A quintet from QE performed at the official opening of Barnet College’s new £50m Wood Street campus by the Duke of Gloucester, who is the Queen’s cousin. They were invited in order to celebrate the School’s historic link with the refurbished Tudor Hall, which forms part of the development.
QE was housed in Tudor Hall, the oldest education building in Barnet, from its founding in 1573 until it moved to its present site in 1932.
“The official opening marked a new era for us,” said Barnet College Principal, Marilyn Hawkins. “We were delighted to welcome the QE students who performed so excellently to mark the occasion.”
The performers were the Clarinet Quintet, rehearsed by Music teacher Mr Arijit Chakravarty. The string players were Jonathan Hollingsworth, Christopher Georgiou, Rishikesh Chakraborty and Sergei Batishchev, with Joseph Vinson on the clarinet. “I’m really glad that we were invited to play a part in the Duke’s visit and the official opening of the campus, as it also encompasses a significant part of our own School’s history,” said Mr Chakravarty.