Music Department

Contact: I C Donald or Telephone: 020 8783 4200

Associated Board Examination Results Rock School Examination Results Diary of Events : Spring 2009 Music Tech Club

Extra Curricular Activities Instrumental, theory and aural tuition Scholarships Music Society

Music provides exceptional opportunities to experience the cultural heritage of others, from within the UK, from other countries and from different religions and ethnic origins. The range of materials covered, from folk music, jazz, popular and world music traditions, to classical western music, from its origins in Gregorian plainchant, through Mediæval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical and Romantic, to contemporary and avant garde, give extraordinary scope for raising pupils awareness and appreciation of the music that is around them and presented to them every day.

Practical music-making holds a unique place in the cultural heart of the School. The Music Department is committed to providing a full range of opportunities at all levels. Excellence in performance comes from both the motivation and commitment of the Music Staff, and the skills and abilities of the pupils themselves.

Music is compulsory in Years 1 and 2. From Year 3 onwards, when pupils opt for the subject, the teaching of Music becomes increasingly rigorous, and by the Sixth Form pupils are expected to take an academic view of the subject, although the practical and creative elements remain important.

A Level Music covers a wide field, and requires a depth of knowledge of harmony, form, structure – the grammar of Music – considerable powers of analysis, composition and performance to a high standard, and a knowledge of Music from 1550 to the present day, including World Music and popular music, which makes it a rigorous and demanding subject to study at this level. It can also be enormously rewarding, and even those not going on to study Music will find they have gained an insight that can last a lifetime.

Latest news:

Chamber Music Course 19 – 23 October 2009

Konstanz Orchestra Exchange 2008

Spring Term 2008: An extremely busy term for the Music Department, starting with rehearsals for both the Choir and the Choral Society as they worked towards their performance of Vaughan Williams’s Sea Symphony in the Main Hall on March 15th. 

The first Informal Concert of the term took place on February 22nd with the second  on March 7th, in readiness for the Associated Board exams which this year took over three days to complete (11-13th March).

This year, the Music Department hosted the annual Hampton & LEH Chamber Music Festival (1st-2nd March) where visiting tutors imparted wisdom and advice in equal measure to pupils from both Schools.  Their work was then showcased in a concert held on 19th March in the Garrick Building.

The 2nd Year Musical (6th March), always a highlight, again proved to be a success with Oliver!  Some fantastic performances, especially from Alasdair McNab, Daniel Cohen, Cillian Dunn and Harry Suter. 

Jazz Cafe on 8th March was another sell-out and all performers excelled themselves on the night.  Sadly this was Miss Tate-Lovery’s last outing as leader of the Swing Band and it was great to see the boys send her off in style.

The Joint Choral Society, Choirs and Orchestra of Hampton and LEH gave a magnificent performance of the Sea Symphony on Saturday 15th March, as already mentioned, and preceding it Lawrence Thain performed Jongen’s Symphonie  Concertante to great acclaim in front of a packed house.  The Orchestra, augmented by a few professionals, but mostly Hampton boys and a couple of girls from LEH, rose wonderfully to the occasion.  This year there are 6 1st Year boys in the Orchestra, an impressive number, which together with the 7 2nd Years gives the highest Lower School contingent ever – and real promise for the future.