THEY may have been a bit nervous, but pupils from a secondary school in St Albans were pitch-perfect performing for the Queen at Hatfield House today, Thursday.

Beaumont School’s 21-strong chamber choir sang for the monarch at the tourist attraction.

The Queen was visiting the home of the 7th Marquess and Marchioness of Salisbury and their family as part of the Herts leg of her nationwide Diamond Jubilee tour.

While there, the monarch planted an oak tree at the new Jubilee Wood in the grounds of Hatfield House to commemorate her 60-year reign.

During the tree-planting ceremony, Beaumont’s choir sang The Hills by English composer John Ireland.

He wrote the piece as part of A Garland for the Queen, a set of choral works commissioned to celebrate the Queen’s coronation in 1953.

Beaumont’s head of music Hanh Doan, who conducted the choir, said: “I am enormously proud of the Vocal Ensemble.

“Whilst they may have been a little nervous at first, they really rose to the occasion and I was very pleased that the Queen took the time to listen to their performance.”

Headteacher Elizabeth Hitch, who attended a reception at Hatfield House following the tree-planting ceremony, said: “We are very proud of Beaumont’s Vocal Ensemble, and it was a pleasure to hear from so many people who enjoyed their performance.

“I was also delighted to be able to present Her Majesty with a copy of the Ensemble’s CD, Cantique.”

The Vocal Ensemble’s next public appearance is at the Alban Arena on Saturday June 30, where they will perform a Jubilee Concert alongside the adult choir Adoramus.