Junior Guildhall Prospectus 2012 WELCOME to JUNIOR GUILDHALL
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Junior Guildhall Prospectus 2012 WELCOME TO JUNIOR GUILDHALL The Guildhall School of Music & Drama is one of Europe’s leading conservatoires, offering musicians, actors, stage managers and theatre technicians an inspiring environment in which to develop as artists and professionals. While the School’s main role is to provide the highest quality of education and professional training in higher education, the early training of talented children is regarded as fundamental with great importance and resources given to Junior Guildhall. Junior Guildhall is a specialist Saturday School offering advanced training to young people between the ages of 4 and 18. The students are able to combine their Guildhall training with their general education in local schools. They come together to experience and learn about music and drama under the guidance of staff drawn from London’s orchestras and freelance professionals. Most of the students go on to study their chosen discipline full-time at undergraduate level, eventually making careers in the profession, though others can, and do, move into totally different fields. Links between the full-time courses of the School and Junior Guildhall are strong and many professors teach on both programmes. Junior Guildhall students are often invited to participate in the School’s events and, on Saturdays, the entire facilities of the School are given over to Junior Guildhall. Visitors are always welcome – if you wish to arrange a visit please contact the Junior Guildhall office. Regardless of their ultimate direction, students find that the professional artistic environment of the Guildhall School provides them with valuable life skills and the means to develop their individual talents to the full. The fulfilment of self-expression and self-discovery together with skills of communication and responsibility will have an enduring influence upon their lives. Professor Barry Ife, CBE FKC HonFRAM Principal Derek Rodgers Head of Junior Guildhall Alison Mears Head of Junior Music Courses tel: 020 7382 7160 email: [email protected] web: www.gsmd.ac.uk WELCOME 1 Contents Music Course 2 Individual Lessons 3 Extra Study 3 Ensemble and Workshop Activity 4 Musical Awareness 4 Examinations 5 Performance Opportunities 6 Recent Student Successes 7 Visiting Artists 7 String Training Programme 8 Course Content 8 Instruments 8 Kindergarten Course 9 Drama Course 10 Performance 10 Advice 10 Class Times 11 Finance and Funding 12 Alumni 13 Staff 14 General information 16 How to Apply 18 About the Guildhall School 20 How to find us 21 “World class teaching... an unforgettable experience.” Alison Balsom trumpet soloist, winner of Female Artist of the Year Classical Brit Award 2011 NTS E NT O C 2 MUSIC COURSE Junior Guildhall’s Music Course offers advanced training for young people between the ages of 8 to 18 (singers from mid-teens). This comprehensive programme is carefully designed to give pupils a balanced exposure to the discipline of music through individual instrumental lessons, chamber music, orchestras, choirs, workshop activity, classes and frequent performance opportunities. Students receive the type of considered personal attention that young musicians really benefit from with the timetable tailored to their individual needs. An exciting curriculum, combined with the School’s modern facilities and professional staff, creates a unique environment for aspiring performers. Entry to the Music Course is by audition where we look for musical potential and commitment. Students travel to Junior Guildhall from across the UK enabling them to live at home and continue their general education during the week travelling to London on a Saturday for their specialist musical education. There are approximately 240 students who attend the Music Course which runs from 8am to 6pm on Saturdays. All students receive an individually constructed timetable. There are compulsory activities and a number of optional classes and lessons. The length of each student’s programme will, therefore, depend on the number of optional activities chosen. The students receive 30 lessons in each subject divided between three terms over the academic year. There are also a number of extra Saturdays each term which are used for rehearsals, workshops and events. The minimum requirement of the Music Course consists of: • A 40 minute Individual lesson (this can be extended at an additional cost) • Ensemble or related workshop activity • Musical Awareness Class E S IC COUR S MU 3 Individual Lessons Extra Study Students automatically receive a As well as extensions to the first first study lesson lasting 40 minutes. study lessons students may request This may be extended to one hour to have extra study lessons in any or longer for which an extra charge of those subjects available as first is made. Students are expected studies for an extra charge. to devote a considerable amount of time to regular private practice Alexander Technique Lessons during the week, which is essential if These consist of 15 individual a student is to make good progress. sessions per annum with a specialist Additional lessons can often be Alexander Technique teacher. Each arranged with teachers, for example session lasts for 30 minutes. during the holidays or midweek. First study lessons can be provided in the following: Violin • Viola • Cello • Double Bass • Flute • Oboe • Clarinet • Bassoon • Horn • Trumpet • Trombone • Tuba • Euphonium • Piano • Harp • Voice • Guitar • Recorder • Saxophone • Jazz Saxophone • Jazz Piano • Percussion • Composition “I am thrilled to have been able to achieve so much through the fantastic teaching and support of E Junior Guildhall.” S Tyler Rix, Saxophone IC COUR Featured in BBC programme ‘Classical Star’ S First solo album ‘Ascent’ released 2009 MU 4 Ensemble & Workshop Activity “Junior Guildhall is great because For each subject there are specialist classes, workshops and ensembles. All students are expected to attend at although the standards and least one ensemble or workshop activity which is directly expectations are extremely high, relevant to their first study subject. it is fun and friendly, my teachers These include: Junior String Ensemble • Intermediate String Ensemble • Junior Guildhall String Ensemble are brilliant and I love coming for • Symphony Orchestra • Viola Club • String Chamber my classes on Saturdays.” Music • Junior Choir • Chamber Choir • Boys Choir • Wind Orchestra • Wind Academy • Wind Chamber Komeno Eleyae, Double Bass Music • Brass Band • Brass Quintet • Brass Ensemble • Horn Class • Trumpet Class • Trombone Class • Recorder Ensemble • Guitar Workshop • Baroque Ensemble • Jazz Ensemble • Jazz Workshop • Vocal Workshop • Composition Workshop • Saxophone Ensemble • Piano Ensemble • Piano Workshop • Harp Ensemble • Percussion Ensemble Musical Awareness Musical Awareness is a one hour class taught in small groups to develop aural perception, creativity and general musical knowledge leading to our Higher Certificate in Music examination which is usually taken in Year 11. There is a flexible syllabus divided into levels to ensure progress and continuity. In special cases, supplementary theory and aural training classes are available. Students in our Upper School (mainly in Years 12 & 13) are offered a range of optional classes including an A Level Support Class, Jazz, Conducting and an Electronic Studio class. E S IC COUR S MU 5 Examinations Although no great emphasis is placed on graded examinations we recognise that many students like to take them. Students may take graded examinations or diplomas of any recognised board although we do encourage our teachers to use Trinity Guildhall. Our own internal examinations are kept to a minimum, giving preference to platform performance. All students, except those in Year 13, “Friendly and welcoming, the vibrant are expected to give one platform atmosphere at Junior Guildhall is performance each year which is assessed and students in Years 12 unbeatable. Whether I’m composing, and 13 are encouraged to give conducting, singing or playing the violin a recital. As part of their Musical Awareness course, all students Junior Guildhall is inspirational.” take regular aural assessments and Rhiannon Randle, Violin, Composition and Voice submit examples of their creative work for marking. Students are given the opportunity to perform their compositions and arrangements in concert. All students in the top level of our Middle School (usually Year 11 students) take our internal Higher Certificate in Music examination (further details are available on request from the Junior Guildhall Office) and all students in Year 11 take a formal performance assessment. Students in their first year at Junior Guildhall have their place reviewed during the summer term by taking a formal performance assessment. Detailed progress reports on every student are issued annually during the Summer Term. E S IC COUR S MU 6 Performance Opportunities Performance is a central part of our work at Junior Guildhall and there are over 80 student concerts a year including Public Concerts, Student Recitals, Chamber Concerts, informal Open House Concerts and Second Study Concerts. Students have given television and radio recordings and external performances have taken place at the Barbican Hall, Fairfield Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, Wales Millennium Centre, St James’s Piccadilly, St John’s Smith Square, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Snape Maltings Concert Hall, the South Bank Centre, St Lawrence Jewry, Bishopsgate Institute, Charlton House,