The Music department has three main areas of activity: teaching across the full age range, extracurricular activities and the provision of individual instrumental tuition.

The curriculum at Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9) is organised in projects which include a great deal of practical experience of music making. Through this we integrate the four main strands of music education: performing, composing, listening and appraising. Our department is well equipped with a wide range of classroom instruments including keyboards, xylophones, glockenspiels and a range of percussion instruments which are used for these projects. Students who play a musical instrument are also encouraged to bring these to lessons to participate in these projects. At the beginning of a project we will frequently listen to and/or perform pieces which form a starting point for the understanding of musical techniques and styles. Students will then compose music using and applying this knowledge; parts of this may be done individually and parts in small groups. The work produced is then performed and appraised with follow-up listening work on related pieces of music. Topics include such things as: contrasting major and minor keys (Year 7), Blues (Year 8) and Reggae (Year 9).

Music is an option subject at GCSE and A-level and we regularly have students who continue their studies at university and conservatoires.

The school offers a wide range of extracurricular musical activities, including 3 orchestras and 3 choirs (our Senior Choir has in excess of 100 members), jazz band, wind band and various chamber music groups. These perform in our regular series of school concerts and charity events, which are highlights of the school year. We also aim to give experience of performing in public to our talented solo performers.

The department can also provide individual tuition on a range of instruments via our dedicated team of peripatetic music teachers. For further details please request a copy of the booklet Music at the Maynard from the Admissions Team.

Scholarships and exhibitions are available for the musically talented for more information about Scholarships and Bursaries, contact the Admissions Office.

Mr N Horton, Director of Music