Music
Welcome To The
Music Department
Music at St Louis is a thriving all inclusive Department with all school years participating in a variety of activities in and outside the classroom.
If your child likes to perform, there are several groups they can participate in with regular events during the school year to showcase performance opportunities.
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Junior choir: Y8-10 students who perform at Open Night and the annual Spring concert
Guitar group: Run by Linda Boucher, the guitar tutor, who accompany the Junior choir singing popular songs at Open Night and the Spring concert
Senior Choir: Y10-14 who perform at Open Night and the annual Spring concert as well as the religious events through the year including the Whole school opening Mass and the beloved Carol Service.
Irish Trad group: y8-14 again, performing at the above ceremonies/occasions and public concert.
Folk group: run by Sinead O’Hare in the school who have recently formed and performed at the concert last year as well as preparing to perform this year also.
MEET THE MUSIC STAFF
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Led by Mrs McDonagh as Head of Department and supported by Miss Rooney who teaches KS3 Music as well as English, we also have 4 external Music tutors who take weekly lessons supporting your child’s musical education in the following instruments:
Linda Boucher: Guitar
Emma-Jane McKnight: Voice and piano
Gemma McGrath SELB: Violin/viola
Pauline McCourt SELB: Flute/clarinet
WHY CHOOSE MUSIC?
As well as these established groups, students are encouraged to join together and organise smaller ensembles of singers and players of all styles to gain valuable experience onstage. This experience boosts their self confidence massively as well as their enjoyment of performing. Many students go on to perform every year after their first outing onstage and in particular, we have Junior and Senior rock bands who take to the stage again and again with many senior students working closely with the juniors to encourage and inspire them! Past pupils often return to help out with the Spring concert and play behind the choirs and music groups!
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Every 3 years the Music Department provide the opportunity to combine Music and Drama with a whole school Musical. Our last show, High School Musical was a great success, enjoyed by the 70+ student cast from y8-14. Opportunities for working backstage and performing in the band where they mix with professional musicians is also encouraged and the skills they learn from their participation are invaluable as well as the enjoyment and amazing sense of achievement they receive. The memories they have of these times stay with them for life as well as the like-minded friends they make along the way.
At St Louis, in Music class students get the opportunity to perform, create and analyse with assessments based on these 3 areas.Music from familiar and unfamiliar sources with many different eras and world locations are introduced to widen your child’s listening and analytical skills.
KEY STAGE 3
In Key Stage 3 students have Music once a week and learn to play simple tunes on recorder/whistle and keyboard with opportunities for anyone who can play other instruments to showcase their skills where possible. A set of Imac computers using the software programme, Garageband, is used to stimulate their creativity in sequencing and composing as a foundation for further study at GCSE. This is often the gateway into Music for many students and where those who have never taken part in Music before, get a taste of what hidden skills they have and what they can achieve. This is the time for students to take up lessons in instruments or in singing to allow them to continue to the next level!
KEY STAGE 4
In Key Stage 4 they have 3 classes a week and we study the CCEA GCSE course which again, is based on the 3 areas of Performance, Composing and Listening/Appraising. With smaller classes, your child receives expert support and attention and results are regularly high with students receiving, on the whole, grade B, A or A* as the norm.
KEY STAGE 5
In Key Stage 5 they have 6 classes a week and your child’s Musical education continues again, using CCEA AS and A2 Music A level, developing the same 3 areas and honing their skills to advanced levels. Again, with smaller classes, your child receives expert support and attention with results reflecting this; A-C grades make up the vast majority year on year.
While Music appears as an academic subject in school, the primary focus of the Music Department at St Louis is to foster a love of Music, something your child will carry through life. All we expect is for each child to engage in the subject to whatever level they are comfortable with and allow the seed to nurture and flourish in an environment of positive support and look forward to the next generation of passionate musicians following in the footsteps of a long line of St Louis musicians.