Performing musicians have been heavily affected by the pandemic, particularly with the cancellation of live performances throughout 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions and the freelance nature of much of their work.

So our wonderful Visiting Music Teachers (VMTs) came up with the idea of a Musical Advent Calendar to raise much needed funds for their fellow musicians. The Calendar features students from the Junior School all the way up to the Sixth Form, from beginners to Grade 8 musicians, playing solos, duets and ensembles.

A big thank you to our VMTs for this fantastic initiative and to our students for their lovely performances which we hope have brightened your days! Keep watching as we share them all on our Twitter account every day up until Christmas Day itself.

Look out for:

December – 25 Days of Music – VMTs playing with students:

1st: Helen Stanley with The HemiDemiZemis playing Silent Night (Year 8) Piano Trio

2nd: Hazel Woodcock with Flute Group playing Ding Dong Merrily (Senior) Flute ensemble

3rd: Cathy Schofield with Grace & Avneet playing Handel, Messiah, ‘Pastoral Symphony; (Year 12) Violin x2, piano

4th: Eli RJ with Sara D playing Walking in the Air (Year 7) Vocal solo

5th: Tom Crehan with Alice Whelan playing Deck the Halls (Year 8) Violin duet 

6th: Stephen O’Regan with Maribel playing Away in a Manger (Year 7) Flute solo

7th: Hazel Woodcock with Anna (Year 9) Flute duet

8th: Helen Stanley with Alice & Abigail playing ‘See amid the winter’s snow’ (Year 11, 8) Viola duet

9th: Nina Robertson with Chloe, Elisha, Eva, Flora, Amrit & Shivani playing We Three Kings (Year 10) Flute ensemble

10th: Alice Pratley with Kara & Poppy playing ‘We Wish you a Merry Christmas’ (Year 7) Violin duet

11th: Hazel Woodcock with Mairi playing ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ Flute duet

12th: Elin Harries with performers playing ‘Have yourself a merry little Christmas’ (Senior) Vocal ensemble

13th: Cathy Schofield with Katerina Y6 playing Little Donkey (Junior School) Violin Solo; Hazel Woodcock with Ella playing The Holly and the Ivy (Junior School) Flute duet; Alice  Pratley with Ruby playing The First Nowell (Junior School) Violin solo

14th: Christine Cunnold with Amy singing Sleigh Ride (Year 8) Vocal solo

15th: Helen Stanley with Dunya playing Sleigh Ride (Year 8) Duet 

16th: Stephen O’Regan with Cristina playing Ding Dong – Flute solo

17th: Hazel Woodcock with Julie (Y5) playing Silent Night (Junior School) Recorder duet; Holger with Erin playing Christmas Bells (Junior School) Vocal solo

18th: Elin Harries playing Can gwerin Cymraeg (VMT); James Edge with Year 8 Rock Band playing Last Christmas 

19th:  Carmen, Aila & Zara playing Away in a Manger Flute Trio(Year 9) Flute trio; Alice Pratley with Arabella Y5 playing The Christmas Song (Junior School) Violin solo; Alice Pratley with Ella & Chloe Y4 playing Jingle Bells (Junior School) Violin duet; Alice Pratley with Erika Y4 playing Deck the Halls (Junior School) Violin solo

20th: Hazel Woodcock with Flute Group playing Good King Wenceslas (Senior) Flute ensemble; Lollie & Megan playing Have yourself a merry little Christmas(Year 9) Violin & bassoon

21st: Tom Crehan with Giuliana playing Go roll it on the mountain (Year 7) Violin solo

22nd: Eli RJ with Dess C playing Britten, ‘The Birds’ (Year 12) Vocal solo

23rd: Cathy Schofield with Amelia and Lollie playing God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Year 9) Violin Duet; Stephen O’Regan with Evie playing Silent Night (Year 8) Flute solo; Cathy Schofield with Amelie, Zoe and Olivia playing We Three Kings (Year 8) Violin Trio

24th: Nina Robertson with Y10 Flutes playing Coventry Carol (Year 10) Flute ensemble; Stephen O’Regan with Juna playing Deck the Halls (Year 7) Flute solo; Cathy Schofield with Shreya & Beatrice playing ‘ Il est, le divin enfant’ (Year 10) Violin Duet

25th: VMT with Eli, Nina & Jozef – Echo aria from Christmas Oratorio (VMT)

If you would like to donate to our chosen charity, Help Musicians, we would welcome any donations, big or small here. Help Musicians is an independent UK charity for professional musicians of all genres, from starting out through to retirement. 

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

NHEHS Music