Dulwich College Beijing gave a landmark concert on Sunday, April 14, becoming the first western group to perform in the Wangfujing Cathedral. The concert featured the Dulwich choir and orchestra, the Beijing Youth Orchestra, and the choir from Niulanshan No. 1 Middle School. The central piece of the evening’s concert was Requiem by Gabriel Faure.
The group, which consisted of 140 choir members and 65 orchestra members, played to a full cathedral. Conductor and Dulwich Director of Music Shane O’Shea led the evening’s performances, which featured baritone soloist Timothy Parker in a number of programs pieces. Notably, he was the solo baritone in Verra la morte e avra I tuoi occhi, a piece composed on commission by Benoit Granier, Dulwich’s composer in residence.
The following piece, Mediation from Thais by Jules Massenet, featured 15 year old Amy Yun as a violin soloist. Yun trains with a professor at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and gave a stunning performance in front of the packed theater. Faure’s Requiem closed the night, with Dulwich Year 7 student Timothy Richardson-Waldin performing the treble solo in the third movement of Requiem.
The planning for next year’s concert is already in motion, which will include a similar performance in Shanghai.
Photos courtesy of Dulwich
