St Luke’s Church Battersea was resplendent with red velvet bows and shiny red Christmas tree baubles when the Eaton House The Manor Prep gathered for their traditional Carol Service on Tuesday 10 December. It was a splendid occasion and all the boys performed perfectly, both together and individually.
We began with a ‘Welcome’ from Sarah Segrave, Principal of Eaton House Schools and Headmistress of Eaton House The Manor Prep, followed by a Trumpet Te Deum by M-A Charpentier arranged by M. Rondeau. Then the Chamber Choir performed the thrilling Procession by B. Britten as they walked up the aisle towards the nave.
Every step was perfectly arranged and the various choirs changed seats on the podium with incredible efficiency. All the boys were smartly dressed and jumped neatly to the right, as one, to file out when it was the turn of the next group to perform, which was an impressive footnote to each section.
The staff, parents and pupils loved joining in with well-loved hymns – Once in Royal David’s City (with a flawless First Verse solo from Jacob Comiskey), God Rest You, Merry Gentlemen, O Little Town of Bethlehem, O Come All Ye Faithful and Hark The Herald Angels Sing.
The Nativity story was told with great verve and charm by our readers, Harry Ibrahim (4W); Arlo Campbell Collins (5N); Arthur Kingsbury (6N) and James Khoo (7N). Year 4 shone with Le Sommeil de l’Enfant Jesus, a traditional French carol and Love Shone Down with an excellent solo by Sean Stajkowski (4W). Year 5 enchanted the audience with I Wonder As I Wander, a traditional Appalachian carol arranged by J.J Niles and He is Born! , a traditional French carol arranged by J.M Martin. Year 6 performed beautifully, entertaining us with Little Children, Wake and Listen by J. M. Martin and Christmas Bells Are Ringing by P. Drennan. Years 7 and 8 sang Past Three O’Clock, a traditional English carol and O’Holy Night with a complex and superbly executed clarinet solo by ChengTong Xu (7N).
The Junior Choir sang Angels on a Midnight Clear by R.S Willis and The Holly and The Ivy by J. Gardner. The A Cappella Choir sang Silent Night by F. Gruber and P. Hunt. The Senior Choir delighted with Christmas Songs of Joy by J.M. Martin and Ding Dong Merrily on High, a traditional hymn. The Chamber Choir delighted with The Child by B. Chilcott and A Festive Alleluia by M.L. Lightfoot.
The service ended with a prayer by Head Boy Rayan Williams and Deputy Head Boy Henry Strange (both 8N) and a whole school rendition of the carol Christmas Dreams by D. Besig. The blessing was given by Lorenzo Fernandez-Smal at St Luke’s Battersea, with closing words by Mrs Segrave and The Trumpet Voluntary by J. Clarke, arranged by M. Rondeau. Every part of the service was beautifully appointed, including the programme with a picture of a robin with a front cover illustration by Ata Kirazci (6E), and there was a retiring collection for Little Village.
Our thanks are due to St Luke’s Battersea – to Lorenzo Fernadez-Small, Jennie-Helen Moston on Piano, Michael Hodges, Organist, and Cai Isfryn, Trumpet, for contributing to such a wonderful occasion.
The concert ended with a well-deserved and rousing cheer from the boys to Mr Lukas Kargl, our Eaton House The Manor Prep Director of Music, who worked tirelessly to bring the concert about and to send us home with our hearts soaring and with a renewed appreciation of the true meaning of Christmas.
