Prospect HS's orchestra gets royal invitation

The only thing casual about Monday's event at Prospect High School was that it took place in the cafeteria.

Everything else — from the former Lord Mayor's noble robes to his gifts of cuff links and crystal whiskey tumblers — was formal indeed.

“That was absolutely fantastic,” said Duncan Sandys, former Lord Mayor of the city of Westminster — a borough of London — after Prospect's orchestra performed in his honor.

“It makes me wish I could play an instrument.”

Sandys, the great-grandson of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, came to the school to formally invite the orchestra to perform in London's New Year's Day Parade and Festival in 2012-13. Before the invite, Patrick O'Connor led the orchestra in Mahler's Symphony No. 1.

“It's a very difficult piece that is not done by high schools very often,” he said before the performance.

Each February, the Lord Mayoralty selects an elite number of groups to visit the United States in connection with London's New Year's Day Parade, one of the most important events on Westminster's calendar. In 2007 Prospect received this honor for the first time, when the Lord Mayoralty extended Prospect's first invitation to perform in the 2008-2009 New Year's Parade, an event watched by a global television audience of millions.

“It's becoming a bit of a tradition for Prospect High School to come to London and entertain,” said Robert Bone, the executive director of the London Parade and Gala Concerts. “I can't wait; it will be here in 21 months' time.”

London officials make the announcement almost two years in advance so schools have time to raise money for the trip.

In 2008, more than 400 members of Prospect's band, orchestra and choir made the trip. This year, it will be a smaller group of about 70 students who mostly play string instruments, O'Connor said.

Each student pays for his or her own way through fundraising and personal contributions. In 2008, it cost each student about $2,750 for the weeklong London trip, O'Connor said.

In total, Bone and Sandys will invite about 50 high schools from across the county to London. Last week, they invited Glenbrook North High School's marching band.