Happy half term!

Rehearsals will resume in the first week back.


HUB performance at Pittsmead Grange Care Home

Well done to HUB for another fab performance at Pittsmead Grange yesterday. The residents loved hearing you play and chatting to you afterwards.

Back in CGG after the gig 😆


Summer music academies and free webinar with the British Army


Eurovision Song Contest 2025

Click on the image

The Eurovision Song Contest often known simply as Eurovision, is an international song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) among its members. Each participating broadcaster submits an original song representing its country to be performed and broadcast live to all of them via the Eurovision and Euroradio networks, and then casts votes for the other countries’ songs to determine a winner. Find out more here.


Click on the image


And finally …

All systems go!

Coming up this term:

Friday 23rd May lunch/p5: HUB trip to perform at Pittsmead Grange Care Home

Wednesday 2nd July 6.30pm: Summer Concert – all music clubs will be performing at this event

Tuesday 22nd July 5pm: Trip to see Wicked the Musical


Google Doodles

Israel Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole ( 1959 – 1997) was a Native Hawaiian musician and singer. Kamakawiwoʻole is regarded as one of the greatest musicians from Hawaii and is considered the most successful musician from the state. Along with his ukulele playing and incorporation of other genres, such as jazz and reggae, Kamakawiwoʻole remains influential on Hawaiian music. In 2010, he was named one of the 50 Great Voices by NPR, who called him “The Voice of Hawaii”. Find out more about him here.

A musical Google Doodle from 2020



And finally …

Wicked The Musical

We have one spare ticket for this trip (evening of 22nd July 2025). If you are interested, please email me asap. Thank you – Mrs F


Click on the image to watch the trailer

Click here to see what’s on during this year’s Proms. General booking opens on 17th May.

Tickets for persons aged 18 and under can be purchased at half-price in any seating area for all Proms – except the Last Night of the Proms – and in any price band (except for £8.00 Promming tickets).

Emma in year 12 will be performing again with the NYO at this year’s Proms:


Music quizzes


And finally …

Hello” is a song by American singer and songwriter Lionel Richie. Taken as the third single from his second solo album, Can’t Slow Down (1983)

The song is memorable for the line “Hello, is it me you’re looking for?” The phrase started the song’s composition, as when fellow musician, James Anthony Carmichael visited Richie, the singer greeted him that way, to which Carmichael replied, “Finish that song.” Richie initially felt that the song was “corny” but ultimately “by the time I finished the verse, I fell in love with the song again.”

Find out more here

All music clubs start on Monday


Classic FM Hall of Fame 2025

Did your favourites make the list? Click on the image above.


Read the article here


Something to watch

Trailblazing double bassist Orin O’Brien never wanted the spotlight, but when Leonard Bernstein hired her in 1966 as the first female musician in the New York Philharmonic, it was inevitable that she would become the focus of much interest and fascination.
Now 87 years old and recently retired, Orin looks back on her remarkable life and career, insisting that a fuss should not be made, much preferring to play a supporting role to the family, students, friends, and colleagues that surround her.
In the delightful short documentary, THE ONLY GIRL IN THE ORCHESTRA, filmmaker Molly O’Brien beautifully captures her aunt Orin’s prodigious contributions as a musician as well as her unique philosophy that the key to enjoying life is to play second fiddle.

Find out more here

Available to watch on Netflix


And finally …


Music clubs after Easter

All music clubs will start up again in the week beginning 28th April.

22nd – 25th April: Please be around at lunch times to help unload and sort everything from tour.


Fab local opportunity


Tour!

What a great time we all had! Thank you to Amelia and Angela for the fab tour video:

Reichenstein Castle

Niederwald Monument

Bad Münster am Stein-Ebernburg – outdoor air-conditioning system

Bacharach

Peterskirche, Bacharach

Museum of Puppetry Culture (PUK Museum für PuppentheaterKultur)

Concert at Forum Daun


Congratulations on another fab concert

Well done to all involved 🙂

Hayes Creates newsletter – click here (Winter Concert video is on there too)


Music Colours

Congratulations to those of you who were awarded music colours at the concert.

New to music colours? Here’s where they need to be sewn on:

If you were awarded colours but only received a paper one, please pop to the music office after Easter.

If you think you were due music colours but didn’t receive any, please speak to one of the music teachers.


Royal Albert Hall trip reviews

Thank you to all of you who wrote a review. We had so many, they wouldn’t all fit in the school newsletter, so they are all here instead!


To all of you going on music tour …


NYO news

Find out more about joining the NYO here


Hans Zimmer on his iconic film scores


Find out here


And finally …

The Spring Concert is next week!

Click here for tickets

Rehearsal schedule for the concert day (Wednesday 2nd April):

Please make a note of when you are needed and make sure you have your instrument/music in school with you on that day.

Your teachers will know why you are absent from lessons that day, but it is your responsibility to find out what you missed and catch up.

Usual lunch rehearsals will take place up until the concert.

Here are some things you need to know about the concert itself:

  • The concert is at 6.30pm in the Hall. It will be finished by 9pm.
  • You need to wear all black. Not blue, not brown, not patterned, and no big logos.
  • Tickets are £5 on the door for adults or pay via ParentPay. Under 18s and senior citizens are free.
  • The music classrooms will be available for coats, instrument cases etc. Please arrive in enough time to warm up and get organised.
  • Any questions, please ask.

When the concert is in progress, you must not hang out in the classrooms or corridors. You need to be at the back of the Hall being a supportive, considerate, appreciative member of the audience who shows awareness of performance etiquette which includes not moving around or talking.


BYMT news


BBC Young Composer competition

Find out more here


And finally …

For those of you who have seen the film Jaws

Royal Albert Hall trip

Thank you to everyone who came on the trip. What a great day we had!

Ready for our guided tour of the Royal Albert Hall

Rounders in Kensington Gardens

Meet and greet with some of the RPO players

The concert programme


The Spring Concert is 1.5 weeks away!

Click here for tickets

All music clubs are performing at this event so please make sure you are practising your part(s) at home.

Rehearsal schedule for the concert day (Wednesday 2nd April):

Please make a note of when you are needed and make sure you have your instrument/music in school with you on that day.

Your teachers will know why you are absent from lessons that day, but it is your responsibility to find out what you missed and catch up.

Usual lunch rehearsals will take place up until the concert.

Here are some things you need to know about the concert itself:

  • The concert is at 6.30pm in the Hall. It will be finished by 9pm.
  • You need to wear all black. Not blue, not brown, not patterned, and no big logos. If you want to wear a bit of tinsel etc. on yourself or on your instrument, go for it.
  • Tickets are £5 on the door for adults or pay via ParentPay. Under 18s and senior citizens are free.
  • The music classrooms will be available for coats, instrument cases etc. Please arrive in enough time to warm up and get organised.
  • Any questions, please ask.

When the concert is in progress, you must not hang out in the classrooms or corridors. You need to be at the back of the Hall being a supportive, considerate, appreciative member of the audience who shows awareness of performance etiquette which includes not moving around or talking.



And finally …

TV’s Homes Under the Hammer – piano composition!

The Spring Concert is 2.5 weeks away!

Click here for tickets

All music clubs are performing at this event so please make sure you are practising your part(s) at home.


The Royal Albert Hall trip is tomorrow!

 

Please check your Satchel One for all the info you need if you are coming on this trip. I will see you outside school (West Common Rd entrance) tomorrow morning at 9:30.


Fab opportunity for brass and percussion players

Click here for more info


More listening to inspire you


Podcast to listen to



And finally …