Last week saw the return of the annual Bedfordshire Festival of Music, Speech and Drama (4th - 11th March 2023). It has always been a fantastic way to celebrate Music and Speech and Drama across the County showcasing a wide variety of styles, creativity and expression.

The Festival provides our students with the opportunity to challenge themselves, striving to reach their fullest potential in their chosen discipline, embedding skills and attitudes conducive to success throughout their lives and fond memories that will stay with them.

Held at Bedford Corn Exchange, BGS entered a wealth of students into numerous Music and Speech and Drama categories, ranging from full choirs to solo singing and orchestras to oboes. Programmes included verse-speaking, mime, Shakespeare and more.

There was plenty of talent on show from across the whole school, with a huge entry from Speech and Drama, resulting in students being awarded a total of 23 1sts, 29 2nds and 27 3rds.

Our Musicians entered 25 Classes, with students being awarded 10 1sts, 17 2nds and 6 3rds. 1 Merit, 8 Commended and 19 Distinctions. The Talented Bel Canto won the Harding Memorial Bowl and The Bedford Amateur Operatic Society Cup. You can read the full highlights from the musical performances here.

In addition to the achievements throughout the week, a selection of leading performers were invited to the showpiece Gala Concert on Saturday evening. Meg Miles (Year 8) won The Woodfine Lousada Challenge Cup for the most outstanding musical performance.

Mrs Redford (Head of Speech and Drama) said: “Congratulations to all the students who took part in the Speech and Drama classes at the Festival last week. It was a very successful week and the students rose to the occasion with aplomb! It was lovely to students who had never taken part before overcome their nerves and perform with such poise.  We had some lovely surprises and even though some were not placed, their delight in achieving their best was a thing to celebrate. Those who did win a prize, did so with grace and were supportive and encouraging to all.”

Mr Keating-Roberts (Director of Music) reflected: “Bel Canto started their foray into the Festival Choral competitions in the Junior Choir categories. We saw fantastic performances from Greenacre Academy, North Bedfordshire Youth Choir and Nova Voce from Mark Rutherford all with their own unique styles and choices in repertoire. This is one of the joys of Festival competitions, the sharing of different ideas and providing a great learning experience for our students.

“The connection between all the performers of the choir was a joy to behold and received comments from the adjudicator such as ‘radiant, beautifully controlled and very moving’. This set the tone for the remainder of the programme for this category in which we came 1st and were awarded the Bedfordshire Amateur Operatic Society Cup.”

View the full BGS Speech and Drama results here.

View the full BGS Music results here.