Music
Music is very much at the heart of life at Kew Green. Our children have a passion for music-making and they commit themselves with energy and enthusiasm to musical activities throughout the school.
Children in all year groups take weekly music lessons taught by a music specialist in a well-resourced music room. Through these music lessons, children take part in a wide range of activities which enable them to develop their skills in creativity, composition, reading, writing, performance and general musical knowledge and appreciation.
The majority of children also choose to learn a musical instrument with one of our excellent peripatetic music teachers. Lessons are currently offered on the piano, violin, cello, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, classical guitar, electric guitar, drums and voice. Several times a year, the Music Department organises introductory workshops and presentations in order to further the children’s knowledge of particular instruments and to encourage uptake. These are given by members of our peripatetic staff and by visiting artists.
A range of musical clubs are offered including Lower School Choir, Upper School Choir, Chamber Choir, Orchestra, Guitar Ensemble and several other small groups. With the help of our skilled musical staff, a number of smaller groups and ensembles rehearse and perform pieces, often involving guitar, drums and voice or any other combination of instruments that we feel may be interesting or advantageous to the children's developing musical skills. This has recently been seen in the form of acapella and jazz groups, to rock bands.
Children are given an extensive variety of opportunities to perform and share their musical achievements with parents, carers and the wider community. All pupils have the opportunity to perform either individually or in ensembles and choirs at major school concerts which take place at St. Anne’s Church on Kew Green. Children who learn musical instruments are invited to perform at Music Performance Assemblies and after-school concerts which take place several times a term.
Musical enrichment is further enhanced by choir tours to Paris and Venice as well as regular visits to concert halls in London to hear the London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra and the Young Musicians’ Symphony Orchestra.
We are proud of the high profile that music has at Kew Green and the children relish the opportunities it affords them. Below is an example of the excellent musical performances that Kew Green Prep students have created in the past.