There was a novel twist to a St. Mary’s College tradition when we staged our annual Last Night of the Proms concert in the open air for the first time on Saturday 9th July. 

The event - which marks the end of the St. Mary’s academic year - was relocated from the school hall to the college’s Blundell Park games field on Little Crosby Road. 

Around 250 talented young musicians from the college and its preparatory school The Mount entertained an audience of over 750 family members and friends with a diverse and inspiring programme, led by the school’s Director of Music Andrew Byers. There was also a special guest appearance by children from Great Crosby Catholic Primary School.

The Proms in the Park concert featured traditional favourites such as Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March No 1 (Land of Hope and Glory), the Fantasia on British Sea Songs written by Proms founder Henry Wood and, of course, Jerusalem.

As the event was blessed with balmy summer weather, many audience members took advantage of the opportunity to enjoy a picnic before the concert, which featured a spectacular fireworks finale accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s famous 1812 Overture.

St. Mary’s College Principal, Mike Kennedy, commented: “The Last Night of the Proms concert is always one of the highlights of the school calendar, and staging it outdoors for the first time made it even more special this year.

“I would like to thank the staff who organised the event, all the young performers and the families and friends who attended for their enthusiastic support.  

“The concert was a rousing way to end the school year, and a wonderful showcase for the standard of music here at St. Mary’s, which was quite rightly judged to be outstanding by inspectors recently.”