Eltham College musicians enjoyed an outstanding weekend at the Blackheath Music Festival, held at the College on 9-10 May. With more than 1,600 performers and visitors attending across the two days, the festival created a vibrant atmosphere of music-making and celebration, bringing together pupils from schools across London alongside a particularly strong contribution from Eltham College performers.
The festival featured a record number of entries, with performances taking place across several venues around the school. Adjudicators Timothy Barratt and Joseph Tong (piano), Andrew Sherwood (strings), and Belinda Mikhail (singing) praised the exceptionally high standard of performances throughout the weekend, frequently commenting on the musical maturity, technical assurance, and professionalism displayed by the performers.
Senior School pupils achieved considerable success in solo and chamber music classes, with a high number of performances receiving Gold awards. Particularly notable were Evelyn (Year 8) for her outstanding solo harp performance, Diiya (Year 8), who achieved Gold awards in both the Unaccompanied Bach and Concerto classes, and the Eltham College Senior School Piano Trio for their compelling and accomplished chamber music performance. Associate Musician Toby Spencer was also recognised for his polished musicianship and engaging performance style.
The chamber music classes provided a fitting conclusion to the festival weekend and highlighted the strength of ensemble playing within the Senior School. A special moment came with the presentation of the prestigious Hindley Cup, awarded annually by Jessica O’Leary in recognition of outstanding chamber music skills. This year, the Senior School Harp Ensemble were delighted to retain the trophy, having also won the award in 2025 – a remarkable achievement and testament to their continued excellence.
The festival was a wonderful celebration of music-making, and the adjudicators were full of praise for the confidence, commitment, and professionalism shown by all performers throughout the weekend. Congratulations to all involved in another highly successful and inspiring festival.