From rock to carols: exciting music throughout the School

What a busy but brilliant first term in the Music Department. With the wonderful addition of Mrs Diane Llewlellyn (strings and piano) and Mr Lee Dash (drums) to our growing team of music staff we now number 10 and are able to offer a wide range of instrumental tuition across strings, brass, woodwind, percussion and vocal.

We sadly said farewell to Mrs Emma Atack, a piano teacher with us for many years, as she moved onto pastures new with an exciting new career path. We were very fortunate in adding Mr Craig Torr to our piano teaching team and now have three teachers of piano in the department.

The Music Room and Practice Rooms have been revamped using flexible furniture. This allows the space to be used for class teaching, small theory learning groups as well as a larger scale rehearsal space. We now have a lovely Band Practice Room with drum kits, keyboard and guitar facilities allowing group tuition.

Curriculum lessons have been transformed with our new school-wide Global Dimensions Curriculum and we enjoy developing musical knowledge and skills through exciting and inspiring themes such as ‘War of the Worlds’.

Year 3 have focused on their recorder learning and are getting to grips with right hand and left hand, and placing fingers carefully over the holes to play their first few notes. A highlight this term was their performance in assembly showing their progress. Our extra-curricular groups are flourishing.

Beginning with a performance in assembly has proved to be a great way to start everyone’s day. The Orchestra treated us to a super Wednesday performance of Handel’s ‘Water Music’ and then an up-beat samba to get us all energised.

The Jazz Band began our Friday with a superb rendition of the iconic James Bond theme with solo trumpet standing in jazz style while colourful P-bones were keeping the rhythm section tight and adding to the brightness of the occasion. Our String Group brightened our day with ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’.

Singing assemblies every Monday morning are a highlight of my week. Hearing the sound of children singing with joy is infectious, spreading from the hall around the school.

Our Copthill Orchestra meets each Wednesday at 8:15am, and we are a growing group with string, woodwind, and brass sections. We enjoy relaxed rehearsals and have fun playing as an ensemble with a varied repertoire chosen by the children. Our leader Oliver, on first violin, will be happy to talk to anyone wishing to join. We have children and teachers playing and would welcome any parents who may wish to share their musical talent too.

An exciting new venture for the Music Department this term is the launching of two rock bands. The Year 6 band and Year 5 band have four members each, playing drums, lead and bass guitar and keyboard. Jamming sessions have begun under the expert tuition of Mr McGurk and we can’t wait for their first performances!

Harvest this term was a super celebration of music. There was our Early Years ‘Harvest in the Woods’, the Year 6 lunch for parents with musical entertainment, and the whole school Harvest Festival which was thought-provoking and celebratory. Who did not find their feet tapping to the ‘Harvest Samba’ with the drum and trumpet accompaniment and the children’s voices raising the roof?

Remembrance was a solemn and beautifully presented service where the singing enhanced the mood especially with the ‘Dona Nobis Pacem’ and the warmth of the cello accompaniment.

Informal concerts this term have given the opportunity for young performers to play to an audience, who were super encouraging . It was wonderful to hold a first-time performers’ concert with afternoon tea as part of this series. Our Tuesday lunchtime recitals in the dining room have proved popular – you can almost imagine you’re dining at The Ritz!

While we love performing to our friends and families in school we also love to share our talent further afield. A group of singers and instrumental players enjoyed a day of music-making at Oakham School culminating in a lively performance in the Chapel.

This year we made our debut at the Burghley House Christmas Fair with our Year 6 carollers. They entertained the festive crowd beautifully on a bright, crisp day with their angelic voices and smiles spreading Christmas cheer.

Four of our most experienced instrumental players have joined the Peterborough Youth Orchestra for their performance of ‘The Snowman’ at the New Theatre this December. These children are a testament to what motivation, passion for music and a bit of hard work can do. An inspiration to many.

Christmas is such a wonderful time at Copthill and music is at the heart of it all. With Nursery carols for parents, the ever-endearing Reception Nativity performance, the beautiful Lower School Christingle service, the excitement of the Year 3 Play of Peter Pan, the candlelit Year 4 Carols in the Woods and the traditional Upper School Carol service in the church, as well as flash mob carol singing at drop off and pick-ups, lunchtime festive recitals, and a wonderful musical afternoon meeting members of the Uffington village community in a café style concert, we have truly celebrated music in style this term!

My thanks to the wonderfully talented members of our Music Department and support of the wider school team who make all of this exciting music-making possible.