There is a wide programme of musical activities throughout the year and the vibrant Music Department provide music for all high-profile events including Junior and Senior Prizegiving, Remembrance Service, Musical Celebration Concert and Nine Lessons in Carols at St Columba Church. Our pupils regularly provide music in the community and are involved in fundraising throughout the year, most recently during the festive season for Crisis, Edinburgh.

Our musicians and singers participate in many different events throughout the year for example, they have competed at BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year and many local musical festivals and also in the community with wide ranging opportunities such as corporate events, charity concerts at the Royal Concert Hall and Paisley Abbey, care homes and shopping centres, frequently raising substantial amounts of money for charity.

Our progressive extra-curricular programme currently offers the following choral options;

Junior 4/5 Choir, Junior 6 Choir, Transitus-Senior II Choir, Intermediate Choir (for Senior III and IV), Boys’ Choir, Senior Girls’ Choir, Senior Mixed Voice Choir (SATB) and, for pupils who study music at SQA level and/or sing in NYCOS Choirs, a Senior Ensemble.

Instrumental music making begins in the Junior School and pupils receiving tuition on orchestral instruments are encouraged to attend Junior School ensemble. Weekly rehearsals at this young age, develops orchestral discipline, technique and skill as well as social skills, team work and self-confidence.

Pupils can continue their orchestral playing at Senior School in the senior orchestra which performs at all high-profile school events. All instrumental pupils are encouraged to participate in a variety of genres of music, including the jazz band, pipe band and various chamber groups and ensembles such as the brass ensemble, percussion ensemble, flute ensemble, woodwind ensemble to name a few whether they have lessons in school or not. All pupils who have lessons in school are expected to participate in some form of music making. Singing is essential to the aural development of all musicians and instrumental pupils are encouraged to participate in one of the choral ensembles as well.

‘Music develops part of the brain like nothing else’

Julian Lloyd Webber

Principal, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire