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Parfitt Day

Parfitt Day

Friday 8 November marked another Parfitt Day filled with exciting keyboard activities commemorating Elizabeth Parfitt, a previous Head of Keyboard at SPGS, who set up this event to provide masterclasses for students.

The activities started off strong with renowned pianist Katya Apekisheva, who gave a lecture recital at lunch time on Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. It was a wonderful rendition of the piece starting from a calm promenade, going through ten movements, and ending with the majestic Great Gate of Kiev. Her playing was both precise and expressive, capturing the symphonic sound of this iconic Russian piece.

After school, Apekisheva delivered three masterclasses of similar calibre, working through pieces by Beethoven, Rachmaninov, and Debussy with Jacqueline (UIV), Chloe (LV), and me, respectively. Her teaching was thorough and detailed, providing each of us with personalised feedback on areas of improvement. 

The day ended with the Pupil Concert, which offered excellent performances by students across year groups and showcased the impressive level of musicianship present at SPGS. Well done to all performers and thank you to Miss White for organising this fantastic event! 

Rachel (VII)