Striking a Chord: Lent Term Recap of Music in the Prep School

With over 120 Ardingly children learning music instruments, our corridors are alive with music!

Starting the year with our annual Christmas Concert, we showcased the year group choirs, saxophone, brass, flute, percussion and string ensembles. The Farmhouse was also abuzz with music as every year group perfected their Nativities!

Each term, children performed in Informal Music Concerts to friends and family. Each concert showcased at least twenty children playing their favourite pieces. From euphoniums to recorders, we celebrated the most advanced and the complete beginner in these relaxed concerts.

The annual House Music Solo Competition is always much anticipated by Years 3-6. Every child had the opportunity to perform to their class, resulting in a finals evening of high calibre in the Recital Room.

In March, the Brass Funkeys, a jazz/funk/blues cross over group ran an energised and unforgettable workshop involving all of our Prep brass students. The students learned about blues harmony and rhythm, and best of all how to improvise. The students joined them to play to a sold-out crowd that night – what a blast!

Special congratulations to Year 6 pupils who recently performed alongside the Senior Orchestra and Chapel Choir in St John Smith Square, London; Alan Hunt, Eleanor Ireland and Vanshika Koomar. We are very proud of these young musicians!

The final term brought the annual House Song Competition, where the Farmhouse and School House combined to battle it out with their best rendition of a Disney song…

Finally, our Summer Concert was a glorious musical showcase of every child. We debuted our newest ensemble, the Prep Wind Band, which combines every child learning a brass or woodwind instrument, and the whole school combined to perform a piece together, raising our voices together to bring in the summer!