"Music .... sets the soul in operation." (John Cage, composer)

The Music Department is one of the largest in the school with over 20 staff, including the instrumental specialists, and teaching/rehearsal facilities on four storeys. In addition, the Main Hall and Lytton House Hall are used for concerts and rehearsals.

Extension Activities are on a large scale. Almost half the school sings in one of the choirs (both large/unauditioned and smaller/more select) and there are orchestras and chamber ensembles (vocal and instrumental). In addition to its many concerts the Department also instigates foreign tours, performances of musicals, the Inter-House Music Festival (over 300 entries), a Carol Service and an annual Opera, sung and organised by Year 9, all of whom take part.

Key Stage 3

All classroom music lessons combine performing, listening to and composing music. At Key Stage 3 there is some emphasis on encouraging all girls to develop their music notation skills using these three activities in a complementary way.

GCSE and A-Level

Music is a strongly established subject at GCSE, AS and A2 levels, with girls regularly winning places to study further at leading universities and conservatoires. The courses followed are those of the Edexcel board, and offer a stimulating experience, as popular with ‘specialists’ as with girls who value music as a complementary study to their main areas of academic interest.

GCSE Edexcel website

AS/A2 Edexcel website

"The truest expression of a people is in its dances and in its music." (Agnes de Mille, choreographer)

View the Year 9 Opera here: