The document describes a cantata called "Noah!" composed by J. A. Estorninho and performed as part of the Britten and Beyond project in collaboration with the British Council and Music for Youth. It includes 11 musical numbers describing the story of Noah building the ark. The cantata was written for Estorninho's chamber choir after they decided the forces required for Britten's "Noye's Fludde" were beyond their scope. The performance involved collaboration between the chamber choir, drama club, and a jazz band from another school.

1. NOAH!
A CANTATA BY
J A ESTORNINHO
Performed as part of the Britten and Beyond project,
in collaboration with the British Council and Music for Youth.
MUSICAL NUMBERS
I. SHE’S THE BOSS ’ROUND HERE
II. THAT’S HOW TO BUILD AN ARK
III. YOU’RE MISSING WATER
IV. ARK FANFARE
V. HEATWAVE
VI. MARCH OF THE ANIMALS (DANCE)
VII. I CAN FEEL THE RAIN
VIII. THE STORM (DANCE)
IX. HYSTERICAL BEHAVIOUR
X. WE’RE HOME ONCE MORE
XI. THERE’S A PLACE

2. Last March when I was putting together the programme for 2013/14 for our Chamber Choir I had thought about
scheduling ‘Noye’s Fludde’ by Britten. After studying the score I concluded that it required forces beyond our
scope and so decided to write a cantata of the Noah story for our own use.
Quite by coincidence in July I received an e-mail from Judith Robinson of the British Council asking for a submission
to participate in the ‘Britten and Beyond’ project to celebrate the centenary of the birth of one of our most prolific
and important 20th century composers Benjamin Britten. The project, run with the participation of Music for Youth,
sought entrants to be twinned with an overseas partner to perform music by or inspired by Britten. I applied
without expectation but with a plea that the cantata we would perform had as its starting point the music of
Britten. I was perfectly aware that this was, at best, a tenuous connection, but the British Council, in its wisdom
and to its credit thought not and accepted my application.
It transpired that the overseas applicants were not as numerous as the British Council had hoped and so we found
ourselves twinned with Gladstone Primary School in North West London. We have kept them posted on our
progress with our rehearsals and have watched their performance of Britten’s ‘Begone Dull Care’.
Not being one to keep all the glory to myself I enlisted the help of Miss Walsh and her Drama Club who have been
wonderful in their enthusiasm for the project. I should like to extend my warmest thanks to Miss Walsh and
Miss Mason for their efforts in helping to bring the performance to its fruition. A special thank you too to
Maria Elliott, who has been instrumental in producing and erecting the screen and to Joao Carvalho for his tireless
assistance. I should also like to thank most profoundly, Mr Hui of Gunnersbury School for his enthusiasm and help
with the music. His boys have done a great service to their wider community by helping us out with the music.
Finally, I should like to thank my Chamber Choir, of whom I am immensely proud.
Mr Estorninho
Performed by
The Chamber Choir of St James’s Catholic School
The Drama Club of St James’s Catholic School
directed by Miss Walsh and Miss Mason
and
The Jazz Band of Gunnersbury Catholic School
under the direction of Mr Hui
Conducted by Mr Estorninho
Darcey Spicer
Isla Dale
Sophie Hildreth
Poppy Line
Anna McHenry
Mollyanna Murphy
Holly Mugford
Carmen Wallace
Ava Dadswell
Joseph Steel
Amber West
Amy Coppin
Alma Talbot
Rachel Camilleri
Lucia Laffan
James Bradley
Lila Priechenfried
Lily Askham
Gabrielle Estorninho
Katie Mugford
Kate Norris
Renata Soleri
Kara Walsh
Francesca Medri
Lily Askham
Millie Bartlet
Charlotte Campbell
Rose Cashmore
Michaela Coco-Bassey
Gabrielle Estorninho
Amelie Forester-Evans
Beatrice Gomes
Orla Harvey
Esther Jopling
Francesca Medri
Kiran Mistry
Leo Timlin
Alexandra Wigington
Guitar:
Bass Guitar:
Drums:
Tristan Thompson
Jack O'Donnell
Rodrigo de Mendoza
Abel Zemed
Daniel Linehan
Victor Thomas