SINGING
The Music Department run several large singing groups. These groups all meet regularly at lunchtime and give several concerts a year – sometimes all together.
The established groups are:
The Year 7 Singers
They meet every week for a lunchtime rehearsal and sing a mixture of popular, traditional and specially-composed songs. This group is open to any Year 7 student who has an interest in singing but regular commitment and participation in concerts is expected.
The Year 8 Singers
This is very much an extension of the Year 7 singers (above) but the music rehearsed will probably be a little more complex with some singing in several parts.
The Senior choir
This is the large singing group for older students and is open to all students in Years 9, 10 and 11. It includes all the students who are study music for GCSE in Years 10 and 11. The music sung is usually in 3 – 5 parts and requires more learning time but it is not necessary to read music. Sometimes the Year 9 Singers from this group rehearse separately. The Senior Choir does not normally run in the Summer term
Students also rehearse and perform vocally in smaller groups. Most often these are based around the students who have voice lessons with our singing teacher or group performance activities in Years 9, 10 and 11.
Staff Choir and Community Choir
The teachers at Heathfield also like to get together and sing so they have a special “Staff Choir” who meet for occasional performances. They often join with the “Community Choir for big concerts, at Christmas for example. The Community Choir consists of friends, ex-students, parents and generally anyone who wants to choir in. It’s not unusual for the number in this choir to exceed 60!
INSTRUMENTAL
The Music Department run several large instrumental groups. These groups meet weekly – either at lunchtime or after school. All instrumentalists who have reached a suitable standard are expected to join in and take part – after all this is where the instrumental fun really gets going! Of course the players will also need to spend a little time at home practicing the hard bits so they can keep up at the next rehearsal!
The instrumental groups often feature in concerts throughout the year.
The groups are:
The Symphonic Winds
This is a large band for woodwind, brass and percussion instruments and we play standard wind band arrangements and original pieces. The group meet after school on Wednesdays.
The Woodwind group
This is a small group of players who usually rehearse on a mutually-convenient lunchtime.
The String group
This is the ensemble for violin, viola, cello and bass players to join, in order to play string music with those of a similar standard. The String Group also unite with the Woodwind group and appropriate brass and percussion players to form an orchestra for certain concerts.
The Percussion group
This ensemble meets after school every Monday. It is run by our percussion tutor and most of his students participate alongside any other students who want to have fun playing drum and percussion pieces together. No previous experience necessary.
OTHER GROUPS
These change from year to year according to interest but have included various rock/pop bands who are formed by like-minded students and who are given time to rehearse together. Other groups have included brass, sax and jazz ensembles. Whatever you play we hope there will a group (or two) for you, and if not, we will try to make one!
PROJECTS
Sometimes the various groups in the Music Department will combine for a particular project or concert. We also join with other performing arts groups within the school and with other schools, particularly local primary schools, to mount large-scale events in the Arts Centre
We also often take groups out into the community to sing and play at other venues around the area. In addition we mount an annual trip for the Year 7 and 8 singers in order to see West End Musicals in London.