Departmental Report 2011/12 - King's High

Music
Mr M Smallwood
At the start of every year in the music department we look forward to the wide variety of
concerts and performance opportunities that we provide for the students. This year was
our busiest ever year with the introduction of a Chamber Choir concert and a programme
of four informal concerts organised by our visiting
music staff which covered all the instrumental
families.
We also welcomed our Visiting Composer, Edmund
Jolliffe, who has worked closely with our examination
students and written a piece for the school, entitled
“Taking Off”, which was performed at Speech Day.
Edmund Jolliffe teaching an A Level Composition Class
Our results in August 2011 saw our AS students gain 100% A, B grades. There was no A2
group this year. Our GCSE group gained 100% A*-A grades.
Associated Board examination entries were again up on last year and there was a 100% pass
rate with 12 distinctions at grade 5 and above.
The start of the Autumn term is always marked
by the Annual Year 7 Concert. The buzz of
excitement and flurry of activity around the
department leading up to auditions for the
concert is a very busy time for the two full time
members of staff. The result was a beautifully
balanced programme of musical items which
showcased the wealth of talent we have in Year
7. It is also a wonderful opportunity to meet
new parents.
Year 7 Choir
Molly Gibbins - Harp
The Foundation Windband made their yearly
visit to the regional heats of the National
Concert Band Festival along with boys from
Warwick School. This time it was held at
Northampton School. We were awarded a
place in the final held this year at the Royal
Academy of Music and came away with a
Silver Award for the Foundation Wind band.
Christmas time in a music department is
always busy and this year it reached a new
level. After the success of holding the Christmas Concert over two nights we decided to
repeat the format with healthy audiences on both. As usual we showcased all of our main
instrumental and vocal groups.

In the final week of term we held our first
Chamber Choir Concert entitled
Enchanted Carols. It was a magical evening
of traditional and contemporary
arrangements of Christmas music
composed by Howard Goodhall and
accompanied by handbells and organ.
Senior Chamber Choir performing in St
Nicholas’ Church
The end of term culminates with the Carol Service in St Mary’s Church to a capacity
audience. This is always a moving occasion of readings and music and leads us towards the
hectic week of Christmas with our families.
Christmas Concert 2012
The start of the Spring term
commenced with a busy period
of Music Scholarship auditions
and demonstrated exceptional
talent especially in the Sixth Form
entry. We held our first joint
music weekend with Warwick
School at Smallwood Manor.
(Not my country residence as
some students were led to
believe!)
The weekend provided the
opportunity for pupils to develop
their ensemble playing, listening skills and help to build self-confidence as musicians. Led by
Mrs Susan Meteyard (King’s High) and Mr Jeremy Sampson (Warwick School), the pupils
explored different musical styles and developed their performance skills which they
demonstrated in a short concert for parents at the end of the weekend.
Musicians at Smallwood Manor
The Year 10 GCSE group took part in an
inspirational workshop led by the a
cappella group Black Voices from
Birmingham. The girls learnt vocal
improvisations and vocal technique
through an eclectic collection of songs
singing in up to 6 parts.

Black Voices
Isobel Williams, Beth Irving (Year 12) and Juliet Wallace
(Year 11) took part in the The Young Musician Competition sponsored by our local Rotary
Club and held at Warwick School. The first round of the competition was held in
conjunction with Warwick School and adjudicated by Paul McGrath, Director of Music at
Warwick University. Isobel’s performances of pieces by Singlee and Bozza on alto and
soprano saxophones displayed real flair and gained her the prize for the instrumental
section, with Beth achieving the runner up prize for her beautiful clarinet performances of
the slow movement of the Poulenc Sonata followed by Fughetta by Finzi. Juliet completed
the programme with a moving performance of Clair de Lune by Faure and a lively rendition of
Poor Wandering One! by Gilbert and Sullivan, gaining her the vocal prize.
Juliet went on to represent the school at the National finals which were held in
Bournemouth.
Isobel Williams, Bethan Irving and
Juliet Wallace with musicians from
Warwick School and the
Adjudicators of the Competition
Our Jazz musicians gave another
unforgettable Jazz Evening which was
well attended featuring the Wind
band under the direction Danielle
Mason. Highlights included The Peter
Gunn Theme and an amazing vocal
performance of Something’s Gotta Give
by Lara Swan.
Windband playing at the Jazz Evening
The highlight of the year was undoubtedly
the Jubilee Concert which took place in St
Mary’s Church at the end of the Easter
term. The music had a distinct last night of
the proms feel with favourites such as I was

Glad by Parry to set the patriotic tone of the evening and Coronation March by William
Walton. One of the highlights of the evening was the Five Mystical Songs by Vaughan Williams
with internationally renowned Baritone (and parent), Roderick Williams, as guest soloist
supported by a choir of 160 and an orchestra of 90 players.
Jubilee Concert, St Mary’s Church, March 2012
As always, the Summer Concert is a chance to thank
and say good bye to our older musicians as they move
on to university. We were treated to solo
performances by many of the Year 13 Musicians
including Rebecca Muress and Hannah Armitage who
performed a moving duet from the musical Wicked. The
evening concluded with a dramatic performance of
music from the blockbuster film, Pirates of the Caribbean,
played by the Orchestra.
Summer Concert 2012
The Key Stage 3 Concert on 26 th June
was a great success. The standard was very high with many superb solo performances
including a guitar solo by Grace Bottomley and violin solos by Martha Allen-Smith and
Felicity Bee (Year 9). Ensemble items included a small Year 7 vocal ensemble, singing Tears in
Heaven, the Flute Choir and String Ensemble. The Training Orchestra set the evening off to
an exciting start with a dramatic performance of a medley of songs from Andrew Lloyd
Webber’s Phantom of the Opera. The Chamber Choir gave a moving performance of
Chilcott’s Can you hear me? with some of the girls performing using sign language. The Junior
Choir completed the programme with a rousing performance of Disney Movie Magic.
Junior Chamber Choir
It was especially good to welcome back
Amy Walsh who went to York to study
music. She brought her a cappella group
Cappella Juice to perform a medley of
songs titled Beyond the Wardrobe.
The Junior Chamber Choir visited
Newburgh Primary School on 2 nd July.
Despite getting very wet on the walk to
the school the girls were given a very
warm welcome by the younger students

who thoroughly enjoyed their performances. The choir performed a number of Disney
favourites, Lexi Solt (Year 7) performed a clarinet solo and Phoebe Stewart and Molly
Pearce (Year 8) performed a vocal duet, Some things are meant to be from the musical Little
Women.
A selection of our Sixth Form Music Award
holders presented a recital in St Mary’s
Church as part of the St Mary’s Music
Festival.
Juliet Wallace was selected from thousands
of students from all over the country to
perform in a choir of 110 young people at a
number of events leading up to the Olympic
Games. The choir performed at a number of
prestigious venues including the Olympic
Velodrome, Hyde Park, Trafalgar Square,
Battersea Park, The Royal Opera House in Convent Garden and in Westminster Hall in the
Houses of Parliament. They performed a range of repertoire from a cappella madrigals to
especially arranged music, such as Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson, and original
compositions written for the choir at these events.
A special finale to a very special year in the music
department.
Juliet Wallace in Hyde Park singing with the Olympic
Choir