Friday 9th March 2012
Congratulations to Sarah Gardner who was crowned classical winner of Next Brit Thing 2012 earlier t...
Read full news story...Thursday 2nd February 2012
Charlie Vasiliou has reached the final of the Young Drummer of the Year competition, after fighting...
Read full news story...Tuesday 31st January 2012
The Department for Education published the school performance league tables this week....
Read full news story...
Music thrives at Yarm and plays a major role in the everyday life of the School. The Sinfonia (orchestra), Choir and Quartets are in demand at school assemblies, services and ceremonies, of which there are many during the academic year. Music is as much an activity as it is an academic subject and over 200 pupils receive instrumental tuition that involves numerous peripatetic/professional musicians. Many pupils achieve Grade 8 before leaving for university and some current pupils have gained diploma status in the Sixth Form.
Numerous platforms for performance are created and styles are diverse. The Jazz, Funk and Contemporary band members look forward to their major event – The Valentine’s Jazz Evening/Popular Music event and House ensembles prepare for ‘Battle of the Bands’. An annual Music Festival takes place in May and pupils compete for the title of ‘Yarm School Young Musician of the Year’. This attracts over 100 performers and is adjudicated by local and national professional musicians.
The Music School is self-contained and newly refurbished (2006). The department contains an ‘interactive’ classroom and an ICT suite, where pupils can compose using ‘Sibelius 4’ and perform on Yamaha electronic keyboards. A large rehearsal room contains a drum kit, orchestral percussion, vibraphone, baby grand piano, a professional Yamaha U3 piano and a harpsichord. The building also boasts 4 small and two large practice rooms equipped with Knight, Yamaha U1 pianos and Clavinovas, and an instrument store is available for the storage of personal instruments during the school day. A new grand piano, Yamaha C7 (7’6”) was recently purchased for performances in the Theatre and a two – manual pipe organ is available for use by arrangement in the Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene.
Annual Concerts and Recitals
Autumn Term
Music Scholars’ and Senior Musicians’ Chamber Music Recital
Lunchtime Recitals (Fridays)
Junior Orchestra and Lower School Ensembles
Service of Remembrance
A Feast for St. Cecilia at an outside venue
Christmas Concert
Services of Nine Lessons and Carols
Spring Term
Lunchtime Recitals (Fridays)
Cathedral visits to sing Evensong
HMC Music Day
Spring Recital at an outside venue
Musical
An evening of Jazz and Popular music
Summer Term
Annual Music Festival and Prizewinners’ Concert
Junior Orchestra and Chamber Music Recital
Summer Serenade – a musical spectacular!
Concert Tour
Instrumental Music
The Music School offers opportunities for children to learn any instrument of their choice and currently we have over 200 instrumental lessons per week that are taught by professional musicians. The instruments that we currently offer tuition in are: Piano, Organ, Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, Harp, Flute, Recorder, Clarinet, Oboe, Bassoon, Saxophone, Trumpet, Cornet, French Horn, Tenor Horn, Trombone, Tuba, Classical (acoustic) Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drum Kit and Orchestral Percussion. Some pupils also opt for individual Music Theory consultation.
Tuition charges and timetables
The tuition costs for 2009/10 are £14 per 30 minute lesson; a rate that is competitive. Tutors, that are self-employed, usually charge parents in advance of the term’s lessons and pupils receive on average 10 lessons per term. Lessons run from 8am – 5pm and pupils are placed upon a rotating timetable so that they do not always miss the same subject lesson each week. Pupils that play more than one instrument and those in Sixth Form may be given a fixed lesson time that might be during a lunch period, although this is only an option if and where timetabling permits.
Pupils that receive instrumental tuition are expected to contribute towards school ensembles when they reach the required standards and Masterclasses are often arranged and conducted by professional musicians of national and international repute.
Performance Examinations
All pupils are encouraged to take performance examinations, although some pupils simply decide to learn works for enjoyment. We are currently host examiners from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and London College of Music each term and tutors pick examination syllabuses and examination boards to suit the individual. Both the ABRSM and LCM examinations are standardised by the QCA, where the levels of Graded assessment are equal. UCAS points are awarded to pupils that achieve Grade 6 practical and higher; this being a useful tool in today’s University admission procedures.
