Hello everyone, look who’s back…back again with another newsletter! Can you quite believe that it’s the last week in a few days, madness? Well, whilst we only have one week until term one is over, there is still a little Guildhall tradition which will take place next Friday (3rd December), everyone’s favourite day, back in person this year: it’s the Guildhall 2021 Christmas Festival!

Yes, we are back, can you quite believe it? A day of festive fun for all, everything from Simon Chorley’s fantastic arrangement of Avengers Christmas (this is really incredible btw) for Brass Ensemble to festive double reeds, Nick Peels Xmas Quiz to the fantastic Concords, and so much more! For the first time, we are hosting a carol sing-along on Lakeside (5.30pm), much to the delight of the Barbican Residents (lol) with a full brass ensemble, come and join in, sing as loud as you can so everyone can hear. And at 7.30pm on the main stage in Silk Street Music Hall, we have the brand new Guildhall Festival Orchestra, led by everyone’s favourite Gale, Sam. Make sure to get in early to the hall, bring your refreshments and come and join us for the best Christmas Concert you’ll ever see. And as if that wasn’t enough Christmas, then in the Basement Bar, the fantastic Grooveline band will be providing us with Christmas bangers and mash all evening, get down, bring your cheer, bring your mates and celebrate the end of term one in true Guildhall style!

If you’re reading this newsletter on Friday 26th November (all my avid newsletter readers, all 3 of you), then you still have a chance to go to ABBA Night in the Basement! Yes, you heard that right, an entire night of absolute tunes in everyone’s favourite place, the Basement Bar! So don’t be a party pooper, be a Super Trouper, and luckily for you, the Bar is very cheap, so you won’t have to give all your money, money, money away.

Luckily for you, this is my last newsletter of the year, so you’ll have to wait until 2022 for more terrible jokes. I hope to see many of you over this last week of term and at the Christmas Festival, but if I don’t, I hope you all have a wonderful break! Make sure to have a proper rest this holiday, put the laptops down, stash the viola away, stop making reeds and enjoy the break whilst it’s here because term two will come round quick!

Stay safe, have a lovely winter break, drink responsibly and have a good one!

Harry Plant (He/Him)

Guildhall SU President