Overview
The Music Department at St. Mary’s is dedicated to inspiring, empowering and nurturing the musical talents of every student. Through exceptional teaching, excellent facilities and a vibrant musical community, we strive to:
1. Cultivate Excellence: Provide a supportive environment where students can achieve their highest potential as musicians, whether through performance, composition, or scholarship.
2. Inspire Creativity and Curiosity: Foster a love for music that transcends the classroom, encouraging creativity, curiosity, innovation and self-expression in every individual.
3. Promote Collaboration: Build a culture of teamwork and mutual respect, where students learn to lead, support, and collaborate with others both within and beyond the school community.
4. Develop Confidence: Empower students with the skills, resilience, and poise to excel, not only as musicians but also as confident, compassionate and capable individuals.
Our aim is to shape a generation of well-rounded, accomplished musicians who will carry their love of music into their academic, professional and personal lives, and who will pass their love on to others.
Programme of a Schubert Concert given by the school in summer 1923.
Our school has a long tradition of outstanding music-making stretching back well over a century; the diaries kept by former Head Miss Matthews and Director of Music Miss Nesbitt are full of fascinating programmes and anecdotes of concerts given by staff and students, often with quite acerbic commentary on their quality. Today we continue this tradition of performance of the highest quality, supported by scholarship and understanding.
St Mary’s is blessed with excellent music-making facilities in a purpose-built four-storey music school. A recital room with panoramic views and rewarding acoustics sits above 15 individual practice rooms, and we have a dedicated computer suite and studio for composition and recording. The Chapel, at the heart of the school, is the main concert venue, and with each boarding house having a piano, music is heard in both formal and informal settings throughout the day.
Fourth Form (Key Stage 3) Curriculum
All Fourth Form students study Music as a timetabled academic subject. There is a strong focus on the use of ICT at all levels and on building independence and creativity through small-group research, composition and performance. The curriculum and topics studied are under constant review to allow girls as varied, up-to-date and rigorous an experience as possible.
LIV (Year 7) and MIV (Year 8) have timetabled Music lessons weekly. The LIV curriculum comprises:
• The Elements of Music (focussing on Rhythm and Pitch through practical music-making)
• Composing Antecedent & Consequent phrases using software used for GCSE
• Harmony
• Instruments of the Orchestra
The whole of LIV also sings in the Junior Choir, which meets weekly and performs in school concerts and services.
Students in MIV (Year 8) study:
• The Blues
• Theory
• Composing using software used for GCSE
• Big Composers
• Music through stories
Students in UIV (Year 9) can opt to ‘major’ in Music with a timetabled lesson each week, and their curriculum comprises:
• Theory
• Composing and appraising Film & Game Music
• The Elements of Music
• Critical Listening
• Reggae
The remainder of the year group study a selection of these topics on a carousel system with either Art or Drama.
GCSE and A Level Music
Older students choose Music as an option, following the Edexcel specification at both GCSE and A-Level. Academic results are excellent, with smaller class sizes allowing individuals to flourish and giving plenty of opportunity for challenge. Students regularly go on to read Music at Russell Group universities or to take up choral scholarships – regardless of their chosen subject – at Oxford and Cambridge.
The Edexcel GCSE aims to provide students with a broad and balanced musical education, focussing on scholarship, critical listening skills, music appreciation, composition and performance. The course integrates practical and theoretical learning, with students preparing coursework throughout the two years. 60% of the course is submitted as moderated coursework prior to study leave in UV (30% Composition, 30% Performance), with a final written exam making the final 40%. Over the past four years, results have been 100% 6-9.
The A-Level course follows the same model in terms of weighting but covers many more pieces of music in greater detail. Students study Instrumental Music, Vocal Music, Music for Film, Pop & Jazz, 20th & 21st Century New Directions, Fusions and much wider listening. We run a Foundation Course, homing in on the big moments throughout Music History at the start of LVI, ensuring that students can frame unfamiliar music within a particular context. Over the past four year, results have been 100% A*-B.
Music Theory
Students soon to be taking their Grade 6 practical will be timetabled to have theory lessons free of charge. These lessons are taught 1:1 or 2:1 and put students on a fast track to Grade 5 ABRSM Theory, a pre-requisite of Grade 6 practical. Should any student wish to continue with theory past Grade 5, lessons can be arranged as with any other instrumental lesson and are charged at the same rate.
The Co-curricular life of the music department is extensive, with 11 rehearsals for larger ensembles taking place throughout the week alongside smaller rehearsals for chamber music. There is at least one large concert per term alongside regular, slightly more informal, lunchtime music concerts which take place once per month. For more information on upcoming events, please do access our Music Calendar or get in touch for further information.
Marie-Claire Arthur (Director of Music)