PTA Arts Festival Celebrates Chiswick School Diversity

Samba, Kabuki and Faure in eclectic mix of performances

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The Annual PTA Arts festival on Thursday July 7th was a sell out at Chiswick Community School. Parents were treated to an eclectic mix of Arts performances and exhibitions as well as an excellent Caribbean style meal from New Initiative Catering.

The weather forecast meant that most of the performances were inside this year. The festival opened with a parade of sculptures worn as headdresses inspired by the painter Robert Delawney depicting London land marks. A Samba band accompanied the parade. Cross cultural fusion like this was a theme of the festival.

The steel bands featured strongly with bands from all year groups playing. One piece which stood out was the Pavane by Faure. The versatility of the playing allowed for a slow mellow version of the piece followed by a far more energetic Caribbean style interpretation.

Drama featured too, with Kabuki style fight sequences from year 9 . The new studio was a venue for a performance of The Exam which was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience.

The only dance item this year was another example of the rich diversity of Chiswick Community School. Marta Glyn Blanco in year 9 treated an amazed audience to a Flamenco sequence. Her feet clattered out the rhythms whilst she maintained a calm and detached facial expression and posture. This was a Chiswick first.

As visitors took time to admire the Photography and Art exhibitions featuring stunning work, more musical items graced the Hall and Gym. Powerful vocal performances from Abigail Lefevre, now Head Girl, and Taga Obano-Cox were highlights of a varied programme of rock and soul. In the Hall the orchestra reached new heights with excellent ensemble playing. They were followed by the jazz band whose performance of a Fleet Foxes number complete with xylophone chorus astonished the audience. Kane Atikinson fronted the band with his now familiar jazz style vocals.

Thanks must go out to the PTA for producing the event and the Music, Art and Drama teachers, and the 150 students who participated.

July 16, 2011