I would like to thank parents and students for their support and forbearance during the recent snow. We had to make a number of rapid decisions and announcements in school, as the forecast evolved, and the support of parents in responding to these announcements was very helpful indeed. Unfortunately many school activities have been curtailed recently, as a consequence of the weather. In particular, a number of our most significant sporting fixtures of the term had to be cancelled. The big event coming up next week is, of course, our joint schools’ production of ‘Les Mis’. We are all looking forward to the performances greatly, and I look forward to seeing many of you at the Blake Theatre. Students have been rehearsing with great effort, and I wish them the very best for the performances.

Lent term: Week 109th March 2018News

A note from the Headmaster

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Two Monmouth choirs joined together for the first time for a magical Choral Evensong at Brecon Cathedral. A choir of 75 children from Monmouth School Boys’ Prep Grange Choir and Monmouth School for Boys’ Chapel Choir shone in the Medieval surroundings. A large crowd of family and friends travelled to hear the boys sing music by CV Stanford, Will Todd and Robert Ashfield.

Director of Music at Monmouth School for Boys, Mr David Lawson, and Music teacher at Monmouth School Boys’ Prep, Mr Joe Walton, were delighted with the evening. Mr Lawson said: “It’s a great opportunity for the Monmouth School Boys’ Prep boys to sing music with parts for tenors and bases, which normally they don’t have the opportunity to tackle. “For the older boys it meant they have a much bigger top line to support. At the end of the Stanford, in particular, the sound was epic.”

In the past few years, Monmouth School for Boys’ Chapel Choir has performed in St Paul’s Cathedral, St Peter’s in Rome and at the Mezquite of Cordoba. Headteacher at Monmouth School Boys’ Prep, Mr Neil Shaw, said: “Hearing the two choirs together for the first time was spectacular. Their voices blended seamlessly. The acoustics in the ancient and beautiful Brecon Cathedral were superb and the Choral Evensong was very poignant. It was snowing outside which added to the magic of the historic occa-sion.”

HISTORIC AND MAGICAL EVENING AT BRECON CATHEDRAL

Congratulations to Oliver, who is in Form I at Monmouth School for Boys, as he has received a Highly Commended certificate in the finals of The Cranmer Awards.

Oliver, aged 12, recited passages from The Book of Com-mon Prayer in front of an audience of more than 100 people at Old Palace in Worcester.

Run by the Prayer Book Society, the national contest intro-duces young people to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer created by Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, during the Reformation.

Oliver, who progressed through local heats, memorised the Collect, Epistle and Gospel for the Accession Service for the finals.

The Reverend Clifford Swartz, Chaplain of Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools, said: “Oliver recited portions of the Service on the Anniversary of the Accession of the Reigning Sovereign at the competition in front of an audience and judges, and was a credit to himself and the school.”

Deeply rooted in the Bible, The Book of Common Prayer is the traditional service book of the Church of England and contains its official teaching

Oliver received his certificate from Herefordshire-based journalist, theatre critic and author Quentin Letts who described the Prayer Book as ‘a deep well of history, poetry and philosophy which teenagers relish’.

OLIVER PRAISED FOR IMPRESSIVE CRANMER AWARDS’ PERFORMANCE

MONMOUTH SCHOOL FOR BOYS IN THE SNOW

Many thanks to Mr Griffiths for this lovely picture, taken from his classroom window, of last week’s snow.

The senior cadets deployed to Swynnerton in Staffordshire where they conducted training to prepare them for the Cadet Cambrian Patrol Competition.

The boys revised map reading and completed an orienteering exercise; they will certainly need those skills when navigating across country on the Brecon Beacons. Some brilliant instruction was provided by a serv-ing Corporal from The Royal Welsh. The boys revised section battle drills, hand signals and tactics before being launched into blank firing attacks against a determined enemy in the shape of Capt White.

Cadet Bloomfield said, “This was the best Field Day I have been on so far. It is great to start to see all the training come together and teams really start to work for one another. The section attacks were brilliant fun.”

The recruits conducted separate training. Having passed their weapon handling tests, they fired their first live rounds on a range. They also practiced navigation, revised first aid and completed a really challenging assault course.

Major Lawrence said “It was fantastic to watch many cadets really push themselves and successfully complete training that they thought was beyond them. Many new milestones were achieved. A very constructive field day.”

CCF IN SWYNNERTON - FIELD DAY REPORT

Calendar Dates:

Fri 9 March1.30pm Form VI.2 Extended ALIS: Group 24pm Exeat begins4.15pm Boarders’ Coach to Newport Station

Sat 10 MarchExeatChess: Wales Junior Championships: U11 & U9 (Cardiff)Rugby: U13 & U12 VIIs (Millfield VIIs) Depart 9am, K.O. 12noon

Sun 11 March

ExeatChess: Wales Junior Championships: U11 & U9 (Cardiff)Boarders return from 7pm7pm Boarders’ coach departs Newport StationSoccer: v. Merthyr Academy: U14A (A) Depart 3pm, KO 5pm U15A (A) Depart 3pm, KO 6.30pm

Mon 12 March

9am - 4pm Les Misérables cast off timetable – full setup/rehearsal (Blake Theatre)6pm Les Misérables Technical Rehearsal (Blake Theatre)Rowing: Schools’ Head of the River: J15 - J18 (London)Soccer: v. Caerleon Comprehensive School: U15A & B, U14A & B XIs (H) KO 2.40pm

Tue 13 March

10am - 11am MBP General Knowledge Quiz (Pavilion)Duke of Edinburgh Practice Expedition. Depart 12.30pm (to 14 March, 3.30pm)4pm Les Misérables Band Call (Blake Theatre)7pm Les Misérables Dress Rehearsal (Blake Theatre)8pm Boarders’ Multi-Activity: Form IV/Year 10 (MG)Rowing: National Junior Sculling Head: J14 (Eton Dorney)Rugby: v. Dean Academy: 1st XI (H) K.O. 2.40pm

Wed 14 March

7pm Joint Schools’ Production Les Misérables (Blake Theatre)Soccer: v. Hereford Cathedral School: U16/U17 XI (H) K.O. 4.30pmRugby: Monmouth School U12 VIIs KO 10am Welsh National School U14 VIIs (Pontcanna, Cardiff) (A) Depart 7.45am, return 5pm

Thu 15 March8.45am - 11.45am Form I / Year 7 PSHE Crucial Crew (MG - Room 214)2pm VI.2 Leavers’ photograph (MG)7pm Joint Schools’ Production Les Misérables (Blake Theatre)

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COMING UP AT THE BLAKE THEATRE:

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO BUY TICKETS FOR THIS EVENT

10 March - Met Opera: Semiramide – 5.55pm

Against the backdrop of the Hanging Gardens, Semiramide, Queen of Baby-lon, defies bad omens and supernatural threats in her quest to find a worthy successor to her late husband. But she harbours more than one dark secret, and whoever gains the throne may find that he has lost more than he has won. Based on a story by Voltaire, this rarely performed tragic opera reveals The Barber of Seville composer Giaochino Rossini in a whole new light. The title role—composed for Rossini’s wife, Isabella Colbran—features some of the most demanding vocal music he ever wrote. Angela Meade takes on the challenging vocal fireworks in this revival of a production last seen at the Met 25 years ago.

Approx running time: 3hrs 50mins

Tickets; Adults £16, Concessions £15. SPECIAL OFFER: Buy 4 tickets for different Met Opera or ROH performances for £13 each. Available through the Box Office.

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