Music department
Our music department is one of the busiest places in school, catering for all musical tastes from classical to jazz, indie to rock.
From day one, we’ll offer your child plenty of opportunities to learn, play and perform, at School and out in the wider community. And we’ll give them the chance to be the driving force behind the scenes too, using our state-of-the-art digital recording studio and editing suites.
We’re proud to be a Flagship Yamaha Music Education Partner, the only school in Europe to hold this prestigious status. It means we have an outstanding array of instruments for our students to use, exclusive teaching materials and specialist training for our staff.
Opportunities to learn
We believe that music is for all, whether that’s playing, singing or listening to it. It not only nourishes the soul; musical training also helps develop language, reasoning – and maths. It improves hand-eye co-ordination and listening skills. It fires up the memory. It requires persistence; it gives a great sense of achievement. Our 27 instrumental teachers are ready to get your child started or take them to their next level.
Opportunities to perform
No matter what your child’s musical experience, we’ll give them opportunities to perform to an audience in our school theatre. We’ve got three choirs, a school orchestra, ensembles for brass, guitar, strings and woodwind, jazz groups and more. There are inter-house competitions, musical productions and our ‘Music for a Summer’s Evening’ grand performance at the end of each year. Plus, every two years, students can join a music tour overseas – in 2019, we went to Greece!
Opportunities to produce
Our music department features a digital recording studio and editing suite equipped with Macs and industry standard instruments and software. This has a huge and positive impact in lessons, opening up new and more effective ways of teaching anything from Steve Reich and minimalism to 12-bar blues. And if you’re looking at our Sixth Form, we’ve even got a specialist qualification in music technology.
Yamaha Live Lounge Sessions
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Our Yamaha Live Lounge Sessions enable our musicians to lay down professional quality recordings, reflect on their performances and grow in confidence.
"Music is at the core of what makes this school so special. Since I joined the School in Year 9, I have always felt included and encouraged to participate, both within and outside my comfort zone, and challenged to aspire to greater goals."
Take a look inside
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Opened in January 2019, our MMC building boasts industry-standard tech and facilities – including a Yamaha Live Lounge Recording Studio.
