Music

Aims

Town Close School has a vibrant and exciting Music Department which aims to:

• Instil a lifelong love of music in all its diversity in all its forms
• Fulfil musical potential to pupils of all ages
• Give opportunities for practical music making in class and in extra curricular activities

Organisation

Head of Department – Mrs S Koczur

Music plays an important and significant part in the life of the school. All children from Nursery to Year 8 are taught by specialist class music teachers in the Pre prep and Prep music rooms.

A team of Visiting Music Teachers teach a wide range of instruments to many of the children at the school. Individual lessons are available from Year 1 to Year 8 in the disciplines of piano, guitar, singing, drums, strings (violin, viola, cello, bass), woodwind (flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon) and brass (trumpet, cornet, horn, trombone, tuba).

Many pupils are prepared for ABRSM and Trinity Practical Music examinations and some go on to take music exhibitions and scholarships at Senior schools.

Content of Music Curriculum

Music is taught through practical activity incorporating appraising, performance, composition and improvisation with an underpinning of theoretical knowledge.

The curriculum offers a broad spectrum of musical genres and processes. Throughout the years at Town Close School, pupils study the fundamental building blocks of musical language (notation, pitch, rhythm and expression), the History of Western Classical Music, World music (African, Indian, Asian, Caribbean and Jazz styles), Commercial music (Popular music, film and music theatre) and  topics relevant to today’s arts scene (computer sequencing and living composers).

Pupils will study singing, non tuned and tuned percussion, keyboards, steel drums, Djembe drums, cornets and music sequencing as part of the class music programme.

Extra Curricular Activities

The school offers a variety of practical music activities to encourage inclusion and development of skills including: Pre Prep and Prep department choirs, Junior and Senior Orchestras, Junior and Senior Wind Band, Brass group, Guitar group, Woodwind ensembles and Percussion groups.

Performance Opportunities

Informal and formal concerts are given throughout the year, with a major Senior musical production every other year and an annual Year 4 musical. Pupils are encouraged to perform in Christmas and Summer Concerts, Christmas Carol Services, Year Group Soloist’s Concerts and Assemblies.