Music
Introduction
Music is a vital part of life at St Albans School, and the huge range of co-curricular activities on offer are complimented by a thriving academic Music Department in its own right.
Initially compulsory for all, from Third Form up pupils of all abilities are encouraged to join us no matter what background and taste; Rock guitarists, Jazz horn players and Digital composers are as welcome as Classical pianists. Overall the courses look to develop musicianship, improve skills at composing, listening and writing about Music, and of course include Performance.
Lower School
Our Lower School classes are placed in sets according to ability and musical experience, and with class sizes no larger than fifteen, we fully enable pupils to develop at their own pace. Pupils are given the opportunity to sing, play percussion instruments and keyboards, whilst learning valuable musical skills such as notation and sequencing, with a strong focus on enjoyment and quality of performance. They also learn to use Logic using our suites of iMacs, learning to produce sequenced music and develop Music Technology Skills.
Third Form
Music is a popular option in Third Form, with a curriculum which stretches the most able, while also accommodating a range of abilities. Taught across two lessons a week, pupils develop performance skills (individually and as a class), aural skills and theory, and study a range of aspects of Music History. They also undertake composition and Music Technology projects.
GCSE
Pupils in the Fourth and Fifth Form can opt to study a two- year IGCSE Music course. The course is split into three categories of performing, composing and historical study. Typical historical topics include Classical, World Music, and Jazz.
A Level
Our Sixth Form pupils can opt to study A Level Music, for which we follow the Edexcel board of examinations. This is an engaging course with a 30% focus on Performing skills, 20% free Composition, 10% Harmony and 40% Set Works. Pupils are given regular performing opportunities and have the option to compose in Western Classical or more popular styles. They also study eighteen Set Works, which range from Bach to The Beatles.
Co-Curricular
The Music Department blends high-achieving curricular work with a busy co-curricular programme. With an enviable number of quality musicians in the School, this thriving Department performs a variety of functions within the School and in the wider community, with upwards of forty public performances every year. There are currently forty-one Music Award Holders in the School.
The Music Department moved into a brand-new Music School in 2018, which includes a new classroom, a Chamber Music performing space complete with one of our Steinway Grand pianos, a state-of-the-art recording studio, nine practice rooms and an ensemble rehearsal room.
Music also has a thriving Academic Department, from compulsory lessons in Lower School through to IGCSE.
Beyond the Classroom
The School’s Music Department has a wealth of co-curricular activities for pupils to take part in:
School Choir – singing twice each week in St Albans Cathedral for our school services and other special events. Our Carol Service congregation fills the Abbey twice over.
Senior Chamber Choir – singing complex pieces ranging from Thomas Tallis to Eric Whitacre, taking part in major public events.
Concert Choir – singing secular works in a popular style in our School Concerts.
The School also boasts many other ensembles, both vocal and instrumental, with smaller chamber ensembles which are usually coached by visiting tutors. All of the groups perform regularly in a wide range of concerts, both formal and informal, which are part of the busy musical life of the School. Our orchestra recently performed movements from Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Piano Concerto and Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, with pupils playing the solo parts to great acclaim.
The Joint Schools’ Choral Society meets each Spring Term to perform choral works in St Albans Cathedral. This group combines our own pupils and girls from St Albans High School , with many friends and parents of both schools getting involved. Each school provides the conductor in alternate years. The group has performed Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man – A Mass for Peace, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Whitacre’s Cloudburst, Walton’s Coronation Te Deum, Fauré’s Requiem, Rutter’s Gloria, Chilcott’s Canticles of Light and Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms in recent years.
Performances at the School take place in St Albans Cathedral, the School Hall, the Library and the Chamber Music performance space; the latter three venues are equipped with superb Steinway grand pianos. One of the most notable improvements is the School becoming an All-Steinway School, ensuring that our piano pupils have the opportunity to rehearse and perform on the finest instruments available. Our annual Steinway Piano Concert is a wonderful showcase for our many exceptional piano players. Through our close relationship with Steinway, our pupils have the opportunity to perform and attend Masterclasses In Steinway Hall, London.
In recent St Albans Young Musician Competitions, the St Albans School Barbershop has won best vocal ensemble, the Jazz Band has triumphed in the best instrumental ensemble category, whilst our young soloists have won in all solo categories over the years and continue to win frequently.
The School’s music embraces a wide range of styles. There is a large amount of popular music taking place at the School, with several rock bands meeting and rehearsing throughout the week; our recording studio allows these pupils to make the most of their talents, producing their own recordings with our industry-standard recording equipment.
The Summer Term culminates in a Cabaret sung by members of the Sixth Form, and these have featured Songs from Shows and Hits of the Seventies in recent years.
