Senior School MUSIC

George Agius, Director of Music

It has been a busy but vibrant year in the Music department. There has been a host of new musical opportunities made available to both the students and staff which has led to record numbers of participants trying themselves out in various musical experiences.

Our peripatetic music programme has seen hundreds of our students in lessons for a host of different instrumental offerings as well as voice. We have students learning instruments from all 4 families of the orchestra as well as piano, guitar, drums and voice and it has helped create more regular whole school music performances with a soloist performing at the end of each Monday mornings’ assembly. It has also led to record numbers of participation in our ensemble programme.

The number of extra curricular activities offered within senior school music has grown. There is now a Senior Orchestra for the most experienced instrumentalists with an Intermediate Ensemble allowing those with less experience to develop those all-important ensemble skills. Meanwhile, there are two choirs; the NLCS choir for grades 6 and 7 as well as the Community Choir for students in grades 8 and above as well as teachers.

Meanwhile, there are several different chamber groups including the Flute Choir, Senior String Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble and the School of Rock.

What has been fantastic this year is the buy-in from the talented teachers across the school who have thrown themselves in to either leading or performing with these ensembles.

All these groups performed with aplomb in the first large scale event, the Senior Festive Recital. Stand out performances included the Intermediate Ensembles’ rendition of ‘We Three Kings’, ‘Deck the Halls’ from the NLCS Choir, a stirring performance of ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ by the Community Choir before the concert was drawn to a fitting close by the Senior Orchestra with ‘The Christmas Song’. Wonderful festive treats, music and lighting before the performance and during the interval put the audience and all involved in a suitably joyful mood.

Term 2 was also a busy term. Music week took place at the start of March and began with Mr Agius leading an assembly on being inspired by music all around us. There were several activities and pop-up performances that took place throughout the week including a stirring performance from the Community choir filling the atrium one morning, a piano masterclass led by Ms Magdalena, an African drumming workshop led by Ms Kelly and Live Lounge, a lunch time gig in Budge square.

At the end of the term came Founder’s Day with some excellent performances taking place throughout the ceremony. Zihan Liu played ‘Cello Suite no.1 in G major’ by Bach beautifully before the Senior Orchestra performed the majestic ‘Chariots of Fire’. For the first time, the whole school procession was accompanied completely by live musicians with ensembles such as the Senior strings and the Flute Choir performing as well as a selection of talented soloists.

Message from the MYP coordinator