3 What Makes a Good Music This section will analyse a couple reputable music schools to provide an insight into what the best practices are through its curriculum, ideologies and design in order to inform a proposed solution.
3.1-Specialist Schools Chetham’s School of Music Chetham’s School of Music is situated in the heart of Manchester with approximately 300 students making it the largest specialist music school in the UK, as well as being the only music school in the North of England. Manchester is also a city with a strong sense of musical heritage, being home to three renowned orchestras; the BBC Philharmonic, Manchester Camerata and Hallé Orchestra. It is also home to a long list of significantly influential bands such as ‘The Smiths’, ‘Oasis’ and ‘The Stone Roses’ and more recently ‘The 1975’. The school was originally based in a Grade 1 listed medieval building built in the 1420s, which contains a library, audit room, kitchen, offices and the Baronial Hall claimed to be one of the most well preserved 15th century halls. A new building designed by Stephenson ISA Studio was constructed just adjacent to the existing school and opened in 2012. The new music school comprises a 350-seat concert hall and a 100-seat recital hall along with practice rooms, teaching spaces and general academic facilities. Art, Drama and PE departments and playground remain in the existing building. Students taught are aged 8 – 18. Admission is through an audition where students are judged by their musical ability. Grades are not required with the exception for sixth form where a Grade 5 theory is needed. Chetham’s is also part of the Government’s ‘Music and Dance Scheme’ providing grants to students regardless of their parent’s financial background. Elements making this a successful music school is through its dedicated focus on music, teaching and engagement with the community. In essence, though the national curriculum makes up the rest of the school’s education; music and performance form the heart and soul of the school. Students are exposed to musical performance and participation as much as possible. Free lunchtime concerts occur most days of the week in ‘The Carole Nash Hall’ where students can perform to the public. Concert opportunities are made available to pupils to perform outside of school in music societies, community organisations and major venues and festivals across the UK and overseas. This includes venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall and The Bridgewater Hall. Many of these have been broadcasted on BBC Radio and Classic FM. Students are given the chance to perform with ‘Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra’ which occurs three times a year in high profile venues. ‘The Community Music Programme’ allows students to visit residential care homes and special needs schools to provide workshops and performances to enrich the lives of those whose access to music is limited. This also helps students to become more aware of and show care for those who may be less fortunate. A community project called ‘The Spirit of Norway’ that celebrates Norwegian music, is a festival in which Chetham’s students rehearsed for three days with Trondheim Kulturskole in Norway and the Manx Youth Orchestra where they performed music by Norwegian composers; Greig, Halvorsen, Tveitt and Delius in a Gala concert on the Villa Marina in the Isle of Man. Pupils can benefit from the school’s links with national and international highly respected musicians which allow for professionals to get involved as instructors in masterclasses.
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