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Music at St Peter’s 2-8

The Music School is sited at the end of 8-13 and was beautifully refurbished in October 2020. It provides a large teaching room, a generous Music Studio which is kitted out for smaller size concerts and for ensembles requiring a large orchestra percussion section. These two rooms are also rehearsal spaces for the York Minster Choristers, who provide a glorious start to our day during the week.

With upwards of 250 music lessons a week, there is rarely a quiet moment in the Music School. We run several ensembles – from brass, wind and string ensembles for each ability level, to a Mini Jazz Band, a String Orchestra and a Wind Band, to our highly regarded Chapel Choir, which is made up of children in J3-5.

ABRSM and Trinity exams are taken termly by those children who wish to do so, with excellent results. However, we also realise the importance of developing technique and repertoire as part of a well-rounded instrumental and vocal education, and therefore ensure that we are preparing the ‘whole’ musician.

Performance is at the heart of everything we do. Whether the children are performing their own compositions in class, in Chapel before a service, or in a major concert, we aim to provide an opportunity for everyone to perform. We hold weekly Virtualosity Concerts which are broadcast virtually, as well as half termly Informal Concerts and two Formal Concerts each year. Every child in the school also takes part in our House Singing competition.

The choir leads every Chapel service, as well as leading or being involved in several very high-profile services and concerts within the school year. Having the Chapel as another performance venue is very exciting, and places within Chapel Choir are highly sought after. Music should touch the lives of as many pupils as possible

Paul Miles-Kingston, Director of Music at St Peter’s 13-18

Music at St Peter’s 13-18

The Music School at St Peter’s 13-18 is one of the largest and most diverse school music departments in the North.

We offer a wide range of opportunities for individual and ensemble performance, with full Symphony Orchestra, String Orchestra, Symphonic Wind Band, Swing Band and Brass Ensemble, and numerous chamber groups from String Quartet and classical Guitar Group to our Clarinet Choir and Percussion Group.

Singing is highly regarded. Our School Choir gives many of our pupils an opportunity to learn and sing a range of classical and popular music, with numbers exceeding 150. Our more specialist choirs are the Chapel Choir and the Chamber Choir who sing a varied and challenging programme of music. We are the Choir School for York Minster and a number of former choristers sing in the senior choirs. Alongside this strong traditional base, we also run Barbershop groups for both boys and girls, which are always a popular feature in school concerts.

We pride ourselves on the quality of our instrumental teaching and over 250 individual lessons are offered each week. Lessons are available on all orchestral instruments, piano, organ, singing, classical guitar, electric and bass guitar, percussion, drum kit, harp and bagpipe.

The Music School has several practice rooms, a recital room and a newly refurbished recording studio as well as two computer-equipped teaching classrooms. We have six Yamaha Conservatoire series grand pianos, and the Memorial Hall houses a Bösendorfer concert grand piano. We are also lucky to have an organ in Chapel and a beautiful Andrew Garlick harpsichord.

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