Winter Sounds 2025- Fairfield Halls

Winter Sounds 2025: Fairfield Halls, 10 & 11 December 2025

On the 10th and 11th December Wandsworth Music presented two unforgettable Winter Sounds concerts at Fairfield Halls. The two concerts showcased the incredible talents of over 1100 Wandsworth students from 20 primary schools, two secondary schools, and four Wandsworth Music Academy ensembles. There was a wide range of musical styles on show from Classical, Jazz and Musical Theatre.

On the 10^th December the concert hall was packed. The Wandsworth Concert Orchestra, conducted by Jim Alexander, were first to take to the stage. The first piece they played was Johann Strauss’ Thunder and Lightning Polka. The Orchestra handled the fast paced rhythms superbly. Next, they played Antonin Dvorak’s Slavonic Dance No. 7 . The orchestra’s performance of The Polar Express was full of Christmas spirit. It showcased the Orchestra’s rich palette of musical styles with sweeping luscious string and woodwind melodies to swinging brass and tunes.

 

Next, Wandsworth BEYOND!, led by Paul Griffiths, took the stage with an original composition created by its talented members. The piece, in fou movements, included Gold Dust, The Chosen One, Tobi’s Theme (featuring a stunning flute solo by Tobi Oluwatuyi), and Looking Up. It was amazing that all the incredible music was composed by the children themselves.

The Graveney Jazz Band, directed by John Hargreaves, were on fine form. Their first piece James Bond Theme featured some very powerful trumpet playing! Gershwin’s It Ain’t Necessarily So featured a stunning vocal performance by Narayan Peyronnin. Their lively rendition of Tito Puente’s Oye Como Va featured their amazing rhythm section.

 

The Graveney Sixth Form A Cappella, under the direction of Adele Norman and Sam Coates brought the first half to an end. They performed two very contrasting pieces that showcased the power of A Cappella voices. The first piece was Follow That Star, a Christmas classic by Peter Gritton. The harmonies and phrasing were executed with impressive precision. The audience favourite was definitely Lizzo’s About Damn Time. The ensemble performed with such energy, and it featured some impressive beatboxing from Jed Casterton.

In the second half the Wandsworth Primary Choir and House Band took the stage. This mammoth massed choir featured 13 different schools. Under the direction of Debbie Huie, Joe Prescott and Emily Hall, the young singers wowed the audience with their renditions of pop classics like Katy Perry’s Roar and Bruno Mars Medley, with some impressive choreographed moves on show. Their energy really was infectious. The Prayer showcased the choir’s beautiful tone, and immaculate story telling ability. They also captured the Christmas spirit beautifully with Do You Hear What I Hear? and The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, leaving everyone in a festive mood.

The second night of Winter Sounds was a sold-out concert. The Wandsworth Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Dan White, opened the evening with excerpts from Romeo & Juliet by Prokofiev. This featured some amazing orchestral playing from these young musicians. All the sections of the Orchestra were featured at various points across the movements. The audience would have recognised Montagues and Capulets as the theme tune from The Apprentice! Bravo to Laura Turnbull for her mellifluous flute solo in Romeo at Juliets before parting.

The Saint Cecilia’s School Concert Band, directed by James Robinson, followed with a stirring performance of selections from the show Wicked. This was followed by the impressive 90-piece orchestra performing Leroy Anderson’s A Christmas Festival, a stunning medley of Christmas favourites.

The Wandsworth Performance Troupe (WPT), conducted by Debbie Huie and Emily Hall brought the first half to a close. They dazzled the audience with selections from The Polar Express and Jolly Jingle Christmas. The combination of singing, choreography and acting was worthy of any West End production! We are always looking for new members for WPT. If your child is interested in joining, please get in touch.

During the second half, the Wandsworth Primary Choir joined forces with the Wandsworth Philharmonic Orchestra to perform an eclectic mix of songs. The primary choir made up of the combined forces of 7 new primary schools. The massed primary choir performed with a high level of commitment, and they were clearly having so much fun! The family and friends in the audience were in awe, and showed their appreciation with a standing ovation. All the children’s hard work in their sessions had clearly paid off. A huge thank you to all the Wandsworth tutors and school teachers who worked so hard to make this performance possible.

These two evenings of Winter Sounds were a celebration of the extraordinary talent of Wandsworth’s young musicians. A huge well done to all the children who were involved.

You can watch both concerts on our YouTube channel!