Music

Introduction

The Music Department is a flourishing and successful department which above all provides a foundation upon which a joy of music can be nurtured and developed. All students are involved in the fundamental musical activities of performing, composing, listening and appraising. Our aim is to develop musical skills and understanding in students encompassing a wide range of abilities and to encourage pupils to co-operate and work together within the classroom and within musical ensembles through extra-curricular activities. Students are given the opportunity to develop their instrumental and vocal skills via peripatetic music lessons which are taught by a highly qualified, experienced and well motivated team of instrumental teachers.

Music at Rishworth

Music is taught throughout the School from Year 7. Within Key Stage 3 a comprehensive scheme of work is followed with the emphasis placed on the involvement of all pupils in the fundamental musical activities of performing, listening and composing. By participation in these activities pupils will be stimulated and will develop awareness and sensitivity. Pupils are encouraged to recognise and have an understanding of music from other times and cultures and to develop imagination and ability to express ideas and emotions through the communicative aspects of music.

At GCSE students follow the A.Q.A. syllabus which covers the musical skills of listening and appraising, performing and composing.

Music is also offered at A Level and students will follow the A.Q.A. syllabus which includes modules covering the understanding of music, composing, performing and an investigation report.

Outside the classroom

There is a real buzz for music at Rishworth and there are many high quality musical ensembles in which students may participate including the Concert Band, the Dance Orchestra, Woodwind, String, Brass and Percussion Ensembles and the Rishworth Singers and Junior Singers. Major annual events include “Christmas at Rishworth”, music recitals, Senior and Junior carol services and a thriving Music Festival incorporating a “Young Musician of the Year” competition. “Music in the Quad” is an outdoor festival when students have the opportunity to play with professional artists such as “The Syd Lawrence Orchestra” and “Opera North”.

There are in addition numerous concerts held within the local community and annual music workshops with local schools. The Dance Orchestra had the honour of performing for HRH the Princess Royal when she visited the School in February 2007.

Music tours are very successful and popular. The 2003 tour to Austria involved instrumentalists and vocalists from Rishworth and Heathfield and included concerts in Zell am See and the Mirabell Gardens, Salzburg. In Summer 2005 we visited Prague and Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic and 2006 saw the Dance Orchestra playing at Euro Disney on a music weekend to Paris. In 2007 we toured Venice and Lake Garda. The highlights included singing Mass in St. Mark’s Basilica, Venice, playing at the Parco della Sigurta in Verona and giving a concert on the shores of Lake Garda.

		An evening concert on the shores of Lake Garda
		On tour in Venice

Other Information

We have created student posts for music in recognition of the enormous contributions musicians make to the life of the School through outstanding individual performances and dedicated membership of various musical ensembles.

All instrumental/vocal students have the opportunity to enter for Trinity College Music Examinations twice a year in which we have an enviable record of successes from Initial to Grade 8 and, recently, at Performance Certificate level also. Further developments are to include the completion of a Music Technology Suite and the purchase of a new Grand Piano for our music students.