Music additional info

Music, Dance and Drama are combined as part of a Performing Arts additional experience working on common themes or preparing for performances. As part of the National Curriculum we study the work of artists from other cultures for example Chinese dance and music.

All children from Years 1 to 4 perform at the Godalming Music Festival which takes place at Charterhouse School. The Chamber Choir is an auditioned choir for the older girls, with the highlight of their year joining the Charterhouse Chapel Choir at the Preparatory School Choral Day at which we have historically performed Handel’s Messiah, Haydn's Creation and the complete Faure Requiem.

To sing such works with the Chapel Choir is a challenge for the girls who gain immense satisfaction in achieving that which seems impossible at the outset - starting with deciphering the score! Pupils are rehearsed by the Director of Music and are guided through choral techniques and the nuances of the performed work. The experience of singing with a mixed chorus in a memorable venue is not to be missed and for parents who attend the final concert, this is also an unforgettable experience.

An exciting recent venture for Years 5 and 6 was to perform in the O2 Arena in February as part of the charity event 'Voice in a Million'.

Choirs and instrumental groups participating in festivals and concerts achieve high praise from the community and organising bodies. Collections are taken at events to support charities chosen by our school council. In the global context we join with schools across the world in singing the Song for Peace, raising awareness of children in war zones.

Harvest festival and the Service of Remembrance also offer opportunities for performance. Concerts are a regular feature of the Music department, showcasing the talents of our instrumentalists. Pupils selected from years 4, 5 and 6 for the Chamber Choir are awarded colours and all others are encouraged to join the training choir. Individual performances are celebrated through concerts and we include both the talented and the beginner.

Individual instrumental exams show a high percentage of distinctions and merits and the evidence at school is that the children are well motivated in the arts and love to participate.