Music It has been wonderful to return to a much greater sense of normality in our Music provision in the 2021-22 academic year, whilst carrying with us some of the silver linings discovered amongst the clouds of the pandemic; for example, we continue to live-stream many of our events despite having opened our doors to audiences. Our Performance and Ensemble programmes have been brought fully back to life. Music, through its many curricular and extra-curricular strands, has re-established its place at the heart of the daily life of our community. Approximately 70% of children in T2 and above are learning at least one instrument in school, and a good number of the remaining pupils learn outside school. Fifty concerts (not including Musical Theatre productions, Carol Services and Class Concerts) have been staged during the academic year, offering valuable opportunities for children of all abilities to gain the pleasures and benefits of musical performance. Our lunchtime concerts continue to offer inspiration in many, and perhaps especially in the following, ways: a child playing an 8-bar melody after only half a term of lessons can share the same platform as a child performing a concerto movement; many non-performing children willingly attend the concerts at both Byron House and Senior House, highlighting the value of these events in our school community; two of our Senior House pupils have offered their own individual lunchtime recitals, performing 20-25 minutes of repertoire at a very high level and introducing their performances with great maturity.
Above: T2 choir performing in an Informal Lunchtime Concert & opposite page: Sevices in Preparation for Christmas at St John’s College Chapel
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