Music
“Creativity comes from the freedom to fail. And freedom to fail comes from experimentation, and that's what gives something its individuality.” — Peter Gabriel
Music is a vital part of the school curriculum where, through practical based lessons, students develop their creative, analytical and collaborative skills. All students get the opportunity to compose, learn various instruments and to explore a wide variety of music from around the world.
Students at Waldegrave begin their creative journey through an exploration of the foundational elements of music. They learn the basics of music theory, keyboard skills, simple music technology, key vocabulary and begin to develop their compositional and performance skills. These themes and skills are then grown and developed throughout the rest of key stage 3 through the exploration of music from a range of genres and diverse cultures. All students finish key stage 3 being able to discuss the music they hear linking it to the context in which it was written; being able to compose in a wide range of different styles and to perform with confidence in both an ensemble and solo setting.
The study of music at KS4 builds upon our KS3 curriculum in terms of the breadth and depth of the music covered. The course is made accessible to all students through our enrichment opportunities which allow students to develop the key performance skills required at this level.
At KS5, music serves as an academic subject preparing students not just for a degree or conservatoire place but also for law, medicine, veterinary science as a result is very popular as a fourth A Level.
The academic curriculum is supported by an inclusive and diverse extracurricular programme with opportunities for students to create their own ensembles alongside taking part in one of the many choirs, orchestra, jazz and other instrumental ensembles run by the music team. Performances take place throughout the school year both in house, in the local area and further afield including European tours. We also regularly take students to see live performances and collaborate with leading professionals to deliver masterclasses and lectures to our students.
By studying music, students become dedicated, resilient, creative, analytical and collaborative individuals. These transferable skills make the subject valued by many different professions and an excellent foundation for further study.