Our Sixth Form Music students were treated to marvellous musical treat on Friday 7th February as they visited Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. The trip offered an intensive and immersive day focused on two aspects of the A Level Music syllabus: musical composition and the appraisal of music. Rosemary Scales, Director of Music and Media, reflected “This enriching experience provides valuable insights and inspiration for their coursework as well as their wider musical development.”
The conservatoire is based in Blackheath and the students were excited to be travelling across London for their visit. The morning’s composition workshop consisted of a selection of Lower Sixth compositions being workshopped live by Trinity Laban musicians. Professional composition staff were on hand to provide feedback, to highlight common themes and advise students with their own compositions.
The afternoon concert from 1.00-2.45pm delivered excerpts from Scenes from Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro, Debussy’s Estampes for solo piano, and Nuages for two pianos and a jazz combo performing music from genres between 1920-60. As the music was performed, the conservatoire’s expert presenter, Patrick Bailey, led a focused analysis and exploration of the pieces, pulling out key musical elements, to support students’ learning in the classroom.
Holly (Lower Sixth) enthused: “I loved the Composition Workshop at the beginning of the day as it was useful to our compositions that we have to write for A Level. I also found it useful to listen to other compositions created by someone else my age. Then in the afternoon, we watched performances. I loved the first performance from, ‘The Marriage of Figaro.’ It was comical and entertaining and there was even some audience participation. The performances were finished off with some jazz. It was amazing with multiple moments of improvisation which gave the performance even more personality. Overall, I really enjoyed the day, and I found it beneficial to my learning.”
Tom (Upper Sixth) was equally positive about his experience: “What I enjoyed was seeing how different ways music can be used to create different scenery and thoughts, and it made me think how I could do this in my compositions, what type of feelings I want to create with both my set work composition and my free composition brief. I also enjoyed the concert where they played the set work which we study of Debussy’s Nocturnes with the explanation of the piece being in detail at the concert; made me see the piece in a new way by seeing it performed live on two pianos which was just beautiful.”
Music is a real strength of Leighton Park School with the staff team being Outstanding Music Department Finalists in the Music & Drama Education Awards 2025. Over 60% of students learn at least one instrument from our 27 peripatetic music teachers and there are a plethora of co-curricular musical activities available for musicians at every level.
Take the next step by selecting an option below, or if you want to drop us a quick message, you can do so with the form.
Δ