Senior (11 - 16)
Performing Arts plays a key role in life at school
On any given day, the distant sound of an orchestra rehearsing, an instrument being perfected or lines being learnt can be caught in the air.
There is a huge array of opportunities for pupils of all strengths and abilities to get involved in, from lead roles to behind the scenes, as well as many co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.
Music Drama Dance Shows & Musicals Production Team
Music
Music features prominently in life at Churcher's College and every pupil here is affected and influenced by music in some way.
Whether it is simply for pleasure, or they are hoping to build a career out of it, music plays a vital part in the education of all our pupils, from the First Year through to Sixth Form. If you are interested in the academic side of the subject, please see the information in the academic area of the website.
With four full time members of staff, a music administrator and 29 visiting teachers, this ever expanding department offers a huge variety of music education.
The music department is a vibrant and busy community.
There are around 33 rehearsals taking place on a weekly basis, from chamber groups such as string quartets, through to the large main ensembles on a weekly basis, together with a Rock School on a Saturday morning. A whole host of concerts take place regularly throughout the year, sometimes multiple times in a week, from small scale lunchtime recitals to large scale events such as Cabaret nights, outdoor spectaculars or further afield such as St. John’s Smith Square in London.
Regular international choir and orchestra tours take place, giving an ever expanding wealth of musical experiences for Churcher’s musicians.
Click the sections below to discover more about music at Churcher's:
Instrumental Tuition
Students of music at Churcher’s have available a dazzling array of professional tutors, who provide instrumental and vocal coaching at every level of study.
Lessons for pupils at all standards, from beginner up to post-diploma are offered in a wide variety of studies, encompassing flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, french horn, trombone, tuba, violin, viola, cello, double bass, guitar, electric guitar, singing, piano, organ and percussion. Group tuition is also offered in music theory. The normal duration of a lesson is 35 minutes.
Lessons are tailored to the wishes of individual students; most will opt to study towards ABRSM grades of progressive difficulty, but still others choose to study for diplomas in performance or for qualifications from other sources.
An initial free trial term is available on specified instruments as available, on the understanding that a successful pupil will intend to continue learning.
Associated Board music practical examinations are held at the College each term, generally during the second half of the term.
College Ensembles
There are an extensive number of vocal groups within the College which rehearse on a weekly basis.
The two main choirs, the Junior Choir and Senior Choir are the largest of the vocal ensembles, with 60 pupils currently in the Junior Choir (years 1 – 3) and 75 in the Senior Choir (years 4 – U6). Membership of these two choirs is non-audition, and members, both students and staff alike, enjoy the regular rehearsal and performance of spectacular choral works.
They regularly sing for College services including the annual Carol and Remembrance Day services, in addition to a number of concerts given throughout the year. The Junior Choir often enjoy international tours, such as Paris, singing in the Notre Dame and Disneyland, and Belgium.
In recent years, the formation of the smaller Chamber Choirs (Junior Chamber Choir, SSA Choir and Senior Chamber Choir) has been a great addition to the department. Membership to all these Choirs is by audition in September of each year.
The SSA Choir, a smaller girls’ choir, formed of two Soprano parts and an Alto part for more experienced singers, has been resoundingly successful and has enjoyed two tours, the most recent one in October 2016 to Bath, where, amongst other venues, they sang in Bath Cathedral.
The Chamber Choir, constituted of a small number of the most experienced singers in the school, concentrates its efforts on stretching the bounds of the College’s vocal tradition, exploring a wide range of both traditional and novel choral work.
Whether giving evensong at the St. Peter’s church or Chichester Cathedral, singing carols at the carol service or performing showstopper choral arrangements of Queen at Cabaret evenings, the Chamber Choir’s focus is on Choral technique of the very highest quality.
Instrumental Groups
There are a whole host of instrumental groups that give pupils the opportunity to play in all kinds of groups, from small Chamber groups to large orchestras.
The ensembles that are currently rehearsing on a weekly basis are:
| Three String Quartets | Junior Wind Quartet | Wind Quintet |
| Brass Quartet | Flute Choir | Clarinet Group |
| Guitar ensemble | Junior Brass Group | Junior Jazz Group |
| Senior Jazz Band | Junior Wind Band | Music Tech Club |
| Junior Brass Quintet | Senior Brass Quartet | Senior Brass Quintet |
| Recorder Consort | Junior Strings | Senior Orchestra |
| Senior Wind Band | Blues Group | Singer / Songwriter |
| Rock School | Senior Jazz Quartet | |
Flickr album: Instrumental Groups |
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Concerts
Performing at Cadogan Hall, London
The Music Department at Churcher’s runs an incredibly busy and varied concert programme throughout the academic year, giving pupils of all abilities the opportunity to perform in front of an audience.
The dedicated faculty and staff strive to provide keen musicians with the widest possible range of experiences to demonstrate and develop their individual talents.
From lunchtime concerts in St. Peter’s church to evening concerts, such as our popular cabaret evenings, there is a wealth of opportunities for pupils to perform, both in school and in public. Whether it’s delivering the Last Post at Remembrance Day or performing in a quartet at weddings, musicians from Churcher’s are renowned for their professionalism and skill.
Around the community, our String Quartets perform at various outside school events including weddings, the interval of concerts in the Petersfield Festival Hall and as background music for school functions such as the 6thform open evening, entrance exam and parents evenings. Our Junior Chamber choir has sung at a wedding and the GCSE classes perform at local Retirement Homes around Petersfield. The Rock school perform at the annual Butser Hill Challenge and there is an annual music Department trip to London to see a West End show. The annual Summer Concert can vary from spectacular performances outside in the College grounds to concerts in London including prestigious venues such as St. John’s Smith Square and Cadogan Hall.
See below pictures from the Spring Concert 2019:
Flickr album: Spring Concert 2019 |
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See below pictures from the Summer Concert at Cadogan Hall, London in 2018:
Flickr album: Summer Concert, Cadogan Hall, 2018 |
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Tours
The music department organise music tours for the various orchestras and choirs at the Senior School. They have performed in some very exciting venues during the last few years, including Lake Garda, Rhineland, Barcelona, Paris, Belgium and Amsterdam.
See pictures below of the Orchestra Tour to Lake Geneva in 2019:
Flickr album: Lake Geneva Orchestra Tour 2019 |
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Drama
Pupils have the opportunity to study for LAMDA examinations in drama and dance, with professional tutors providing weekly coaching sessions.
LAMDA provides a fantastic opportunity for pupils to receive tuition from leaders in the field and to be formally recognised for their talents and development.
Through these sessions pupils can develop their acting abilities through a structured and graded programme of assessment, running in parallel to academic drama in which they may or may not be participating.
See below photos from the Senior Play, The Diary of Anne Frank, performed in 2020:
Flickr album: Senior Production - The Diary of Anne Frank Spring 2020 |
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Dance
At Churcher’s there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy and experience many different styles of dance, across all the year groups.
Dance Club is aimed at pupils who enjoy dancing and would like to improve their technique and performance skills. There are opportunities to perform in various events and we take regular trips to be inspired by the professionals.
Performance Club is aimed at those who think they might go on to take dance at GCSE, and concentrates on more advanced levels of skill and technique, honing performances and concentrating on movement and expression.
Shows & Musicals
Performing Arts at Churcher’s College has provided a mesmerising array of musicals over the years, with productions becoming more and more ambitious, striving and consistently achieving the pinnacle of professionalism.
Pupils have the opportunity to work with a wide range of professional directors, choreographers, musicians and technicians to create energy-filled shows enjoyed by all.
Past productions have included, Miss Saigon, Beauty and the Beast, High School Musical and Footloose.
See below photos of the musical "Les Miserables" performed in 2019:
Flickr album: Les Miserables 2019 |
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Production Team
From lighting to set, sound to make-up, there is a huge variety of skills that come together to make a production happen.
The production team is a dedicated group of pupils and professional staff who make the magic happen for every event the College produces, be it a show, concert, musical or cabaret.
Through the production team, pupils have the opportunity to experience a vast array of professional quality equipment (including digital mixing desks and moving lights), in a vast array of styles and genres, with professional staff employed to help design, coach and supervise.
See below pictures of the set build for Les Miserables:
Flickr album: Set Building for Les Miserables 2019 |
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