BRENTWOOD SCHOOL pupils were invited to perform solo in two consecutive concerts to help raise vital funds for charity.

Over the Easter holidays, singers Owen Romhany, second year, and Benjamin O'Riordan, third year, were performed solo in the Third Hope Requiem at St Andrew’s Church, Hertford, and the 'Bra-vissima' concert, A Sacred Serenade, with Julia Wilson-James' Ladies’ Choir, at St Mary the Virgin, Brentwood.

The Brentwood pupils joined with the choir to sing Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s Pie Jesu, Laudate Dominum by Mozart, and Hear My Prayer (O for the Wings of a Dove) by Mendelssohn. For their solos, Benjamin sang Panis Angelicus and Owen sang Where-er you Walk by Handel.

Both concerts proved a great success, with the Third Hope Requiem raising £1116 for the Child Soldiers of Northern Uganda. The charity are building a village in Northern Uganda where ex-child soldiers can learn, train, heal and rediscover hope for their future and hope for the restoration of their communities.

Owen said: “The composer of the work, David Salmon, works with his wife to develop a programme of healing, including the use of music as a therapy. The concert was free to attend, but all the profits from the retiring collection went straight to the charity. During the concert, images were shown on a big screen with some being very hard-hitting.”

The 'Bra-vissima' concert, A Sacred Serenade, raised £999 for the Little Havens Hospice, who provides care for children who are life-limited, life-threatened or have palliative care needs, meaning their life may be shortened.

Owen and Benjamin both explained how they were "honoured to have been asked to take part."