On Friday 19 September, we were delighted to welcome the Bevan Family Consort to Downside to perform a concert in the Abbey church.
Following the release of their latest acclaimed album earlier this year, they performed a rich, entertaining and varied program of choral works, ranging from Parry’s iconic ‘I Was Glad’ to open, accompanied by the magnificent Compton Organ, to contemporary compositions by members of the ensemble. The Bevan Family has a long and rich association with music making back at Downside School, stretching back to Roger Bevan’s long tenure as Director of Music here between 1953 and 1983, who founded this family ensemble, often dubbed the ‘British von Trapps’, in the 1970s during his tenure here.
More recently, Rachel Bevan served as singing teacher here for 27 years and was hugely influential in developing girls’ singing here at Downside. Throughout this time, members of the family in various generations have passed through the School as pupils, and it was wonderful to have the latest generation of the Bevan family among the Downside pupils in attendence for this concert. We are hugely grateful that the Bevan Family Concert were willing to use the proceeds from this concert to raise funds for our Bevan Chorister Scholarship, which is awarded to promising young singers who wish to benefit from the outstanding choral singing opportunities on offer here at Downside. Not only is this scholarship important for those who are beneficiaries of it, as we heard from our current Bevan Scholar, James, who shared his enriching experience of singing at Downside, it is also an important part of our work to sustain the rich tradition of Catholic liturgical choral music that is deeply embedded in our School life.
If you would like to contribute to the Bevan Chorister Scholarship, please click here