Music Department - RGS Prep by Royal Grammar School Guildford

Music

Introduction

RGS Prep have long-standing musical traditions that lie at the heart of the daily life of the school. As well as being the choir school to Guildford Cathedral, the Music department delivers a wide range of music education and co-curricular opportunities with access for all.

Curriculum Music in Pre-Prep

Pupils receive weekly specialist music lessons from Nursery to Year 2, developing listening, performance, and musicianship skills. Every week children enjoy singing practice, learning hymns and topical songs.

All Pre-Prep pupils are given performance opportunities throughout the year, including:

• Assemblies

• Workshops

• Christmas Nativity Production

• Informal Concerts

• Summer End of Year Production

Private, specialist instrumental lessons are available in Years 1 and 2. The Pre-Prep Choir is also open to all pupils in Years 1 and 2.

Curriculum Music in Prep

In Years 3 and 4, pupils receive two class music lessons a week including:

• Ukelele

• Singing

• Musicianship studies with Mrs Ford

• Year 3 Instrumental Scheme

The Instrumental Scheme enables our Year 3 pupils to try out a range of instruments through a carousel system and then spend two terms developing their ensemble, performance, and musicianship skills on either the violin, cello or recorder, led by specialist teachers.

In Years 5 and 6, pupils receive one class music lesson a week and develop digital and acoustic composition techniques alongside theory, practical and performance skills. All of Year 4 and 6 participate in choral or rock performance projects in the Lent and Trinity terms.

Private Instrumental Lessons

We are extremely proud of our wide-ranging provision of private instrumental study, which is provided by our fabulous team of 16 experienced Visiting Music Teachers.

The following instrument lessons are offered:

• Piano

• Singing

• Strings: violin, viola, and cello/bass

• Brass: trumpet, trombone, horn, euphonium, and tuba

• Woodwind: flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and saxophone

• Guitar

• Drums

We hold ABRSM examinations in school. Our drum pupils follow the Rockschool syllabus and are put forward for exams when they are ready. Music Examinations

Preparation for Music Scholarships to Future Schools

Our most able musicians are prepared for music scholarship applications via our Maestro Scheme. The Maestro Scheme aims to extend and develop our most able musicians through chamber playing, musicianship and advanced performance. We are proud that each year boys are awarded scholarships to prestigious senior schools. Recent awards include scholarships at RGS Guildford, Hampton and George Abbot School.

Ensembles, Bands and Choirs

As part of the co-curricular provision at RGS Prep, we run a wide variety of music groups including:

• Guitar Ensemble

• Senior Choir

• Junior Choir

• Pre-Prep Choir

• Senior Orchestra

• Maestros

• Wind Ensemble

• Brass Ensemble

• Junior String Ensemble

• Senior String Ensemble

• Intermediate Wind Ensemble

• Chorister Theory

• Rock Bands

• Beginner Music Theory

• Pre-Prep Strings

Performance Opportunities

There are performance opportunities for all pupils throughout the year. These include but are not limited to:

• Projects with RGS Senior School and external opportunities such as Guildford Choral Society and Southern Pro Musica Orchestra

• Informal Concerts

• Christmas Tree Concert

• Pre-Prep Nativity

• Whole-school Cathedral Carol Service

• House Music Competition

• Spring Ensembles Concert

• Year 6 Production

• Prizegiving

• Remembrance Service

Cathedral Choristers

RGS Prep is proud to be the Choir School for Guildford Cathedral’s boy choristers. Cathedral staff hold choir practice at RGS Prep four mornings a week before school. Choristers sing Choral Evensong at Guildford Cathedral on Tuesdays and Thursdays. They sing services on Sundays and take part in parish visits, concerts, recordings, and international tours. The Choristers lead extremely busy but rewarding lives.

Vacancies exist each year for musical boys who are interested in becoming choristers; the Chapter of the Cathedral awards educational bursaries to boys selected for the Choir. If you wish to receive a chorister booklet, please email: liturgymusic@guildford-cathedral.org.

Most boys are auditioned when they are in the Michaelmas term of Year 2, with a view to starting as a probationer chorister when they enter Year 3 the following September. If offered a place in the Choir, they are expected to stay until their voice changes or until they reach the end of Year 8. Auditions are offered to boys already in RGS Prep or boys who have accepted an offer to start in Year 3.

Learn more...

If you wish to learn more about Music at RGS Prep, please email: rgsp-office@rgsg.co.uk.

For information about our other departments, pastoral care and the many extra-curricular opportunities on offer, please visit rgsg.co.uk.

Want to know more?

Take a look at our website where you’ll find lots of information about school life and our admissions process. If you have any other questions please contact our Admissions Manager: rgsp-admissions@rgsg.co.uk or call us on 01483 880 489.

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