Music Faculty
Photo: Members of the College Consort sing at the inaugural Roche Society Lecture
Music
The music department has recently had two classrooms refurbished. The first has 30 computers and keyboards designed for Key Stage Three classes. Specific music software has been installed onto the computers, in line with the Key Stage Three curriculum. Keyboards are a big part of the Music schemes of work and are used in a variety of topics across the Key Stage. The second room was refurbished with Key Stage Four and Five pupils in mind. There are 20 keyboards and computers, each with Auralia and Sibelius, which is music specific software. These programmes are used to help both GCSE and A level pupils with composition and listening skills. These rooms are also often used at lunchtimes and after school for pupils to do extra work or have extra practice.
Every year in March a group of Key Stage Three pupils visit the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. Pupils listen to a variety of pieces as well as learning about the instruments, sections and sounds of the orchestra.
In April 2009, a group of Year 13 students visited London on a trip to help them widen their appreciation of music from different eras and genres in relation to their A level course. The pupils began the trip with a visit to The Southbank Centre and took part in a Gamelan workshop. This was then followed by a visit to The Lyceum Theatre to watch a production of the ‘Lion King’. They also experienced a tour and enjoyed a live performance at the Royal Albert Hall. A great time was had by both pupils and staff.
As well as the four members of the music department, there are 16 peripatetic teachers that visit the college each week to give individual pupils instrumental lessons. St Edward’s offers lessons in a wide variety of orchestral instruments as well as drum kit, voice and piano.
Each year there are 15 specialist music places available to pupils entering Year 7. Pupils gain a place through an aptitude test in Year Six. These pupils are offered extra music lessons in school and have the opportunity to learn a second instrument. Specialist music pupils are also expected to perform regularly throughout the year at concerts, assemblies and lunchtime recitals.
Throughout the year, several concerts are held in College. All College orchestras and choirs feature in at least one of these. Pupils also perform twice a year at the Metropolitan Cathedral and are often asked to perform at other venues, such as St George’s Hall, Liverpool Town Hall and Alder Hey Hospital.
Pupils and staff from the music department provide the music for the College’s lower school production. In recent years these have included ‘Oliver’, ‘Scrooge’ and ‘Bugsy’. In 2009/10 the pupils are looking forward to this year’s production of ‘The Wizard of Oz’.