A Glorious Gala Concert

On Thursday, 26 March 2026, Truro Cathedral was filled with the vibrant sound of young musical talent as the much-anticipated Truro School Gala Concert took place.

The evening began with a bang as the Samba Band burst onto the stage with Samba Reggae, an electrifying opening that set the tone for the night, with colour and confidence in abundance. From there, the evening unfolded across varied genres, with performances from small groups to large orchestras on an astonishing range of instruments.

The Wind Band transported the audience through cinematic wonder with Highlights from Harry Potter by John Williams and the joyful nostalgia of Disney film favourites.

The Pitchforks choir, fresh from their Cornwall Music Festival success, delivered a performance of breathtaking purity. Their voices, perfectly balanced, filled the space with warmth and clarity, turning Can’t Help Falling in Love into something gentle, uplifting and poignant, with every member of the cathedral drawn into the performance.

The programme continued to showcase the remarkable variety that is synonymous with Truro School Music. Junior Strings charmed with A Million Dreams and the lively Drunken Sailor, while the Vocal Ensemble brought drama and emotion through selections from Les Misérables. The Saxophone Ensemble followed with flair and groove, paying tribute to Stevie Wonder in Sir Duke, their playing both technically impressive and joyfully expressive.

One of the evening’s most striking features was the confidence shown by pupils from Year 3 to Sixth Form. The Truro School Prep Orchestra embodied this perfectly, combining youthful enthusiasm with impressive discipline in pieces ranging from Camille Saint-Saëns to George Ezra.

After the interval, the Symphony Orchestra brought a moment of elegance with Schubert’s Rosamunde, before the Year 7 Girls delighted with You’ve Got a Friend in Me, and Project One energised the audience with a blend of contemporary sounds.

As the concert moved towards its finale, the Year 7 Boys and the Rock Band unleashed a powerful Pink Floyd medley, before the Rock Band raised the roof with their rendition of Wet Sand by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

Many of the performances were entirely pupil-led, including the fantastic rendition of Yesterday by The Beatles, performed by Philharmonia and conducted by Year 7 pupil Eleanor. It was a simple yet profound illustration of what the evening represented: the confidence, opportunity, and trust in our young musicians to lead such an incredible musical evening.

As the performances drew to a close, Head of Truro School, Andy Johnson, spoke of the joy and beauty of music, of its power to bring people together, and of his excitement in seeing it flourish so vividly across the school. He also looked ahead to the completion of the Truro School Music Project, due this summer.

He praised the slickness of the event, the dedication of the Music Department and our peripatetic staff, and above all, the pupils themselves, whose talent, commitment and courage had created something truly memorable. Well done to them all.