THE students from St Dominic’s Grammar School have displayed a stunning array of musical talent at their annual Spring Concert, held for the first time in the magnificent setting of the Ulster Hall.
The performance opened with the Senior Orchestra, playing Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony followed by an audience rousing version of ‘Zombie’, by The Cranberries. It was then the turn of the Junior Choir who graced the stage with All is Found from Frozen 2.
Not to be outdone the entire Year 8 provided proud family members in the audience with the uplifting Touch the Sky from Brave and the Beautiful, I See the Light from Tangled, led by young soloists Niamh Duffy, Doireann O’Connor and Emily MacAteer.
The St Dominic's choirs and musicians on stage in the Ulster Hall
The Senior and Chamber Choir performed beautifully with Neela Cahir providing a haunting solo for Siúil a Rúin. There were also Year 13 and 14 ensemble pieces from Wicked, Ceilings and an upbeat Take me to Heaven from Sister Act that had the audience boogying in their seats. There were also specialist String and Wind bands performing for the very first time.
The crowd also got to see the school’s award winning Junior and Senior Cumann Ceoil play a stunning array of traditional reels, accompanied by the Irish Dancing of Dearbhla Finnegan, Clíodhna McGoran and Eve Milliken.
Year 13 Music student Olivia Napier, who was involved in seven different performances, felt that “it was an incredible opportunity to be given the chance to perform in the Ulster Hall".
She added: "It was fantastic to have such a great turnout, as we have missed out on our past few annual Spring Concerts, but I believe that we made up for that with so many brilliant acts, from our youngest members of the school in Year 8, right up to Year 14. Of course we couldn’t have done it without Mr McNeill, Miss Mullen and all the tutors who dedicate their time to us.”
Bringing the evening to a close in the Ulster Hall
Head of Music, Shane McNeill added: “The students were fabulous and they deserve a lot of credit. They put in so many hours of practice to get to this stage. The know it’s worth it when they create memories like this.”
The show closed with the singing of the Dominican Magnificat which was dedicated to the late Sister Jacqueline, the former principal who recently passed away before the well-known I’ll Tell me Ma, played by the Traditional Group, and sung by everyone in the Ulster Hall.
