St Boniface
Music
Music should flow through the school through cross curricular links and as a separate subject easily. When children come through St Boniface they should have an appreciation for many different genres of music as laid out in our Composer of the Fortnight scheme running through the school. Here, children get to listen to different composers and pieces from many eras of music as well as using different instruments. Through the playing of the music in class and entrance into assembly children get to experience the different pieces and discuss what they hear.
In those classes where they get that input regularly that their appreciation and awareness of different music grows and creates open mindedness in not only music but other subjects (history: it's impact on the transformation of music, science: how instruments work, the orchestra and pitches caused by size of instruments.).
Delivery of regular music lessons give children the ability to recognise pitch, rhythm and timbre. Through some teaching of sol-fa children have ability to sing and change pitches as well as responding to call and response methods. Children also learn musical notation from a young age and then get to embed and apply it in year 4 where the children learn a brass instrument for a year.
This opportunity allows the children to experience what it is like to learn a musical instrument and inspire them to take one on in the future. It also sets them up with basic musical skills so if they were to start learning an instrument in the future. The children get to perform as a group at some assemblies developing their performance skills. This skill of performance is incredibly important to everyday life and learning this skill early on in Primary school will set up the children up for great success in their future lives.
Early Years (Nursery & Reception ) Music Curriculum
Whole School - Each class learn hymns and carols and a variety of musical instruments. Performances happen at end of term Brass concerts, Assemblies and our December Christmas concert at St Boniface Church. Musicians the children have been learning about in class include: Florence Price, Aaron Copeland, John Williams, Louis Armstrong, Cecile Chaminade, Bela Bartok, Richard Wagner, Errollyn Wallen, George Bizet, Aram Khachaturan, Scott Joplin, Sergei Rachmaninov, Edvard Grieg, Bedrich Smetana, Pytor Tchaikovsky, Isaac Albeniz, Clara Schumann, Felix Mendelssohn, Alexander Borodin, Johann Strauss, Ludwig von Beethoven, Antonin Dvorak, Antonio Vivaldi, Thomas Tallis.
School choir: The choir holds rehearsals every Friday morning at 8am for Key Stage 2 and is free to join. They learn a variety of challenging songs that involves harmonies and they get to develop different vocal skills. The choir also gets invited to sing with other schools for the Catholic Choirs Concert in the Spring term and it is a wonderful performance opportunity for them.
Flute - Flute lessons via Wandsworth Music happen on Mondays or Thursdays during the school day. Lessons are available either as a part of a group or on an individual basis from Year 2. It’s a great opportunity to learn an orchestral instrument and also participate in all school concerts. If your child has previously learnt the recorder they will transition easily to the flute as it has similar fingerings. Apply via the Wandsworth Music tab above.
Year 2&3 - your child can learn the flute, see Wandsworth music for information on the fee paying lessons.
Year 4 - all children learn a brass instrument - for FREE thanks to the Enrichment fund. If they want to learn flute, you can purchase lessons via Wandsworth music.
Year 5&6 - your child can continue brass or flute lessons, see Wandsworth music for information on the fee paying lessons and hiring instruments.
We are so fortunate as well to have been awarded our Music Mark for our high-quality commitment to music education. It is an amazing sign of recognition for the fantastic music teaching that happens at St Boniface.
