Nottingham Girls’ High School perform with Emma Brown at the Albert Hall

Last year in November, six of our girls accompanied alumna and mezzo-soprano singer, Emma Brown, on a poignant and emotional tour of significant sites in France and Belgium to commemorate the Armistice Centenary. This year Emma was back at school, met up with the girls again and rehearsed with the Junior Vocalise choir ahead of another stunning concert.

Singing is a major pastime at NGHS, not just on the curriculum but also as an extracurricular activity. The girls love it and they are incredibly good at it and love to perform here at school, or anywhere really! Starting at the Infant and Junior School, music and singing is hugely popular. Under the expert tuition of the school and visiting music staff, the girls flourish and grow in confidence, and it shows in their performances.

On Friday 14 June, alumna Emma Brown came back to the school for a visit but also to rehearse with our Vocalise choir at the Infant and Junior School, in preparation for a concert at the Albert Hall in Nottingham on Sunday.

The Junior School Music Room and surrounding corridors resounded with beautiful voices that afternoon as Emma practised with the girls from the Vocalise choir and Mrs Isla Keys on the piano. The girls were in awe and were heard whispering, “How did she get so good?” as they all sang together.

Emma is a renowned mezzo-soprano singer who read Music at the University of Cambridge and went on to study at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. We are very lucky and privileged to have her returning to the school to inspire and support the next generation of talented musicians.

The concert on Sunday was amazing and the Vocalise choir were totally unfazed by performing in the impressive Albert Hall with Emma and accompanied by Mr John Keys on the Binns organ. Opportunities such as these are one of the things that make NGHS so special, so different.

Emma was delighted to be back and had the chance to catch up with some familiar members of staff, and meet some new staff too. We shared a wonderful few days and we’re very grateful to Emma for her time and commitment, and very proud of all of the performances on Sunday night.