Thanet Music and Drama Festival 2025

The Thanet Music and Drama Festival has just finished for this year, with a spectacular Gala Concert at the Sarah Thorne Theatre in Broadstairs on Saturday, and the final day of dance on Sunday.

Not only did every section boast a number of CCGS students, but many of them won classes and trophies, and several performed at the concert. Out of 1274 entries, and well over 400 different entrants, only 25 are picked to perform at the concert. 36 of our students took part in the festival, many of them in several classes, and a number in various different sections (the festival comprises Speech & Drama, Piano, Vocal & Choral, Instrumental, and Dance, all held in various Thanet venues over the space of an entire month).

CCGS trophy winners in the Piano section were Thea Curtis and Ethan Jennings who both played at the concert, and Edward Curtis, and in the Vocal section, Isla Grasby, and Libby Field who won two awards, and sang at the concert. The Echo Choir won the Choral Cup for its age-group too.

We had several winners in the Speech and Drama section; Joanna Duraisingham (Margate Bible Society Cup), and Gian Tarr (Mime Shield), in addition to Mabel Dunbar-Brunton, who won two (Vinson Cup for Speech, and The Lane Cup) and performed Ted Huges’ “Bayonet Charge” on Saturday.

We had many entrants in the huge Dance section, and they had a separate awards’ ceremony at Birchington on Sunday, but Isla Grasby danced at the Gala Concert.

But it was the Instrumental section which gladdened out hearts this year. There have been few entrants lately, and last year it just took up half a day. But this year we had a full day and evening, with everything from flute to cello, saxophone to tuba… and many were from CCGS. Dylan Jiang and Henry Cleverden won two classes each, and Henry played at the concert. There were several CCGS flautists, clarinettists, a violinist and a euphonium player, and Peter Gregory, on tuba, and playing in public for the first time, not only won his class and the Brass Cup, but also repeated his rendition of “Got to Pick a Pocket or Two” at the concert. What was also really lovely to see was a group from CCGS supporting Henry in the competition stage.

As usual, it makes me proud to be part of the school.