House Music: Then and Now

Alleyn's House Music was back last night! The legendary and hotly contested competition saw Dutton’s take the title! 

For more than 100 years, Alleyn’s Houses have been a source of pride, belonging, and of course, some healthy rivalry! Today, House Music is one of the most hotly contested events in the House calendar. Pupils from Years 9-13 are all involved, and each House spends weeks arranging and rehearsing their three musical items: a House Choir, House Ensemble, and a House Soloist – all to be performed in a 15-minute programme. 

We took a peek in the online archives to see what we could find about the competition, and it seems it has come a long way since the inaugural House Music competition in the Lent term of 1975! 

The 1976 Scriblerus report described its introduction...

“despite some initial reluctance on the part of certain Houses to display their talents, [House Music] proved to be encouragingly successful.” 

In that first year, it was Spurgeon’s who took the win with Tulley’s runners up. The Spurgeon’s Scriblerus House report reads: “Our band of performers was headed by N. Kidd as choreographer and organiser, with S. Garrett and J. Clifton as our leading performers. N. Kidd also sang one of the solos in our version of "Swanee", D. Taylor taking the other solo. Credit is also due to the chorus. With such organisation and genuine enjoyment on the part of the performers, it is small wonder we won.” 

The competition continued in earnest for many years but in the early 90’s it stopped.  

The 1998 Brown’s House Scrib reported its return: “The inter-house music competition has returned to unanimous delight”. Less enthusiastically, Tyson’s reported: “This year also saw the revival of the dreaded House music competition... Overall we were place 3rd (although we know we deserved 1st and Roper’s had better watch out next year.) 

A few snippets from over the years include Jeremy Harper’s own piece ‘Chicken Pie’ winning a section and “who could forget his younger brother’s ‘imperious performance on the piano?” (Tulley’s House Captain, Philip Abraham report, Scrib 2000) in a year when, by a whisker, Cribb’s came out victorious. 

In the 2004 Scrib, Zaki Razvi Brading’s House Report may bring back memories for some: “Brading’s boasted undoubtedly the most colourful house choir at the House Music Competition with a stupendous rendition of the Beach Boys’ I Get Around. Special mention to Simon ‘Surfer Dude’ Leung whose legendary dancing in front of the choir will remain a fond memory for years to come.” 

Congratulations to Dutton’s House on their 2024 win which takes them one step closer to winning the House Cup! 

What can you remember about your House Music competitions? We’d love to hear your memories and see any photos! 

Flick through a few snaps of previous House Music Competitions below or see the album on our Alumni Flickr page.

Flickr album: Memories of House Music | Height: auto | Theme: Default | Skin: Default Skin

Header photos: Tyson's Ensemble take us for 'A Walk in the Black Forest' Scrib 2008, Roper's House Music choir sing Wham! with feeling Scrib 2008, 2019 House Music.

Thumbnail photo: House Music 2022