Downe House
- web site: www.downehouse.co.uk
- telephone: +44 (0)1635 200286
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Junior Choral's five day centenary tour to Prague began in earnest first thing in the morning on Friday 8 th June 2007. Following a final rehearsal at Downe for all of the girls, Miss Slocombe gave a wonderfully evocative talk on the art and architecture of the city, all the more vivid with the beautiful slide show which accompanied it. Walking around Prague during the days that followed, most of us recalled the talk at one point or another and our feel for the city was considerably enriched. If only one could have a lecture like that before visiting any city for the first time…..
All the travel arrangements went like clockwork (well, almost), and after a hearty East European meal at our Prague hotel, the ninety eight girls slept soundly – or so the staff was lead to believe. Day two started very early in order to facilitate a rehearsal in the famous St. Vitus Cathedral (before it opened to tourists at nine). This provided the added benefit and incredible privilege of being able to look around the cathedral in all it Gothic splendour, before anyone else arrived. The choir then divided into smaller groups, each one with its own tour guide, and spent the rest of the day walking about the city: starting in the Castle district, we then travelled through the Lesser Quarter, crossed the famous Charles Bridge, strolled through the Old Town and into the centre just in time to hear (and see) the Astronomical Clock proclaim the hour. The sky was completely blue and the sun was scorching – the kind of beautiful weather that provides the perfect light for wandering around an old city, but necessitates a pleasingly lazy pace and regular ice cream and drink stops. The day ended with a serene boat trip on the Vltava River, eating a sumptuous dinner and watching the world go by; always a lovely way to see an old city, and one which the girls seemed to enjoy greatly. After this perfect day the girls were relaxed and happy.
On Sunday morning the choir sang Mass at St. Vitus Cathedral – Dr. Alexander conducted while Mr. Sliwka played the cathedral organ. They were all crammed onto a balcony high up in the building, where the music could be heard reverberating about the huge space. While Dr. Alexander's fear of heights provided the girls with some amusement and seemed to bring out a meaner streak in one or two of them, they sang like angels. The many parents and friends who had come to hear them were clearly delighted. For some, this was followed by time with family and friends, while others enjoyed exploring more of Prague. As a group, we visited the Jewish Quarter with its heart stopping memorial to those who died during the Holocaust, next to the old cemetery, a place with a strange, ethereal beauty. Later, after eating, the choir sang Evening Mass at the Church of Our Lady before Tyn, an extraordinarily glittery and ornate church not unlike the archetypal Disney castle, set on the main square in the centre of Prague. Again, the choir squeezed onto a balcony near the organ, which Mr. Sliwka played while Mr. Cain conducted. As at the morning Mass, the choir sang Mozart's Ave verum corpus , a charming setting of Psalm 148 by Laurence Bevenot, Stanford's A Song of Wisdom , and a setting of the Magnificat by Naji Hakim (especially commissioned for the choir in this centenary year). Here, however, these were augmented by Gregorian chant and Hakim's Nunc dimittis (the second part of the commission). Suffice to say it was a strikingly beautiful ceremony.
Monday, being our last whole day there, was utilised for a larger scale trip. Stopping on the way to visit the world famous Moser Crystal factory (where the girls went onto the shop floor itself to watch the glass being blown, and the temperature was even hotter than outside), we then spent most of the day in the elegant spa town of Karlovy Vary. Set in a small green valley, here was the perfect place for the girls to relax and amble through the parks and the spa buildings, browse the shops, even have a swim in the open air pool. Many sat outside restaurants, shaded from the sun, to enjoy a relaxed lunch or an ice cream. This was the kind of day when one would not object if time dragged somewhat – a fitting end to such an enjoyable tour.
The following day, after a short browse in central Prague, we headed for the airport and arrived home in plenty of time to get an early night and prepare for life back at Downe. Everyone involved knew that this had been a most wonderful tour, in which the choir had performed superbly and everybody had enjoyed themselves immensely. We had seen a great city at its best and sung Mass in two truly stunning Czech churches. Apart from Mr. Cain and Dr. Alexander, the girls were accompanied by the redoubtable Mrs. Gwatkin, Miss Slocombe, Mme. Chartrain, Mrs. Simpson, Mrs. Caiger-Smith, and Sister Peete, all of whom helped to make the tour such fun and so effortless. Of course, it was in reality Mr. Sliwka's meticulous preparation (both musical and logistical), tireless efforts to plan an exciting trip for the girls, and his tremendous sense of joie de vivre that made this Junior Choral tour such a resounding success.
Christian Alexander
Dan Cruikshank - 'Adventures in Architecture'
Dan is a leading expert on architecture and historic buildings and a regular presenter on the BBC. He is best known for his popular series Britain's Best Buildings and Around The World in 80 Treasures; and for his appearances in Under Fire and What The Industrial Revolution Did For Us. Dan's latest series, Adventures in Architecture has recently screened on BBC 2.
Pupils from Downe House have walked the 300km (200 miles) from Downe House to Salcombe in Devon to raise awareness and funds for Cancer Research UK's vital research. The girls arrived wet and tired, but triumphant, after a gruelling 16 day march which took them acorss fields, rivers and along the coastal path.
The competition is open to all students in Year 12 and essay titles are set by Corpus Christi. Poppy will be attending the Prize Giving on 3 July.
Annie entered her design for her AS Level Product Design Resistant Materials coursework and has been selected as one of the 20 finalists. She will take her project and portfolio to the Finals, which will be held at Dulwich College in London on 20 June 2008.
Sunday, 10 August 2008
Performances at 11am and 6pm at 'The Dell', the outdoor performance space in the RSC Centenary Gardens, bordered by the river and Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon.
Bring a picnic, all welcome!
2nd - 4th May in the Performing Arts Centre
‘Times' writer Mary Ann Sieghart gives Summer Term Medley Lecture
Newbury's MP, Richard Benyon, visited Downe House on 25th April speak to thePolitics Society about his work in the House of Commons and the constituency.
Congratulations to Emma Powell (U5) who was selected for NYT's highly acclaimed acting course.
On Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th March, Downe House hosted a charity fashion show. The events were organised by Rosie Fortescue, Georgiana Haig and Celia Thursfield, in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust, raising a total of just over £5,500.
Gillian Clarke, renowned poet, who has written poetry and prose for children and adults, visited Downe House on Sunday, 16 March. Her poetry reading began with her first publsihed poem 'The Sundial' and the audience were immediately impressed by her passionate and erudite ideas......
Diane Louise Jordan, businesswoman and one of the most popular presenters of BBC One's Songs of Praise, gave a talk and answered questions about how her faith influences the way she conducts her own business life and on matters relating to business ethics and corporate social responsibility more generally.
If you missed House Drama, or would like to see your daughter's performance again, a professional Double DVD recording by Kingsbridge AV Limited of all five productions will be available to order at a cost of £22.50 each.
Click here to find out how to order
This Trust was established in November 2006 as part of the agreed resolution of the OFT's recent investigation.
The objects of the Trust are to:
There are three criteria for eligibility:
For further details go to <Joining Downe> and click on <Scholarships>