sprach Zarathustra provided a dramatic opening before the orchestra was joined by Concerto Competition winner Flynn Willis-Dunn for the second movement of Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez.
Reflecting on the experience, Flynn said: “Being given the opportunity to perform a concerto at the college concert was definitely my most memorable experience of my time at college. Being a guitarist it’s very rare to be offered the chance to perform in such settings and will definitely be a moment I take with me for the rest of my life.”
The RNCM Spring Concert once again demonstrated the extraordinary strength of Loreto College's musical life. Through outstanding performances, meaningful collaborations and unforgettable opportunities for students, it celebrated not only musical excellence but also the values of community, ambition and joy that lie at the heart of the college. Long after the final notes had faded, those qualities remained unmistakably present, leaving a lasting impression on everyone fortunate enough to be there.