Lyon House 'Seized The Day' In The Inter-House Music Festival

The Inter-House Music Festival is always a very successful and competitive event. Our adjudicator this year was Mr Julian Shortman from Perrott Hill School.

The Junior Solo Round was deservedly won by Holly from Priory House. She gave a very precise and controlled performance on the flute, and it was Hugo, for Lyon House, also a flutist who came in second. I particularly enjoyed Gabriel’s performance – he has a huge vocal range! The Senior Solo Round was won by Felix who performed Liszt’s 'Liebestraum' for New House, but he only just beat Kiara from Wellesley House and Clara from Priory House. I particularly enjoyed the Ensemble Round. Both Arion House and Blackford House performed really well, however this round was won by New House with Priory House and Lyon House scoring highly too.

By the time it came to the evening’s main event, Priory House and New House were out in front. Surely one of these two houses would win, if New House could do it, it would mean they would have won three years in a row! However, it was Lyon House who gave the stand out performance, and although Priory House and New House sung very well, it was to no avail. Lyon House won both the evening event, and when all the points were added up, they just beat New House to win this year’s cup. Congratulations to Lyon and to all of the Houses for such a great evening.

David Gorodi - Director of Music

A write-up from the Lyon House Conductor, Ivo

Since James Lyon opened this mighty House on the hill, we came to be aware that we weren’t the most intellectual House nor the most musical either. We have struggled and fought in the House Music Festival ever since it began, only gaining 1^st once in 2001 in the House Song. However, from the information I have gathered, Lyon have never won the whole music event ever before, and judging from recent years it wasn’t likely that we ever would have. Looking back over the past five years, in 2014 we came 5^th, in 2015 - 5^th, 2016 - 4^th, 2017 - 6^th and in 2018 - 5^th.

From ‘I Want it that Way’ back in 3^rd Form, to ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’, I have always gunned to win, however, I’ve always come back to the House somewhat disappointed in how we performed on the night and couldn’t come to any conclusions why? After losing our fourteen year streak of winning House Athletics to New House two years ago, Lyon House haven’t had much to stand on in recent years. So, I decided we needed to win the House Music.This has been my mission for at least a year now, since I wrote my letter applying for Head of Lyon House, as that was one of my aims in the letter. Lyon House aren’t the brightest bunch of soldiers however, so for this to work I had to pick a song which was easy to sing but which had lots of levels. I picked ‘Happy Together’ because of these points.

We started practice in October, revelling the song and shouting along to it. By Christmas we were still shouting, we had no levels and were deafening. Over Christmas I came up with a plan to write the song sheets for five different groups including the harmony’s. I did this, so the House could get used to my version of the song rather than the Turtles. We practiced a lot, improving with every practice. For the last week until the event, we practiced every day in places from Geography Classrooms to the Hauser & Wirth Recital Hall.

On the night, in all sincerity, I wasn’t even sure if we were going to even be placed in the competition. I believed it would take a miracle after hearing all the fantastic ensembles. Of course, then the penny dropped after having a quick practice up in the House. We were on that stage in no-time. Tension was high and excitement was high. And when the adjudicator announced the results for the competition, we were all shocked! Me more than most! Twenty four hours later, and I still can’t believe it. I’ve always been a fan of the phrase ‘Carpe Diem’ and I believe Lyon House, that evening, transformed these two words into reality.

Ivo - Lyon House Conductor

Photographs from the Solo & Ensemble Rounds

Photographs from the House Song Round