Music
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Events
Summer Term 2008
Lower School Concert – May 2008
The third and final Lower School Concert of the year took place on 22nd May. It was packed with good performances displaying some fine musicianship and enjoyment. This is the last concert to which girls in Year 9 contribute and they were very well represented. To have watched them mature in their concert presentation over the years is most interesting. It was good to see some this time taking music-making initiative and presenting something they had prepared and rehearsed together, such as the oboe and cor anglais duo and the unaccompanied violin duet. Instrumentalists also contributed to the two Lower School Choir pieces – a flute in El condor pasa and a trumpet in the Urchins’ chorus from Carmen. The orchestra played lustily in three pieces, including the Grand March from Aida, and the Chamber choir gave us the finale from Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and an atmospheric Strawberry Fields.
It is too difficult to single out individual performers but mention must be made of the oldest Year 9 who has attended 21 Lower School concerts in her school career. Naomi Miller enjoyed her final concert as a bona fide Year 9 in 2004, but has continued to play for the orchestra as a most valuable piano accompanist and helped in general concert organisation for the past four years. She was presented with flowers in grateful recognition. The Year 9s said their farewells and were congratulated for their contribution during their first three years at OHS.
Within the first three weeks of term, we have already put on two great shows: the first was an extraordinary and innovative Gesamtkunstwerk involving 100 girls from Year 7 to Year 13. They performed a highly varied range of music (vocal and instrumental), dance, drama and reading (poetry and prose) illustrating a train of thought on the subject of the moon. The experience was intellectually and artistically stimulating for both audience and performers.
To see the programme, click here
The second date was our second visit this year to the Sheldonian Theatre for another evening of variety - all of the musical kind this time. Again, this event included 100 performers, some of whom had not taken part in any of our concerts before. The orchestra played two movements from Beethoven’s 7th Symphony and also Grieg’s Norwegian Dances. The concert band gave us two arrangements for their unique forces: Two Polovtsian Dances and the Basin Street Blues. The Muses and the Barberinas both sang their signature close-harmony music with a great sense of entertainment.
A new inclusion was in the appearance of the African Drummers who rehearse noisily every week. This group of 15 players used the call and response technique in their well-disciplined improvisation to the joy of players and audience alike. Another innovation was the Opera Workshop presentation of the Witches Chorus from Macbeth by Verdi. Finally, the String Orchestra played the Bartok Rumanian Dances superbly; the absolute delight of this performance was complemented by eight dancers, who were even ready to encore the final three pieces.
Sheldonian Concert - November 2007
Here are some photos of the recent Sheldonian concert. The programme included Orff’s Carmina Burana. Girls from Senior Choir, Chamber Choir, Senior Orchestra, The Muses and The Barberinas gave stunning performances.
Click on an image to open it in a new window
The Hills are Alive…
With the Sound of Music!
Our Lower School Production this year was the Sound of Music. Rehearsals began in earnest just after Christmas to ensure that all three performances were a roaring success.
The singing and acting were superb, from Maria and the Captain, to Max, Elsa and Aunty Frieda and the children gave their all.
We had a fantastic nuns’ chorus and some threatening Nazi officers.
Wonderful music from the band and a fantastic set and lighting all combined to create three nights of magic!
New Music Venues
This term we were pleased and excited to hold two concerts at new venues for us in Oxford. In May our A cappella and String Orchestra concert was held in Exeter College Chapel-a beautifully restored building. String Orchestra performed the beautiful Five Variations on Dives and Lazarus by Vaughan Williams. We took advantage of the magnificent organ in the chapel to perform Vierne’s Messe Solenelle. Our Senior Concert was in St. Michael’s Church, Summertown. This concert was the final performance for the music groups and we bid a fond farewell to the year thirteens and thanked them for their hard work
Curriculum
Music is part of the core curriculum in Years 7-9. Our groups study a wide variety of musical styles and much of the work is based on composition in the keyboard room. Pupils in Years 7 and 8 are taught in groups of around 14 (half the tutor group) and in year 9 in groups of 21.
Year 7
Composing: pupils develop their ability to notate their ideas. This involves rhythmic work in several
parts and developing melodic structures for instruments and voices.
Listening: developing an appreciation of music from a variety of periods and cultures; simple dictation
tests.
Performing: developing keyboard skills for composition; class orchestra; singing; involvement in
groups outside the school.
Year 8
Composing: pupils develop an awareness of chords and the ability to use them in compositions. Techniques
from various periods and also introduced e.g. modes and drones and discords.
Listening: a selection of examples to support composing; introduction to score reading.
Performing: developing keyboard skills, in particular the ability to experiment and improvise using
chords.
Year 9
Composing: further work using chords in a variety of styles.
Listening: the development of Rock Music, Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, Bernstein’s
West Side Story and the music of Mozart.
Performing: developing keyboard skills through class and individual performances.
Year 10 and 11
Music is offered at GCSE and we follow the Edexcel syllabus. Our groups are a healthy size, with
GCSE numbering between 12 and 20.
Pupils study the following topics:
• Ternary Form
• Serialism
• Ground Bass
• Experimental music
• Variations
• Minimalism
• Rondo
• Electronic music
• 12-bar blues
• Indian rag
• Reggae
• Gamelan music
• Club dance remix
• African drumming
• Songs from musicals
• Music drawing together two cultures
Composing: pupils are required to produce two compositions lasting at least three minutes in total.
Performing: pupils must produce one solo performance, one ensemble and perform one of their compositions.
At AS and A2 our number average around 7 and we follow the Edexcel syllabus:
Aural tests: melodic and rhythmic dictation, comparison of performances, keys, chords, cadences
and modulations, historical context.
Harmony and Counterpoint: Bach chorale harmonization; 2 part work using a figured bass.
History and analysis: study of examples from the Edexcel Anthology.
Composition: one composition is required lasting not more than three minutes chosen from set topics.
Performing: all students receive individual lessons outside the class and are encouraged to join
groups in and outside school.
For A2, students may choose to produce a portfolio of compositions or perform a recital.
Extra-Curricular Activities and Achievements
Lower School Choir . An unauditioned choir for everyone who enjoys singing in
years 7-8. The repertoire includes classical pieces and 2 and 3-part arrangements of songs from
musicals and the charts. We meet on Thursday during period 5. Lower School choir performs at all
the Lower School concerts throughout the year and the Carol Service.
Chamber Choir. An auditioned choir for the strong singers in years 7-9. The repertoire
ranges from Latin sacred music to pop songs in 2, 3 and 4 parts. We perform in the Lower School
Concerts, the Carol Service and in the Town Hall concert. We also take part in concerts outside
school. Auditions are held in the first three weeks of the Autumn term.
Senior Choir (years 9-13). An unauditioned choir for everyone who wishes to gain
experience of singing the great choral works, with tenors and basses drawn from parents and friends.
Recent concerts have included Carmina Burana, Mozart Requiem and Handel’s Messiah.
A Cappella (years 8-13). This choir includes the strongest singers in the school.
The repertoire includes both sacred and secular music. Forthcoming performances include Holst’s
Songs from the Rig Veda and Durufle’s Requiem.
The Barberinas Close-harmony group for girls in years 11-13. We specialize in pop
and jazz arrangements in as many parts as we can manage!
Instrumental Groups
Preliminary Orchestra A group designed to develop ensemble skills in pupils of
grade 1-3 standard. Rehearsals are held on Friday mornings at 8.30.
Lower School Orchestra. Formed to give early orchestral experience to as many pupils as possible.
Grade 4-6 standard. The orchestra rehearses on Wednesday mornings as a full orchestra and we often
have sectional rehearsals. Lower School Orchestra play in the Lower School Concerts.
Senior Orchestra. A full symphony orchestra of some 60 players; performing works
from the mainstream classical repertoire. Players are required to be minimum grade 5 standard. The
orchestra rehearses on Thursday after school. Senior Orchestra perform in all senior school concerts
String Orchestra. For the more advanced players, minimum grade 6 standard. Sometimes
wind players are added to form a chamber orchestra. String orchestra rehearses at 8.30 on Thursday
mornings.
Concert Band. All woodwind and brass players are invited to join concert band which
rehearses on Tuesday lunchtime. We play standard band repertoire; songs, swing, film and TV theme
tunes.
African Drumming everyone welcome-no previous experience necessary! The group meets
on Thursday and Friday lunchtimes.
Weekly Rehearsals
Monday String Orchestra-12.00
Theory Club-12.00
A Cappella-4.00
Tuesday Chamber Choir-8.30
Concert Band-12.00
Wednesday Lower School Orchestra-8.30
Thursday String Orchestra-8.30
Senior Choir-12.00
African Drumming-12.00
Lower School Choir-12.55
Senior Orchestra-4.00
Friday Chamber Choir-8.30
Preliminary Orchestra-8.30
Barbershop Group-12.00
African Drumming-12.00
Music Lessons
Individual music lessons are taught by a team of 22 visiting tutors giving over 300 music lessons a week. Lessons are forty minutes long; in years 7-9 they rotate through the school day and in years 10-13 they are given in free periods.
Music lessons are arranged via the Director of Music.
Tuition is available in the following:
• Piano
• Violin, viola, cello, double bass
• Music Technology
• Music Theory
• Singing
• Clarinet, bassoon, flute, piccolo, oboe, saxophone.
• Percussion (timpani and kit)
• Classical Guitar
• Trumpet, Cornet, Trombone, Tuba, Euphonium, French Horn
• Recorder
Music Scholarships
These are offered at 11+ and 16+, and are awarded for present achievement, potential for future development and willingness to contribute to school music. Full details are available from the Admissions Secretary.