Popular Piano Festival at Pangbourne College Remembered

Last week young musicians from around the South of England would have been busy practising and preparing for the ninth piano festival at Pangbourne College had COVID-19 restrictions and Lockdown 3 not prevented it. Here, piano festival coordinator, Mrs Alex Garnier, reflects on last year’s festival and looks forward with Director of Music, Mr Chris McDade, to a special 10th anniversary festival next March.

For the eighth year running Pangbourne College celebrated its All Steinway School status in style with a piano festival last March. It was under two weeks before Lockdown 1 when Pangbourne College pupils returned home a week early to study online for their final week of the Lent Term. 

More than 100 young people, aged 6 to 18, from almost 40 state and private schools in the south of England, participated in this special annual College event. Among these were eight Pangbournians (Eve, Lucia, Daniel, Bastien, Henry, Amelia, Grace, and Cameron). Lucia, then in the Lower Sixth, won the Solo Advanced, 18 and under (Grades 7-8), class. She and Grace, also in the Lower Sixth, won the Duet Senior, 17 and under, class. 

The Festival included competitive solo and duet classes of Grades 1 to 8+ standard. During these classes each participant or duo had the opportunity to perform their piece and had instant feedback from one of three experienced, positive and sympathetic adjudicators, Mrs Pamela Chilvers, Mr Luis Parés and Mr Peter Selwyn. 

‘When we created the Festival back in 2012 we were keen not only to give young people an opportunity to play on some fabulous pianos, but also to learn more about these instruments and how to play them well,’ said Mrs Garnier.

At the end of the competitive classes an album of music is awarded to the winner. ‘Each year, one of the fun aspects of the Festival is an excuse to consider what piano music to give as prizes. I am always grateful to the adjudicators for their input on these choices,’ said Mrs Garnier.

Last  year, for the first time there was an accompaniment masterclass, in addition to two Solo Masterclasses, in which the participants could look more in-depth at a piece with one of the adjudicators. Mr McDade said: ‘We’d very much like to see more young people engaging in ensemble work. The piano is often seen as a solo instrument and the skills necessary to play with others are challenging, but rewarding. Like in team sports, playing music with others can be tremendous fun.’

All of Pangbourne College's pianos come from the world-class piano manufacturer Steinway & Sons.  They sit well within the beautiful surroundings of the school's Music department which was created in 2012, Drake Hall, and the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel, a splendid modern spiritual building opened by The Queen in 2000. 

The latter houses one of the largest Steinway instruments, a Model D. ‘This particular one was chosen with the help of maestro Vladimir Ashkenazy,’ said Mrs Garnier, ‘and it has an amazing breadth of sound as was demonstrated last year by the Grade 8+ young pianists, in particular. It arrived in December 2011 and was such a wonderful Christmas present for the school.’

The Piano Festival is one of several outreach musical events which Pangbourne College organises. Next year the school is looking forward to inviting young musicians and their families back to the College to mark the 10th anniversary of the arrival of the Steinway pianos and the creation of the Music department.

Mrs Garnier said: ‘Looking back at the feedback from young musicians, teachers and parents from last year’s festival, it is clear that  they really appreciate this event. One of my favourite family memories was attending a piano festival in Bath for many years with my mother. This festival was created based on those memories.

‘Among the differences between that festival and ours is that the pianos are all world-class, the venues are near to one another, and the adjudicators give feedback after each performance. There is a delicious lunch available, too, plus free parking. What more could one want?’

Indeed, what more can one want.