Music at St. Mary’s College
Bro. James (Head of Music)
Mrs. C. Rolph
Peripatetic Instrumental Teachers:
Mrs. F. Barnett Flute
Mr. A. Billington Electric Guitar
Mr. D. Cox Brass
Mr. A. Pope Percussion
Mr. S. Prag Classical Guitar
Mrs. S. Salmon Woodwind and Piano
Mr. G. Thorburn Violin
“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” Victor Hugo
Music teaching at St. Mary’s College seeks to give every pupil, regardless of their level of innate musical ability, the opportunity to express themselves through music in both performance and composition, to develop foundational music skills that will stay with them throughout life, and to develop knowledge and understanding of the history of classical music, popular music and world music genres (e.g. jazz, pop, rock, blues, folk, Indian, African, etc…), thus enriching their experience of music and enhancing the pleasure and enjoyment that they can gain from it as young people and as they go through life.
In the Music Block’s main Music classroom we have a suite of computers (including 2 iMacs) for composition work (using Cubase Studio 5 and Sibelius 6 software) and 18 Yamaha keyboards for the Keyboard Skills course and composition. There are 2 practice rooms for instrumental lessons, where pupils can also come and rehearse (alone, or in groups) at lunchtimes and after school. We also have a recording studio with a high specification PC, Cubase Studio 5 and Sibelius 6 software and mixer for live recording.
See separate Music page for information on extra-curricular activities at the College.
Skills/topics covered during Year 7 include:
Rhythm work (including performance, composition and rhythm dictation), general aural skills, singing, musical notation/pitch, the instruments of the Orchestra, African music, a 3-level Keyboard Skills course (beginning after Christmas), the Elements of Music, melody composition, musical appreciation, music history (Medieval and Renaissance periods) with related practical and theory work.
Skills/topics covered during Years 8+9 include:
Continued work on aural skills, musical appreciation and the Keyboard Skills course; music history (Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods) with related performance, composition and theory work, Indian music, and a study of 20th Century musical genres, including Blues, Jazz, Minimalism, Impressionism, Nationalism, Pop + Rock music, etc… again with related performance, composition and theory work.
GCSE: Music (option)
In Years 10 and 11, Music is an optional subject for study at GCSE level. Throughout the course we seek to build on the pupils’ abilities in the 3 areas of performance, composition and listening/appraising, these being sustained by a thorough grounding in music theory.
