MUSIC Abbey Sanders Technology has allowed music to continue to thrive this year at Knole Academy. From online teaching and learning, to livestream concerts and zoom instrumental lessons, the music department has not slowed down. The teaching staff, as well as the large team of peripatetic instrumental teachers have embraced the chance to explore these new opportunities. During online learning, students from Year 7 through to Year 13 have developed and honed their aural listening and analysis skills. Online teaching has allowed time to focus on listening to music more closely and to evaluate music in more complex detail. Students have also developed their music technology skills by using programmes such as BandLab and GarageBand from home. 40
It has been reassuring to see that despite the strange first year at secondary school, the new Year 7 cohort have been fully engaged with joining musical extracurricular clubs and have been eager to be involved in all performance opportunities, demonstrating a new wealth of musical talent joining the school.
In October we trialled a new idea, the livestream concert. This was a huge success for our students, allowing them to put on music performance for one hour on Instagram, meaning that in the absence of a live audience people could watch them from their own homes instead.
At KS4, Year 11 Music GCSE students produced excellent composition coursework. The final portfolio included an eclectic mix of compositions ranging from a string quintet to club dance tracks, and from pop songs to flute trios.
In December the students recorded a Christmas concert video, and in June we repeated this with our summer concert video, in the Oaks Theatre. The programme for these included performance from the Choir, Chamber Choir, Orchestra, Woodwind Group, soloists and bands.
The current Year 13 students have been the first cohort to sit the BTEC Level 3 Music Performance course, and their hard work and dedication means that they will finish with Merits and Distinctions.
Despite not having a live audience, the students still used the opportunity to develop their performance and musicianship skills and to support one another.
