Inaugural Modern Languages Poetry Grand Final
The Modern Languages Department held its inaugural poetry competition in Skinners’ Library on Friday evening, hosted by James Storey-Mason, Teacher of French and Housemaster of Judde House. He explained, “This competition celebrates how the study of languages goes far beyond translation or the rote memorisation of vocabulary and grammar workbooks. The poetry the boys have studied brings to life the rich cultures embedded in language – its musical, historical, geographical, and romantic dimensions. It conveys meaning beyond the spoken word… and the boys have had a great deal of fun in the process!”
Seventeen pupils made it through to the final from their class heats in French, Spanish and Mandarin. Despite the event being the first of its kind at Tonbridge, the standard was incredibly high, with the judges being particularly impressed by the boys’ pronunciation and interpretation.
After much deliberation, the following winners were announced: Evan (SC2), French; Avaan (MH4), Mandarin; George (PH2), Spanish. George (WH2) was crowned the overall winner with his stand-out performance and effective portrayal of the emotions in his chosen piece, Soneto XII, by Lope de Vega.
Congratulations to all those who participated. We look forward to next year’s performances; the bar has been set very high!
