Music

Nurture, Challenge, Inspire

Welcome

Welcome to the Music Department. We hope your child will enjoy being a part of music here at Millfield Prep. You and your child are assured of a warm welcome from myself as Director of Music, our skilled team of specialist academic, instrumental and vocal staff, the Music Department office, and from us all at our regular events.

Mrs Borenstein, Director of Music

Contents ..................................................................................3 Learning and Growing

4 Instrumental Experiences

RegularPerformanceOpportunities

5 Highlights and Headlines

7 Taking Part

8 Scholarships

9 FrequentlyAskedQuestions

10 StaffList

12 Useful Contacts

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Performing live

Individual Instrumental and Vocal Lessons

Individual music lessons last for 40 minutesandtimetablesforlessonsaredisplayedonthemainnoticeboardintheMusic Department. We can help out with allthearrangementsoranyquestionsif you or your child comes to see us. Alternativelyyoucangetintouchwiththe Music Secretary, at marybalch@millfieldprep.comorbyphone on +44 (0) 1458 837527.

Pre-Prep pupils with individual instrumentallessonswillbetaughtinthePre-Prepbuildingandatimetableforlessonsinafixedslotwillbearrangedbythe Music Secretary.

Learn with a Friend

‘LearnwithaFriend’schemeisavailablefor all instruments and voice, and also worksonarotationaltimetable.Thisiswhere two pupils share a lesson in the same 40 minute slot.

The scheme is a great way to get your child started on an instrument or with vocal coaching as, of course, new ventures are more fun with a friend.

Musically it allows children to play duets together, instantly sounding moregratifyingthanplayingaloneandthe shared experience encourages progress. Again, please contact the Music Secretary for more details.

Trial lessons

PupilsatMillfieldPrephavetheopportunity to receive one free lesson on as many instruments as they would liketotry.Pupilsmaythenhavefivemorelessons(whichwillbebilled)butnonoticeisrequiredtostop.Followingatrial,ifyouwishtobookinstrumentaland vocal lessons for your child, please complete the Instrumental Form found on the Music Department page of the websiteParentArea.Thereafterlessonshaveanoticeperiod.

Learning and Growing

3

Building confidence

Year 2 Violin Programme

Every pupil in Year 2 is issued with a violin for the year. They learn in their class groups with violin specialist Paul Barrett.

Year 4 Orchestra Project

Thisannualprojectbeginsfromthesecond week of the autumn term. During their class music lesson, all pupils in Year 4 have the opportunity to try orchestral instruments in small groups withspecialistvisitingteachers.From

there, teachers and children choose their instrumentandinsubsequentweekslearn in small groups. They work towards a performance at the Summer Concert andanorchestralconcertatMillfieldSenior School.

Year 6 Ukulele Groups

In individual class lessons in Year 6 all children are given the opportunity to learn the ukulele and perform in concerts throughout the year. Highlights includeplayingandsinging‘Chains’byThe Beatles in the Autumn Concert.

Instrumental Experiences

Informal Concerts

Informal Concerts are recurring events which take place at least once a term throughout the year. Pupils perform as soloists (with accompaniment if required) or duos, with the support of their parents and peers.

Tea and Music Concerts

With tea and cake provided, this is an informalsettingforpupilstoperformtheir pieces or even try them out for the firsttime.Theseconcertsrunonceortwice a month.

Regular Performance Opportunities

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Year 4 Orchestra

Rock and Pop Concert

Inadditiontotheproductions,concertsand music events, many pupils form vocalbandstoauditionfortheRockand Pop Concert. Each year the Concert isbaseduponathemeandselectedacts perform with a professional bandbackingandfullystagedwithanatmosphericlazerlightingdisplay.Parentsandolderboardersareinvitedtoattendthishugelyentertainingevening.

Spring and Summer Concerts

In spring and summer, large scale ensemble,choirandorchestraconcertsare held. In recent years themes have included‘MillfieldattheMovies’,anevening complete with cinema screen

showing clips of favourite movies for whichtheensembles,orchestrasandchoirs provided the sound tracks, whilst the audience enjoyed popcorn and hot dogs. ‘The Last Night of the Proms’ includedtraditionalsing-alongnumbersand classical popular favourites, replete withflags,buntingandballoonsandachoral visit from some 007 soundtracks.

Sculpting Sound

ThisArtandMusiccollaborationprovidesaplatformforpupilstoperformontheirinstruments or voice, while their peers interpretthesepiecesasart,creatingin paint, clay or other materials. The resultingartworksfromtheseeventsareproudly displayed around the school.

Highlights and Headlines

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Rock and Pop Concert

Art inspired by music

International Artists

ThelinksbetweenMillfieldPrepandSenior Schools mean that our pupils canbenefitfromfreeticketstoattendconcertsintheMillfieldInternationalConcert Series and take part in the visitinginternationalartistworkshops.RecentcollaborationshaveincludedaPrep School scholars’ workshop with The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment andthechoirsparticipatinginadayworkshop with VOCES8 and performing with them live on stage. Sixteen of our orchestral percussionists have played withtheleadingensemble4MALITYandourpianistsattendedaPianoworksworkshopandaconcertgivenbytheworld famous French pianist Pascal Rogé.

Saturday Breakfast Masterclasses

Masterclasses are workshops focussing on performing and strengthening technicalandpresentationskills.

Parentsandpupilsareinvitedtoabuffetbreakfastfollowedbyaseriesofdrop-inmasterclasses through Saturday morning runbyguestartists.Sessionshaveincluded piano and group jazz piano, playingtheblues,violinandorchestralpercussion, including tuned percussion andtimpanimasterclassesgivenbyJeremyLittleandPatKingoftheWelshNationalOperaandfeaturingpupilsfromMillfieldandMillfieldPrep,alongsidepupils from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

Wells Cathedral Christmas Choral Celebration

Every year on the last day of the autumn term,MillfieldPrep’sChristmasServiceis held in Wells Cathedral. Music is an integral part of this service and each year theschool’sChamberChoirandJuniorChoir perform as part of the service.

Thewholeschoolincludingstaff,pupils

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Pat King, Welsh National Opera

4MALITY

Beinginthechoirorensembleis,ofcourse, a great way to get to know and becomeapartofourmusicalcommunitybuildexistingfriendshipandmakesomenew ones. Working towards a concert and taking part gives a great sense of achievement,excitementandbelonging.

Activitieswhichruninthedepartmentare as follows:

Senior ChoirJunior ChoirOrchestraAural GroupJazz BandJunior StringsFlute Group

Taking PartRock Band*Strings@Millfield(SeniorStrings)TheoryClubPercussion GroupWind BandGuitar OrchestraBrass GroupClarinet GroupMusic Scholarship Group**=ensembleswhicharebyinvitationonly

Detailsofwhentheseactivitiesarerunand how to sign up are in the Music sectionoftheParentAreaonourwebsite.

and parents join in with singing carols andlisteningtoashorttalkbytheschoolchaplain.

Musicals

We stage many musicals throughout the year with solo and group vocal opportunitiesandpupilandprofessionalbasedbandsorpitorchestras.RecentproductionshaveincludedYear8’sOliver and Bugsy Malone, the Junior Department performances of Hosanna Rock, Scrooge, A Day in Ancient Egypt and It’s all Greek to me, set in ancient Greece. Year 7 host a splendid annual Evening of Song and Year 6 have staged theCelticplay,TheLastMonsterinScotland,andtheRobinHoodshowHoodwinked.

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Carol Service at Wells Cathedral

Music ScholarshipsMusic Scholarships for Millfield Prep

ApplicationsforMusicScholarshipsarewelcomed. Please note that successful pupilswillberequiredtosinginthechoirandtakeanactiveroleinthelifeoftheMusic Department.

Theauditionprocedureincludesplayingtwocontrastingpieces,vocalandauraltests.

For enquiries please contact Sally Garland-Jones in Admissions at admissions@millfieldprep.comorcall +44 (0) 1458 832446.

Music Scholarships for Millfield

PotentialcandidateswillbeofferedtheopportunitytoattendtheMusicScholarship Group (Fridays 4-5.00pm) which prepares them for the scholarship auditioninlateJanuaryeachacademicyear.

FormsneedtobecompletedandsenttotheSeniorSchoolAdmissionsOfficebefore1January.

Practice

Pupils who receive lessons have the opportunitytosignupforpracticeslots:beforeschool8.00-8.25am,morningbreak10.20-10.40amandlunch 12.30-1.00pm. It is compulsory for boardingpupilstosignupforatleasttwopracticeslotsaweek,whichwillbedonewithinthefirstfewweeksofterminconjunctionwiththeirindividualteachers. Boarding houses and group tutors are informed to provide gentle reminders and encouragement. As wellasmonitoringattendance,thedepartment’s Graduate Music Assistant willguidepupilsduringtheirpracticesessionswithhintsandtips.

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Encouraging regular practice

How can I sign my child up for music lessons?

FormscanbedownloadedfromtheMusic Department page in the Parent Areaofthewebsite,theParentPortal,orcollected from the Music Secretary.

How long are the lessons and when do they take place?

Lessons last for a full school lesson (40 minutes) and usually take place in place ofanormalschoollesson,butworksinrotationtoensurethatpupilsdonotmiss the same lesson weekly. There are alsoslots(whichmaybefixed)availableoverlunchtime,beforeschool,andoccasionallyafterschool.

How much do individual music lessons cost?

For details regarding fees please see the InstrumentalFormonourwebsite.

Where is the Music Department?

The school’s Music Department is adjoinedtothemainschoolbuilding,andcanbeenteredfromtheJuniorDepartment, the pick-up entrance oppositeHolliesHouseandbytheJuniorplayground.TheMusicSecretary’sofficeis located on the downstairs corridor, opposite the Recital Hall.

My child is a boarding pupil. Can he/she still practise in school?

Yes,practicesign-upsheetsarelocatedonthedoorsofallpracticerooms.

Frequently Asked Questions

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A variety of ensemble opportunities

Director of Music Laura BorensteinAssistant Director of Music Eleanor SturgesSecretary Mary Balch Graduate Music Assistant Beth Fuller-Teed Percussion SpecialistsPercussion JeremyLittleDrums Paul HuddlestonWind and Brass SpecialistsClarinet Julia HolmesFlute Jean HealBassoon Frances EustaceBrass Jo SykesOboe AdrianDeardenOboe JaneFinchPiano SpecialistsPianoandSaxophone CarolynDoorbarPiano Helen ForseyPiano MaryTraffordPiano Nicola BraceyPiano Adrian DeardenVoice SpecialistsSinging Mark LawsonSinging Viola NagelSinging Siona StockelSinging Eloise RoutledgeString SpecialistsGuitar BenKenchGuitar David GuyGuitar John BirdViolinandViola PaulBarrettDoublebass ClaireWhitson-DibbleCello Lucy ScotchmerHarp Specialist Siona Stockel

Music Department Staff

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Useful Contacts For Music Department enquiries contact the Music Secretary on +44 (0) 1458 837527 or marybalch@millfieldprep.com

For Admissions contact Sally Garland-Jones on +44 (0) 1458 832446 or admissions@millfieldprep.com

Glastonbury,SomersetBA68LDUKT: +44 (0) 1458 832446office@millfieldprep.commillfieldschool.com/prep