Mount Choirs Spread Christmas Cheer Across the Community
The Mount Music Department is renowned for its high-quality performances across its choirs, orchestra and ensembles. In November and December each year, our pupil musicians come into their own, sharing their talents with the community through festive musical pieces, both classical, and fun interpretations to raise money for charity.
Over the years, The Mount has been proud to perform for children in York Hospital, residents of two care homes, Rufforth Church congregation, and the local community, shoppers and visitors outside The Ivy in St Helen’s Square and at The Living North Christmas Fayre, to name a few.
The Chamber and Senior Choir, orchestra and award-winning String Quartet has performed classic hymns, songs from around the world in other languages and traditional classical pieces for strings, as well as self-composed pieces, as girls study composition in school.
Director of Music Andrew Passmore said:
“We’re very proud of the high standard of Music we produce, especially for a smaller school, and we have some very talented music scholars if you know a girl who might want to apply.
As a Quaker school, it’s not enough to only share our pupils’ talents in school, we also reach out. For years now we have established wonderful relationships across the community and have been proud to perform for anyone who might find joy in our performances.
Two lovely memories are when dementia patients at William Wilberforce Care Home found the words to join in, in fine voice and tapping along, and when a young toddler at York Hospital’s children’s ward was mesmerised by the violin so a Year 7 strings player allowed her to have a strum, mid concert! Truly magical Christmas memories.
I’m very proud of how our pupils are great ambassadors of The Mount and how they live out one of our Quaker principles of ‘making a positive contribution’ through music.”
Malcolm Young from The William Wilberforce Care Home said:
“We enjoy this performance every time and thank The Mount for giving up their time and sharing their talents. It brings back such wonderful yuletide memories for the residents with echoes of Christmases past. They think of their youth with nostalgia, and you can just see the joy on their faces as they join in with favourite songs. We particularly loved, ‘We wish you a Merry Christmas. Wishing everyone a Happy New Year from all of us at the William Wilberforce.”
Outside The Ivy restaurant, St Helen’s Square, over £100 was collected in buckets for York Against Cancer. Lisa Byrne, PR for The Ivy, York, said:
“It doesn’t feel like Christmas until the incredible Mount School Choir has serenaded York residents and visitors outside The Ivy. Their carol singing has become a much-loved annual event, with thrilled Ivy diners enjoying listening to their angelic voices. The girls always commit, whatever the weather, and we are thrilled to fortify them with lashings of hot chocolate and mince pies. There’s no better, more chocolate-box way to feel Christmassy.”
At York Hospital, one nurse said:
“I wish The Mount could stay with us all day. Thank you so much for the beautiful music that really does cheer up the children in the ward, and those in bed can still hear it even if they can’t manage to get up to watch.”