DIRECTOR OF MUSIC, ST GEORGE’S COLLEGE SEPTEMBER 2021 Notes for applicants St George’s College is seeking to appoint a dynamic individual as Director of Music from September 2021; The position of Director of Music is a key post both for the School and wider community, and the successful candidate will be a highly-qualified and skilled musician able to lead the department with vision, clarity, and energy. DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW The College enjoys a fine international reputation for the excellence and variety of its music. The Music Department comprises the Director of Music, two further full-time staff, twenty two visiting teachers (self-employed) and a part-time Music Administrator (4 days per week). The full-time members of music staff teach throughout the College with a varied timetable that incorporates all years and the visiting music staff offer tuition in all disciplines in addition to singing (changed and unchanged voices), organ and harp. Several also run ensembles within the department and many teach both within the College and the Junior School (located approximately one mile away in Weybridge). The Music Department at the Junior School is comprised of a Director of Music, a further full time member of staff, and two part-time teachers; links between the two departments are extremely well developed. Music plays a prominent part in the school’s life and is keenly supported by pupils, members of staff and parents. The Department houses a Recital Room (seating up to 110, with a permanent recording facility installed in 2016), a large classroom equipped with 24 PCs running Sibelius 6, Cubase, and Audacity, three further small study/teaching rooms, eight practice rooms (each with a piano/clavinova) and a store room with lockers for pupils to store their instruments, in addition to department stores. The Department also has its own Gamelan, Samba Kit, set of African Drums, Roland digital harpsichord, and several staff offices; Large scale choral and orchestral concerts take place in the College Chapel (seating 800) which houses a three manual organ by Hugh Banton (installed in 1999) and a Yamaha C7 Grand Piano; funds are in place to commence the search for an appropriate redundant pipe organ for installation in the Chapel. A whole school musical is staged in collaboration with the Drama department approximately every three-four years and the first year cohort perform a semi-staged musical at the start of each academic year. The Parents’ Society actively supports the music making and recent funding has covered projects including the purchase of a set of posture chairs for the Orchestra and a Recording Room. CHORAL MUSIC Choral and liturgical music are a core long-standing part of the school’s tradition and the choirs enjoy an outstanding international reputation in this regard. Performance opportunities for pupils are varied and numerous with several choirs catering for changed and unchanged voices of all ages. The College’s flagship choir, the Chamber Choir is an auditioned ensemble; The College Choir is open to pupils in all years (mixed SATB). Both choirs sing a wide and varied repertoire of music. The Chamber Choir in particular has an active schedule which includes concerts within school, external engagements, recordings, broadcasts, and tours. Previous tour destinations have included America (East and West Coast), Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, and Spain. The Chamber Choir was the 2012 BBC Songs of Praise School Choir of the Year and Barnardo’s Senior School Choir of the year. In December 2015 the choir won the Eagle Radio Carol Competition, and the choir was also a finalist in the 2016 BBC Songs of Praise School Choir of the Year Competition. The choirs released their first CD in December 2010, I am the Day which sold out in 3 weeks raising over £7000 for the Josephite mission in the Congo. Since then they have recorded 3 further discs, releasing the most recent one in November 2015, Follow that star. In addition to termly concerts there is an annual choral concert combining the school choirs with the Choral Society choir, made up of parents, staff, past students and musicians. These concerts have been accompanied by the College’s professional orchestra, Sinfonia, or period ensembles. Recent works include Bach Johannes-Passion with The Brandenburg Sinfonia, Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s The Creation, Mendelssohn, Elijah, and Monteverdi Vespers (1610), with The English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble. In March 2017 the performance was Haydn Nelson Mass and Poulenc Gloria. Recent choral workshops have included leading international figures including Ken Burton, Edward Higginbottom, and Bronwen Mills. The choirs play an integral role in the life of the school, providing musical accompaniment to key occasions including the annual Requiem Mass, Founder’s Day, Service of Nine Lessons & Carols and St. Joseph’s Day. INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC Over 250 pupils take individual instrumental/voice lessons each week and there are numerous ensembles which instrumentalists participate in including a Camerata (for string players), the College Band and the College Orchestra), and several other chamber groups some of which are run by visiting music staff or by the students themselves, such as . Several rock groups flourish within the department thanks to specialist tuition offered through our Rockshop programme and the College also offers complimentary grade 5 theory classes and training for the aural aspects of music examinations. Pupils are encouraged to participate in an ensemble as soon as they are able to, and several run their own groups and rehearsals. To support this, the College has an extensive concert schedule over the course of the year, including larger concert performances at the end of term, services of worship celebrating major feasts eg Armistice Day, Ash Wednesday, Founder’s Day, Remembrance Memorial Service, St George, St Joseph, St Peter, community projects, the music-live Concert Series (lunch time and after school short recitals), Inter-house Music Competitions, and workshops and masterclasses with musicians such as Ian Clarke, Mike Simpson, The Harpham String Quartet, and the Zephyr Ensemble. MUSIC IN THE CURRICULUM Music is a core-subject in the first two years with our First and Second Years (NC years 7 & 8) receiving three lessons per fortnight and it is an option in the Third Year (NC year 9). A ’Songs from the Shows‘ concert performed by the First Year cohort each year in October is a particular highlight. Since September 2016, the Junior School has provided every child with a term of tuition as part of the Year 3 and 4 curriculum. The Lower School music course caters for musicians of all types. Topics range from World Music to Baroque, Classical and Romantic studies, Popular, Jazz and Film music. The course incorporates opportunities for performance, composing, music technology and developing listening skills. Pupils may opt to take Music for GCSE (Edexcel) and A-Level (AQA) and there is currently one set in each of the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Form year groups. St George’s is linear at A-Level; pupils study 3 subjects, the EPQ, and compulsory RE in both Sixth Form year groups. Academic standards in music are good with pupils attaining A*-B at GCSE/A-level. GEORGIAN MUSICIANS IN THE COMMUNITY AND BEYOND The College music department has a long held tradition of welcoming pupils from local schools to participate in outreach events, and each year there is a choral and instrumental day; these usually involve around 100-120 children at each event. College musicians regularly take the opportunity to perform in the locality and we have fostered good relations with St James’ Parish Church and Christ the Prince of Peace in Weybridge, and St Paul’s Church, Addlestone, alongside numerous local care homes. Further afield the department fosters excellent links with our Josephite schools in Europe through participating in the biennial Music Day in Belgium, in addition to singing and performing in Cathedrals within the UK, Europe, and USA. Whilst at the College, Georgian pupils have successfully gained places in the London Schools’ Symphony Orchestra, National Children’s Orchestra, National Youth Choir, National Youth Jazz Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra and various regional youth orchestras and choirs. In recent years pupils have won instrumental scholarships to the major conservatoires and universities both here and abroad, and Oxbridge Choral and Organ Scholarships. Many are now working within the music business themselves as singers, instrumentalists, music producers, and academics. In May 2014 the College hosted the MMA music conference for teachers, during which a number of distinguished artists within the music profession including Ashley Solomon and Peter Stark worked with the children and music teachers from all around the UK. Every three to four years the College stages a full musical in conjunction with the Drama department. MUSIC SCHOLARSHIPS The College offers music scholarships and exhibitions to pupils at 11+, 13+ and 16+ who show promise and ability at interview through a practical audition, written test, and viva voce. All music scholars receive mentoring, contribute to, and participate in a personalised musical programme. Scholarship holders are expected to perform well academically and musically, and a major review is undertaken in the Fifth Year prior to entry to the Sixth Form. There are currently 24 music scholars/exhibitioners at St George’s. APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTOR OF MUSIC (SEPTEMBER 2021) Following the appointment of the current post holder to a Deputy Headship, St George’s College wishes to appoint a Director of Music from September 2021. The College is seeking a highly-qualified and skilled musician to lead the department, maintaining and building upon the current traditions and high standards in place. The successful candidate will be an accomplished musician with excellent subject knowledge and keyboard skills, a proven track record of teaching in a selective secondary school up to and including A-Level and be able to inspire, encourage, and support pupils to excel in their music making at all levels.