Music Round-up

It’s been another busy year for Music at St Faith’s. The department is going from strength to strength and all children in school have been given opportunities to perform in concerts this year.

There are over 150 individual music lessons taught every week, by our dedicated team of peripatetic teachers. We have offered lessons in piano, singing, woodwind, strings, percussion, guitar, ukulele and brass. On two occasions we have hosted ABRSM Music Examinations in school. This will happen biannually and the children benefit from taking their exams in a familiar environment and parents do not have to take time off work to transport children to and from their exams.

Each week, over sixty children have taken part in our Orchestra, Wind Orchestra and String Orchestra. The orchestras have performed in Twilight Concerts and the Summer Concert, playing increasingly challenging repertoire as the standard of instrumental musicians in the school gets better and better. The year culminated in a performance of ‘Mars’ from Holst’s ‘Planets Suite’. This was a hugely ambitious piece for children to perform but they pulled it off brilliantly!

There have also been many opportunities for singing. The Chamber Choir performed at the Fenwick’s Christmas Shopping Event, the Canterbury Christmas Market and have entertained the guests at High View Oast Care Home with Christmas carols and a selection of songs before Easter. Our school choir have performed during the Christmas Service, Summer Concert and also at the Folk and Ale Festival in Sandwich. We have already been invited to return to Sandwich next year!

The Thanet Music and Drama Festival gave an opportunity for the Chamber Choir to perform once again. In addition, there was success for one of Year 5’s trumpet players who won the brass trophy and for a Year 4 singer who won two classes and was also awarded with a trophy.

There have been six Twilight Concerts, giving a chance for lots of children to perform, many for the first time. Our children have also appeared as soloists at the Littlebourne Orchard Concert, ISA Art Competition, Grandparents’ Day and at the High View Oast Care Home.

This year has also seen the start of Class Performance Lessons. These have become our ‘entry level’ performance opportunity and take place in the Music Room. They are a relaxed occasion and in some classes, all children have performed, even if it’s just ‘improvising’ on a drum kit or a piano. Children who don’t have formal lessons are all encouraged to do something! It’s fine to start again, or to repeat a piece if things don’t go as planned. Children bow before and after their performances and some older children choose to introduce their piece.

For the younger children, Singing Club has gone from strength to strength. A group of children from Years R, 1 and 2 give up their time every Monday lunchtime. They have performed in Twilight Concerts, the Staple Fayre and our own Summer Fair.

The House Music Competition was won by Oak – this year’s theme was the music of ABBA. All the children were involved in a rousing rendition of Thank you for the Music at the end. Thanks to David Smith from Sir Roger Manwood’s School for adjudicating!

Thank you from Mr Ainsworth to all the children for their commitment to Music this year. There will be many more exciting opportunities next year – keep practising!