Music
Music at Bootham
Music at Bootham School is a very strong and vibrant part of the community. Everyone has the opportunity to actively experience music as a creative, intellectual, spiritual, social and physical force. Students are encouraged to develop their skills and to be involved at an appropriate level. It is departmental policy not to audition any child for any ensemble.
There are 25 peripatetic staff and approximately 350 music lessons and 30 activities each week.
There are two large-scale concerts (Christmas and Spring) and five smaller-scale and quite informal Buffet concerts – so called because we eat afterwards! There are no auditions for these concerts and the standard ranges from almost complete beginners to diploma standard. For the Able, Gifted & Talented, there are lunchtime recitals which are open to the general public. The Inter-House Music Competition is always a great success.
Recent successes have included the Senior Choir reaching the televised finals of the BBC Songs of Praise Choir of the Year Competition, the cello ensemble and clarinet trio performing in the finals of the National Festival of Music for Youth in the Purcell Rooms on the South Bank in London, James Freeman becoming the Cathcart Composer of the Year and having his orchestral work performed in the Royal Albert Hall by the BBC Concert Orchestra and individuals winning prizes at numerous national and local competitions.
Many students achieve places at Oxford or Cambridge and Music Conservatoires.
Facilities
The music department is housed in a purpose-built Arts’ Centre. The department has 12 teaching spaces, a performance/rehearsal room with staff room, offices, a library and storage space. The school hall houses a grand piano which is used for rehearsals and performances.
Aims
The department has a very positive and encouraging approach to all it does; the primary factors determining an individual’s development are their self-confidence and self-discipline, their sense of achievement and enjoyment and their relationship with staff and peers. It is important that they realise that failure is part of the learning process and they shouldn’t fear it. Questioning is actively encouraged as is the individual’s ability to think for themselves. We help students to seek the best of their ability and not to be confined by the limitations of a syllabus.
Scholarships
Awards of up to 50% fee remission are available for candidates of good all-round musical and academic ability or potential. These are available for entry at Lower Schoolroom and Upper Schoolroom (Year 7 & 9) and are awarded on the basis of performance in the entrance assessment at Lower Schoolroom and Upper Schoolroom (Years 7 & 9).
For more information please contact our Admissions Team, admissions@boothamschool.com