The Music Department at Netherhall School occupies a very pleasant building next to Queen Edith’s Way. Music classes and activities take place in spacious classrooms and there is a suite of practice rooms.

Students in years 7-9 follow a course that meets the requirements of the National Curriculum, involving singing, performing, composing and improvising. Students are encouraged to learn about musical style and gain an understanding of music by developing skills in musicianship.

Music is a popular option at Key Stage four with classes in years 10 and 11 leading to the Edexcel GCSE. Music is also taught to AS and A2 level as part of the curriculum of the Sixth Form College.

Enrichment

A wide range of enrichment activities is available. At present these include

• Chamber choir
• Orchestra
• Pop choir
• String orchestra
• Fiddle group
• Jazz/improvisation group
• String quartet club
• Classroom orchestra
• Musicianship class (theory and aural)

Instrumental tuition

Visiting teachers offer tuition in a wide range of instruments. Lessons are organized on a rota so that students learning musical instruments experience minimal disruption to their other timetabled lessons.

Tuition is available in the following instruments:

Flute, Recorder, Oboe, Clarinet, Saxophone, Bassoon, Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, Keyboard, Piano, Trumpet/Cornet, Trombone, French Horn, Tenor Horn, Euphonium, Tuba, Percussion, Drum Kit, Guitar, Voice. A leaflet giving further details is obtainable from the music department.

Concerts and events

The Music Department calendar is always busy and usually includes concerts or musical items in

Prize-giving, Whole School Open Evening, Sixth Form Open Evening, The Netherhall Christmas Concert, Senior Citizens’ Christmas Concert. These traditionally take place in the autumn term. In the spring term we usually present a concert at West Road Concert Hall and the Cambridge Schools Music festival. The focus of the summer term is a cabaret style Soiree Musicale. In addition, the Music Department makes a major contribution to school productions which in the past have included The Little Shop of Horrors, High School Musical, Bugsy Malone and more recently a production of Les Miserables.

Visits to musical events include trips to theatres in London and Norwich for musical shows and operas, and the annual Carol service for Cambridgeshire Schools in the chapel of King’s College.

We also take part in musical workshops from time to time. The most recent of these have been with the Backbeat Percussion ensemble as part of the Cambridge festival and with the composer Christopher Fox and musicians from St Catharine’s College. A project is being planned as part of the University of Cambridge 800 years festival in 2009.

GCSE Music – Edexcel, code  2Mu01 (from 2010)

During the course you will develop skill sin composition, performance and listening through assignments in a series of modules. There are four areas of study:

• Western Classical Music 1600-1899
• Music of the twentieth century
• Popular music in context
• World music

Coursework is completed under controlled conditions and consists of two compositions, one solo performance and one ensemble performance. The GCSE course provides a suitable foundation for further study such as AS and A Level Music.

AS Music – Edexcel, code 8Mu01

The AS course in Music aims to:

• encourage candidates to extend the skills, knowledge and understanding to communicate through music and take part in music making.
• encourage candidates to engage in, and extend their appreciation of the diverse and dynamic heritage of music, promoting spiritual and cultural development.
• encourage candidates to develop particular strengths and interests, encouraging lifelong learning and providing access to music-related careers.
• provide a worthwhile, satisfying and complete course of study which broadens experience, develops imagination, fosters creativity and promotes personal and social development.

The AS Level course is of one year’s duration and is assessed in the following areas:

• Performing
• Composing
• Developing Musical Understanding

Set works include Instrumental Music and Vocal Music.

A Level Music – Edexcel, code 9Mu01

The A2 course aims to extend the skills, knowledge and understanding developed in the AS level and to provide a suitable foundation for further study. In the A2 course students complete three units of study:

• Extended Performance
• Composition and Technical Study
• Further Musical Understanding

The set works for A2 include Applied Music and Instrumental Music.

For more in-depth information about the Music course click here.