Last Friday, we enjoyed an extraordinary day of music-making as we held our annual Fanny Davies Music Competition. More than 150 performers from Years 1–6 took part, proudly sharing their musical talents. It was a wonderful celebration of the exceptional musicianship that flourishes at Francis Holland, held in honour of the renowned concert pianist Fanny Davies, our school’s first music teacher.
Each performer introduced themselves and their piece with poise, played with confidence, and acknowledged the audience with a gracious bow. I was truly blown away by the girls’ preparation; every performance had its own character, style, and charm. It was clear that each girl had dedicated many hours to practising – showing determination, resilience, and a commitment to overcoming the challenges of learning new music. Beyond technical excellence, the girls demonstrated a deep emotional connection to their pieces, expressing themselves beautifully and listening attentively to one another. This shared musicality is what made the day so special for our school community.
It was also heartwarming to see how the girls supported and encouraged each other. As many of you know, performing in front of an audience can be nerve wracking. Yet our girls carried themselves with remarkable composure. Even when nerves were present, they showed immense courage.
Throughout the day, we were treated to a wonderful progression of piano performances across all year groups, each demonstrating an impressive standard. We also enjoyed outstanding performances on harp, flute, clarinet, trumpet, guitar, cello, violin, and double bass. And as always, the vocal performances were a delight, showcasing the girls’ confidence and expressive ability.
Each year group was awarded five medals. The overall winner from each year group performed in our winners’ concert on Tuesday morning to the whole school, which was an absolute treat and spectacular display of musicianship.
The results are listed below:
A message from our adjudicator, Olivia Tait:
“A huge thank you for having me last week at the Fanny Davies Music Competition at Francis Holland Prep – it was such a treat to hear so many brilliant musicians!”
Miss Houlder, Director of Music
