HEAD OF DEPARTMENT Miss Carolyn Studman

Music at Northwood Prep is an inclusive activity for all boys from Nursery to Year 8. Pupils receive an hour of specialist tuition in the subject from either the Director of Music or the Assistant Director of Music. The scheme of work provides children with the opportunity to compose, perform, appraise and develop their appreciation of this subject.

Facilities are of a very high standard with two well resourced teaching rooms and practice facilities for instrumental tuition. Music technology has a high priority in the curriculum and children are taught to use dedicated Music PC's to sequence, compose and score out their work using Cubasis. Standard notation is taught as part of the curriculum from the outset and boys are encouraged to take instrumental studies from Year 1.

Specialist Music Technology classes are also offered in small groups for boys in Year 3 upwards, run by specialist Music Technology teachers from M:Tech.  Each term the boys have the opportunity to compose using the dedicated PC’s, recent projects include composing music and adding sound effects to a computer game and creating Dance Music.

The Department has a team of extremely able and enthusiastic peripatetic teachers. Instrument specific ensembles are run by the visiting teachers, who also prepare and support boys as they work towards their Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and Trinity Guildhall Examinations.  Tuition is offered on piano, violin, cello, percussion (orchestral and drum kit), double bass, guitar (classical, electric and bass), flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone and French horn. We will always endeavour to obtain tuition for pupils who may wish to study instruments other than those listed here.

There are a number of ensembles and groups for the boys to participate in: Choirs, String Orchestra, Brass Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble and School Orchestra to name a few! These activities take place in non-contact time, either before or after school and opportunities to perform are provided throughout each term to develop confidence and musicianship.

In recent years we have been fortunate to perform in some spectacular locations including the Royal Albert Hall, St. John's Smith Square, London and York Minster.

The Music Department has strong links with local senior public schools and often join forces to take part in music festivals and recitals. A number of our pupils in recent years have won prestigious scholarships to Merchant Taylor's School, The John Lyon School, Aldenham to Wells Cathedral School in Somerset.