Music
A wealth of musical opportunities for all
The Music Department aims to enable every pupil, regardless of ability, to experience the highest quality and widest range of music possible. Our busy, thriving and well-resourced Music Department is housed in the purpose-built Countess of Munster Music School located at the heart of King Edward’s Witley. The Music School consists of a recital room, a staged courtyard, classrooms, a Mac Suite, recording facilities, teaching and practice rooms, a band room and instrument store. In addition, the Selborne Room, Charter Hall and Exhibition Hall are regularly used for concerts. Our Chapel has a fine three manual Willis organ that is used to accompany services and for teaching. There is an extensive collection of instruments and a well-stocked library containing music, recordings and books. Music Technology is very popular, and the Mac Suite with Logic Pro X and Sibelius is used extensively by pupils.
Music is an important and respected part of school life; aiming to bring out the best of all pupils regardless of ability through an exciting curriculum. Class music is taught in the 1st to 3rd Forms and in the Pre-Sixth Form. Courses aim to give all pupils the opportunity to explore a wide variety of musical genres from African Drumming to Music Technology enabling pupils to engage with the diverse and exciting world of music. At 4th Form pupils can opt to study Music at GCSE, and in the Sixth Form at IB and A-level . Leavers have gone on to the Royal Academy of Music, Oxbridge and other universities to study music in many diverse fields from music traditional courses to sound production and engineering.
Generous music scholarships are offered 11+, 13+ and 16+. Our scholars are part of a mentor programme where they are supported on an individual basis. The Knapton Cavill Bursary offers all pupils at 11+ and 13+ the opportunity to learn an orchestral instrument for half a year, with the opportunity to extend this for pupils who demonstrate an aptitude for the instrument. Many instrumental and vocal lessons are taught weekly by a committed and highly qualified team of Visiting Music Teachers. Please see details of musical opportunities outside of the curriculum on the Co-curriculum music page.
