Music

Aims

• To ensure that Music at Stockport Grammar School is lively, varied and exciting.
• To capture the interest and develop the skills of all pupils.
• To offer playing and singing of an appropriately high standard to over one third of the school.

Staff and facilities

The Music staff currently consists of 2 full-time teachers, 2 part-time teachers and a Music department administrator, together with 26 visiting peripatetic staff on all the mainstream instruments as well as instruments such as the jazz piano and electric guitar. There is enthusiastic support from other subject teachers, many of whom take part in school music ensembles.

There are 4 main teaching / rehearsal rooms as well as the Hallam Hall and 7 smaller practice rooms. The department has excellent computer facilities including midi keyboards and software such as Cubase and Sibelius 5.

A number of instruments, particularly large and expensive ones, are often available for loan or use in lessons and practices. There is an impressive range of percussion and keyboard instruments, including a three manual Copeman Hart organ in the main hall and a Yamaha C8 grand piano in the Hallam Hall.

Music department staff

A list of our peripatetic staff is available in the individual music lessons section, further down the page.

How much time will I spend on this subject per 10 day cycle?

• Lower School – 2 lessons (2 hours) with 1 hour of homework
• GCSE – 5 lessons (5 hours) with 2 hours of homework
• A Level – 10 lessons (10 hours) with additional homework

Do I have to do music?

Music is a part of every child’s life in the school. For the first 3 years, all pupils have a well-structured musical education. In the Third Year, each form is divided by musical experience into 2 sets, with those who read music fairly well working at greater depth and speed.

Music further up the school

GCSE

At GCSE the AQA syllabus comprising of performing, composing, listening and appraising is currently used.

A Level

At A Level we follow the Edexcel syllabus, which we believe offers the best course, both for aspiring professional musicians and for those who will specialise in other fields.

Ensembles

The 4 main areas of musical ensemble are choirs, orchestras, wind bands and chamber music groups, all of which are formed according to age and experience. The regular extracurricular programme is set out in the table below. In addition to the groups listed there are also school musicals with intensive rehearsal schedules as well as aural and theory classes.

Performances

The department offers an impressive and varied range of performing opportunities through an extensive programme of evening concerts and lunchtime recitals within school and high profile appearances in the Manchester area.

In recent years, events have included concerts at the Royal Northern College of Music, the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester Cathedral and St George’s Church, Stockport.

There have been recent tours of Belgium, Salzburg and the Lake District, including performances in distinguished venues such as St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral, Brussels, and Theatre by the Lake. The school chamber choir has also been featured regularly on the BBC Radio 4 Daily Service programme.

There is a competitive music festival each year judged by a distinguished adjudicator, and opportunities exist for pupils to take part in musicals, such as the recent outstanding productions of Guys and Dolls, Wizard of Oz, Fiddler on the Roof and Les Misérables.

The school has also recorded a CD featuring the chamber choir, first orchestra, wind orchestra and big band. We have had many representatives in local musical ensembles including the Hallé Youth Orchestra, the Hallé Youth Choir and the Kinder Children’s Choir.

Several of our pupils have participated in national ensembles: National Youth Orchestra, National Children’s Orchestra, National Children’s Choir and the National Youth Choir.

2011 – 2012 events

Individual music lessons

Our team of highly qualified and committed visiting musicians provide specialist tuition to around 300 children each week. In addition there are around 250 private lessons taken outside school.

Lessons are individual and of a half hour’s duration on a rotating timetable through the school week.

Many pupils are prepared for the associated board music examinations, held at the school 3 times a year. 

The school can sometimes provide large and / or expensive instruments for pupils to borrow in the early years of tuition: normally parents buy or rent instruments from recommended music shops. 

Fees are payable directly to the visiting teachers.

For the 2011 – 2012 academic year, the rate is £13 per half hour or £130 for a course of 10 half hour lessons.

Peripatetic music staff

Scholarships and bursaries

Music bursaries and Sykes organ bursaries, providing free lessons for all or part of a pupil’s school career, may be available. They are offered to existing pupils who show particular aptitude and potential and who are willing to consider instruments which are less popular but have significant roles in band or orchestra.

In addition 25% fee Music scholarships are available each year for students who show outstanding musical potential.

What can my musical studies lead to?

Preparation for associated board practical and theory examinations culminates in a termly visit by an examiner to the school; in recent years, 17 of our students have reached distinction level at grade 8.

A number of our recent leavers are studying music at university or conservatoire, including Oxford, Cambridge and the Royal Northern College of Music.