The annual Choral Concert at Victoria Concert Hall was a genuinely uplifting celebration of music-making, bringing together singers from across the Infant, Junior and Senior Schools in a way that felt both ambitious and deeply connected. Rob Hall, Director of Music, tells us more. 

Despite the inevitable pressures of this time of year, including school trips and examinations, the evening stood as a testament to resilience, unity and a shared commitment to musical excellence. It was, in every sense, Team Tanglin at its finest. 

At the centre of it all was Bob Chilcott, whose time in school this week has clearly made a lasting impression. What stood out most wasn’t just his musical pedigree, but the way he worked with the students - open, engaging, encouraging, and completely invested in bringing out their best. Rehearsals felt purposeful but never pressured, and that translated into performances that had both confidence and sincerity. There was a noticeable shift in how students engaged with the music; it felt considered, expressive, and genuinely owned by them.

The programme itself struck a lovely balance, with much of the repertoire drawn from Bob’s own work, giving the evening a sense of identity. From the youngest singers in Year 2 to the Senior Choir, there was a consistency of focus and musicality that spoke volumes about the week they had just experienced. Time and again, students have shown a willingness to take musical risks, to shape phrases, to listen more closely, and to communicate the text with real intention, something that has been a real focus of Bob's time with us. 

The final item, Bob Chilcott's  A Little Jazz Mass, brought everything together in a way that felt both celebratory and fitting. Conducted by Bob himself and uniting the Junior and Senior Chamber Choirs with the Senior Choir, it had a real sense of occasion. There was energy and drive, certainly, but also a sense of shared enjoyment that carried through to the audience. It felt less like a finale being delivered and more like a moment being shared.

More than anything, the evening was a reminder of what makes music at Tanglin Trust School so special. It’s not just about performance, but about the collective experience - students learning from each other, from staff, and in this case from a musician of real stature. Bob Chilcott’s visit has clearly left its mark, not just on how the choirs sounded last night, but also on how they will continue to think about and approach singing in the weeks and months ahead.

Here are some photos of the event: