The carol service in Exeter Cathedral is always one of the highlights of the school calendar and this year certainly did not disappoint. After the service opened with the iconic solo first verse of ‘Once in Royal David’s City’, a choir of over 120 pupils sang a mixture of contemporary and traditional carols, and it was a joy to present some wonderful works by some unsung female composers. There was music to fit all tastes, from the rhythmic energy in ‘Good Will to Men’ by Tabakova, to the ethereal and majestic music of ‘Stars’ by Esenvalds and an arrangement of the popular carol 'Ding Dong Merrily on High'.
The combined choirs featured pupils including choristers as young as Year 3, all the way through to our leavers in Year 13, as well as a number of staff and parents too. As with tradition, the congregation contributed to the concluding moments, with the service ending with the famous full carol ‘Hark the Herald’, bolstered by a brass ensemble of pupils and a soaring descant.
It was a fantastic effort by all the pupils’ involved and I congratulate them all for such a memorable occasion.
