Music
The aim of the department is to ensure that students throughout the school enjoy music and reach their full potential in the subject. The Music Department is a lively and busy place where there are opportunities for everyone, from beginners to more advanced level players, to be involved.
Photo: House Singing Competion Winners 2011 - CAMPION HOUSE
Music is taught to all students in Years 7-9. The Edexcel Specification is taught for GCSE and AQA at AS and A2 level. In Years 7 - 9 the work is project based with all activities giving students the opportunity to perform, compose, listen to music and appraise it.
Twilight Music
This is a 'fast-tracking' scheme whereby girls may take Music GCSE, or modules of AS or A2 Music up to 3 years early outside of normal teaching hours. The lessons run after school in consultation with the girls and their parents.
Marist Music Ensembles
- School Orchestra
- Swing Band
- Clarinet & Saxophone Group
- Flute Choir
- Junior Choir (Years 7 & 8)
- Senior Choir (Years 9-13)
- Senior Chamber Choir (Years 12 – 13)
- Staff/Parent Choir
- Junior Guitar Group
- Senior Guitar Group
- String Group
Private Music Lessons
As an extension to classroom work the students have the opportunity to learn additional instruments. Lessons with visiting teachers take place during the school day. At present over 200 instrumental lessons are taught each week. All private music lessons are 35 minutes long, and run simultaneously with the academic curriculum. Girls come out of academic lessons on a 5-week rotation and will be expected to catch up on all academic work. Information on Instrumental Lessons
Music Scholarships
Music Scholarships are offered for entry into Year 7 and the Sixth Form.
Information on Music Scholarships
Concerts Opportunities
There are opportunities for all girls to be involved fully in the life of the Music Department. A variety of concerts are scheduled throughout the year.
School Productions
Our last school musical took place in 2010 and was a successful production of ‘Annie’. A cast of girls from Years 8 & 9 were accompanied by a chorus comprising of all girls in Years 7 & 8 and a band of musicians from Years 10 – 13.
Carol Service
The Carol Service is a very important annual event, at which all the School Choirs and all girls in Years 7 & 8 take part.
Spring Concert
Last year’s Spring Concert saw opportunities for all the School Music Groups to take part and our more advanced performers were joined by members of the Royal Holloway University Orchestra and friends to play Grieg’s 1st Piano Concerto. We were exceptionally lucky to have pianist Matthew Stanley, from Royal Holloway College to perform the concerto with us.
Other Performance Opportunities
To give our older and more experienced players opportunities, the music department coordinates performances outside of the school environment. Some of our GCSE and A Level pupils, for example, each performed a 10-minute recital at St Matthew’s Church in Ashford, Surrey at their post evensong concert series.
Lunchtime Concerts
Lunchtime Concerts take place throughout the year and involve all year groups. All girls in Years 7 -9 take part and Years 10 - 13 and Music Scholars are also given the opportunity to perform. Last year, the school was also treated to a Staff Lunchtime Concert which raised £360 for CLIC Sargent Cancer Care.
Chamber Concerts
Three Chamber Concerts take place each year, giving opportunities to instrumentalists and vocalists throughout the school – these are especially useful as performance preparation for Associated Board and Trinity and Guildhall examinations.
Jazz Supper
2012 saw our second Jazz Supper at Jagz Jazz Club in Ascot where the Swing Band played a fantastic selection of jazzy songs, and vocalists and instrumentalists throughout the school presented a programme of jazz standards. This event gave the students an opportunity to perform in a dinner club environment, backed by a professional jazz group.
Concert Tours
The Senior Choir and Swing Band have been on many tours to most countries in Europe. 2011 saw us return to Tuscany in Italy for a 5 day concert tour of some of Italy’s most famous churches and squares. We had a fantastic time visiting Siena, Florence, Perugia, Todi, Orvieto and Montepulciano.
Royal Holloway Collaboration
Thirteen girls in Years 8 & 9 took part in Opera Holloway’s 2011 Christmas production of Humperdinck’s famous opera ‘Hansel and Gretel’. Over the course of the Autumn Term, they took part in workshops both at the school and at Royal Holloway College. This culminated in two performances on 9th and 10th December in which the girls did a fantastic job of playing the roles of the gingerbread children.
