On Thursday 4 November Sevenoaks pupils gave a performance in the lunchtime concert series at St Pancras Church, London.

The concert began with one of the most well-known and enduringly popular cello sonata, the E minor Sonata by Brahms. Marcus Mok and Natalie Chau performed it with passion and enthusiasm, never losing sight of the architecture of the piece and the classical restraint of Brahms’ romantic style.

Another hall of fame piece followed, this time the Praeludium and Allegro for violin and piano by Fritz Kreisler. The composer was one of the foremost violinists of the first half of the 20th century. Unsurprisingly therefore, the virtuosic violin writing dominates the piece. Pia Lai triumphed through this challenge, and along with Charlotte Shieh on the piano, gave a moving and breathtaking performance. Fortunately for those who couldn’t be at this concert, Pia will be performing this piece again, this time with Sevenoaks Strings playing an orchestration of the piano accompaniment, on 29 November.

Oliver Blackwell introduced the audience to a rather unusual cello sonata by Janacek, which requires the performer to tune the lowest two strings down by a semi-tone. He performed with accomplishment, easily bringing the folk-song inspired themes to live.  

Alexander Ying concluded the concert with organ masterworks by Bach and Stanford. In an acoustic which was quite challenging for the performers, it was perhaps the organ, purpose-built for this church of course, that most successfully filled the hall with a vibrant and majestic sound.

Each of the performances drew rapturous applause from the audience, and praise from the audience who came from all walks of life.