The annual Spring concert at St. Louis Grammar School, Kilkeel was once again an opportunity for the school to showcase the variety of talent amongst the student body. In front an large ensemble of teachers, parents fellow students and other friends, the students performed with great distinction at their school’s annual Spring Concert. Variety was once again the theme for this concert as the students gave an array of music, song and drama, displaying the extent of the talent being nurtured at St. Louis.

The Spring concert was produced by Mr Tim Brown, with the assistance of music tutors Mrs Boucher, Mr Mulholland and Mr Benson and under the guidance of Musical Director Mrs Derbhla McDonnagh, the show opened with the St. Louis Jazz Group with their own renditions of ‘the Hucklebuck’ and the theme from ‘The Muppet Show’.

The audience were now tapping their feet as the Junior Choir and Junior Guitar Group offered toe-tapping ‘I Lived’ by One Republic and Snow Patrol’s ‘Run’. The it was the first opportunity to experience the talents of Connlaodh McDonagh as the Year 14 student conducted the Junior Choir through a rendition of ‘Hail holy Queen’.

Another emerging talent, Year 12 student Aoife McQuaid, then took centre stage as she performed her own composition ‘Video Game’, with the support of Emily Harty, Rachel Taylor and Aaron McAnulty. This was quickly followed with a bit of ‘retro rock’ as the ‘Bee’s Ballad Group’ offer their rendition of The Beatles classic ‘Hear Comes the Sun’.

Offering a chance of tempo, the Year 12 Drama students performed ‘Dream jobs’ by graham Thomas. Excellent performances from Cliodhna Gribben, Niamh McCourt, Catherine Rogers, Melanie O’Hare and Sian Heaton had the audience captivated as their drama unfolded.

With the audience well and truly immersed in the magnificence of the performers the Year 14 girls stepped up to perform ‘Photograph’ by Ed Sheeran and ‘All I Want’ by Kodaline. This was followed by a classic performance by Connlaodh Mcdoonagh as she enthralling the audience with Puccini’s ‘O Mio Babino Caro’.

A recurring feature of the Spring Concert at St. Louis has been the ‘Fashion Show’ created and presented by the students and teachers in the Art Department. The theme of this year’s show was recycling of old clothes in what was amusingly entitled ‘Trashion Show’. The garments were designed and created by students in Years’ 10 and 12, and fitted in well with the school’s Eco-School’s programme.

During the interval raffle tickets were sold to raise money for the St. Louis charities. The second half of the show commenced with foot-tapping ‘An Seisiún’ from the St. Louis ‘Trad Group’. This performance included set dances, polka sets and fine individual performances from Oisin McCan (Bright Blue Rose), Connlaodh McDonagh (Banks of Sullane) and a special performance from All-Ireland Scor Champion, Niamh McDowell who performed her title-winning rendition of ‘John Condon’.

Arranged by Head of Music, Mrs Dervla McDonagh the Trad Group also played a marvellous medley of music derived from the soundtrack of the move ‘Braveheart’. The Trad Group, led by Oisin McCann and Caoimhe McKeverigan, also offered a number of slow airs and reels.

As the show entered its final quarter the theme became more upbeat and contemporary as rock music ensured the pulses, and well as the feet would follow a new tempo. The Senior Band, with the effervescent Matthew Carville as lead singer, belted out ‘Girls’ by The 1975, followed by the Senior Choir with the Bonnie Tyler classic ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’.

The show finished with the Senior Choir offering a tribute to the late David Bowie as they sang ‘Under Pressure’ (a song Bowie co-performed with Queen in 1980).

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