Monkton pupils shine at Mid Somerset

Mid Somerset Festival 2019 

The Mid Somerset Festival was founded in 1902 making it one of the oldest festivals in the country. It runs for a full fortnight each March with classes in Creative Writing, Speech & Drama, Music and Musical Theatre and schools from around the UK travel to participate. This year we had a record number of entries from Monkton in both music, drama and creative writing categories.
 
Music

Competition as ever was very high however we were particularly successful with a number of pupils and ensembles who achieved first place in their categories. Well done to all pupils who took part. The festival always finished with a celebratory concert and we were lucky enough to have some of our pupils performing. Thank you to the Prep string quartet, Lucy, Archie & Ophelia who were invited to perform at this concert.
 
Results:
 
Prep School Ensembles
 
String Quartet                         Chamber Music under 14                   1st Place
                                                                                                            
Orchestra                                14 and under orchestra                     1st Place
 
Close Harmony                       14 and under senior choirs                  1st Place
 
Year 5 & 6                               Primary class presentation                 1st Place
 
Prep School Solo Classes
 
Anna & Alex Bichard              String Duo                                           1st Place
 
Isabelle Scrase                       String Solo, Intermediate                    1st Place
 
Chloe Craig                             Woodwind Solo, Elementary               1st Place
 
Lucy Curtis                              Pop Song                                          1st Place
 
Clemmie Alford                       Show song                                         1st Place
 
Anna & Isabelle                       String Duo                                        2nd Place
 
Isabelle Scrase                       Piano Repertoire under 11                   2nd Place
 
Cyra Wong                              Woodwind Solo, Intermediate             2nd Place
 
Lucy Curtis                              Woodwind Solo, Under 14                  2nd Place
 
Eve Maya                               String Solo, Intermediate                    3rd Place
 
Harriett Loveys                       My Favourite Song                             3rd Place
 
 
Non competitive class
Beginner woodwind solo - Cassia Grace Oylemade, Elizabeth Willert, Siena Hardisty        
 
Speech and Drama
We are incredibly proud of everyone who took part this year. We have had brilliant feedback all round with not only excellent results, but some amazing personal milestones. Students who didn't want to stand in front of an audience 4 months ago are now proficiently treading the boards in front of a public audience.
 
Violet Diggle                     Solo Musical Theatre, Year 3              1st Place
Harry Hardisty                  Public Speaking, Year 6                     1st Place
Vassiliki Sotirakou            Solo Acting, Year 7                            1st Place
 
Jonathan Ochero             TV Newsreading, Year 8                      1st Place
 
Imogen Call                      Solo acting, Year 11                         1st Place
 
Archie Griffiths and
Ophelia Fellhauer              Duo Musical Theatre, Under 21          1st Place
 
Vassiliki Sotirakou             Solo Shakespeare, Year 7                  2nd Place
 
Lizzie Matton                     Solo Acting, Year 9                           2nd Place
 
Olivia Stockinger               Solo Acting, Year 10                          2nd Place
 
Archie Griffiths                  Solo Musical Theatre, Under 21          2nd Place
 
Angus Bell                         Solo acting, Year 9                           3rd Place
 
Beatrice Bayntun Coward  Solo Acting, Under 21                        3rd Place
 
Barnaby Russell and
Lucas Miles                        Duo Acting, Year 9                           3rd Place
 

Creative Writing
 
This year the Mid Somerset Festival Creative Writing Day saw competition from many schools in the area and Monkton Prep School students proved to be successful in both poetry and short story writing! We were overwhelmed by the amount of talented writers and entered over 40 of our students into the competition. On the day, entrants had the opportunity to read their stories to an audience, which was great experience for them! Congratulations to all of the winners!
 
 
Lauren Evans                       Poem under 10 years                                   1st place
 
Sienna Hardisty                    Poem under 8 years                                     2nd place
 
Elizabeth Willert                   Poem under 8 years                                     3rd place
 
Ava Perry                             Poem under 9 years                                    2nd place
 
Tabi Waddington                  Short story 10-13 years                               2nd place

Please see photos of some of this year's competitors below: