We have just concluded a really busy year of performances at BHS. Our teacher, Dr Derek Tully, keeps telling us that “we have the busiest performance programme on the Island” and that is true — thanks to him!

At Halloween, dressed as witches and goblins, we entertained parents and arriving children at the Ramp, playing really scary music on our flutes, saxophones, clarinets and violins.

We caused a lot of traffic jams that morning because all the parents stopped their cars to listen to us!

December started with a visit to the Globe Hotel in St George’s for the National Trust Walkabout where locals and tourists from the US came to hear us perform in this old historic building. Sasha Hosier played wonderful solos on her oboe and we could almost hear the ghosts of Bermuda past listening to our music ensembles from the ancient cedar beams!

Last Monday was our annual Christmas concert — or we should say two concerts! We had our primary school concert at 5.30pm and our secondary concert at 7pm, almost two hours of musical excitement.

Our school orchestra started with Hark the Herald Angels Sing, then the flutes, clarinet, saxophone and violins joined in to provide an evening of wonderful entertainment to a packed Queen Elizabeth Hall.

The very next morning, we travelled to play at Westmeath for the senior citizens there.

We had musicians from year four right through to year eight, including solos, duets, trios and quartets.

The two Ava’s (Ava Adams and Ava Gibson) opened the concert with a flute and violin rendition of Jingle Bells, then the audience was treated to such favourites as Good King Wenceslas and Oh Come all Ye Faithful.

It was lovely to see the faces of the seniors light up as we performed. Many were in wheelchairs but they clapped their hands, tapped their feet and sang along with us. Christmas carols are international and eternal.

The senior citizens knew them from 60 or 70 years ago and the melodies brought back wonderful memories of their childhoods.

Abigail Powell and Olivia Hill also played the beautiful carol, Oh Holy Night as a flute duet in tribute to Olivia’s grandfather, Mr Donald Lines, who passed away recently.

The next day it was on to Peace Lutheran Church for “Golden Hour” with the seniors there. Daina Babeckas and Victoria Woodward raised the roof with a saxophone duet of Have a Holly Jolly Christmas.

The seniors clapped in time to the music and sang the words as the girls played. Once again we treated the audience to all of their favourite carols including Good King Wenceslas and Oh Christmas Tree. Additionally, Mrs Sally Crawford, primary music teacher, brought along her bell choir and they played Hark the Herald Angels Sing as the seniors sang and tapped their feet in time!

At the end of the concert Reverend Karsten Decker immediately asked if we could come back next year again! The seniors had drinks and cookies ready for us after the performance and we were very grateful because we were all thirsty by that time!

To cap a hectic December schedule, we played at the Ramp on the last day of term for all the parents and children to hear at the morning drop off. We hope we have given everyone a lovely send off into the holiday season as we stood there in our Santa hats eager for it to be our turn to play.

You may think we are very tired after all of our playing but we are very happy to end 2014 with fun-filled music. We are already looking forward to our next public performance — a Valentine’s Day concert at the Ramp in February 2015!

We hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Abigail Powell, Olivia Hill and Daina Babeckas are BHS musicians.