The Record 2014 - 2015

GAUDY, 4TH JULY 2015

win over Marlborough; and again there have been more records broken: • Highest 1st wicket partnership of 239 between Will Bull and Calvin Dickinson • Highest partnership for any wicket in history of the school between AJ Woodland and Calvin Dickinson – 276 runs • Highest ever individual innings – Calvin Dickinson – 181 runs In rowing last Saturday the J14 girls’ Octo won the Reading Town Regatta to make them one of the most successful Shell girls’ rowing crews ever at Teddies; they were also women’s J14 champions at Birmingham Regatta, Thames Ditton Regatta, and Bedford Star Regatta. The boys’ 1st VIII reached the last eight at Henley despite an extraordinary number of setbacks in the run-up, and they showed true grit to beat the German champions by two lengths on Thursday. On Sunday I enjoyed the Leavers’ Music Platform at the Holywell Music Room followed on Monday by two wonderful recitals in the Warden’s Rooms; last night and on Thursday there were two more first class concerts, the first featuring Lucienne Young playing the Handel Harp Concerto which reminded me of the splendid evening earlier in the year at St John’s Smith Square where three of our pupils – Aaron Gruen, Horatio Holloway and Ben Swindells – played the Haydn Cello Concerto, and fully one fifth of the School were on stage to

entertain the audience in one of London’s great musical venues. If I may be permitted a small advertisement, I would note that the choir will be singing Evensong at St Paul’s Cathedral on 28th September, hopefully followed by a drinks party somewhere. In yesterday evening’s dance showcase, the performers metaphorically travelled around the world to take in exciting locations including New York; last term we were also metaphorically dancing in New York in Fame! – enjoyed by so many – and by the same token we will return to that City for West Side Story in the autumn. Showcasing the School this week, particularly in the arts, inevitably means that we showcase the wonderful facility that is The North Wall and I know many of you thoroughly enjoyed Terry Pratchett’s Mort (with excellent performances from all the cast, but not least Sam Shuker and Max Brennan) and also Caryl Churchill’s Love and Information which I look forward to seeing again in Edinburgh. I am reminded too, when thinking of our great tradition of drama here, of last year’s leaver, Flossie Pugh, whose film, The Falling was released earlier this year to rave reviews. I have no doubt that she is another OSE superstar heading for the front cover of Vogue like Emilia Clark. The visual arts have been to the fore, and if you have not seen the leavers’ art exhibition (open until 4.00 pm today in the North Wall) and the mixed years’ exhibition (also open until 4.00 pm in the Art and Design department), then please make a

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