Classical Reading Competition
A group of Headington Rye pupils set off to a Classical Reading Competition hosted by the prestigious Oxford University Faculty of Classics on 18th March. Read a report by Elizabeth (Year 10).
After weeks of intensive rehearsals in a weekly club, we had all learned our pieces for the Junior Dialogue and Junior Prose categories.
After a fun bus ride down to the event in St Giles, there was a chance to socialise with students from other schools and see some of the fascinating ancient artefacts on display inside the building.
Finally, the competition began. The participants were introduced to the panel of judges – university academics from a range of different colleges.
At the Junior Dialogue category Jan, Pippa, Malaika, Phoebe, Margarita and Freya all excelled, with impressive acting and intonation.
Then it was time for the Junior Prose category, where I performed an extract from Pliny the Younger’s letters, in which he described the daily routine of his uncle Pliny the Elder, a famous author, naturalist and military commander.
After performing our pieces, we were at leisure to watch other performances. Overall it was remarkable to see the dedication and effort that so many put into their performances and the event proved a testament to the enduring appeal of Classical subjects to all ages.
At last the time came for the judges to announce their decisions. The winners for each category were announced and I was delighted to win second prize in the Junior Prose category.
At the end of the day, our team left contentedly from the event, not just proud of our efforts and commitment to preparing for the competition, but also grateful for the opportunity to be in such an esteemed institution and meet such prominent specialists in the world of Classics.
