Concerts

Performing is very much encouraged at St George's and it is hoped that a suitably unimposing infrastructure has been established which not only provides any number of varied performing opportunities, but also encourages children to want to take part. Performing is encouraged, but not enforced.

Proposed concert lists are available to music teaching staff several weeks before each event. Much as the school is always delighted that children are willing to participate, the Director of Music would only wish to include a child with the full approval of their instrumental teacher. Demand for places in these concerts is sometimes considerable. Programmes are ideally arranged to last no longer that 1 hour. There are other opportunities for more spontaneous performance outbursts!

In the Pre-Prep and Years 3 and 4, children are invited to perform in school assemblies and in class music lessons. Although there is huge support and much applause, the exercise is effected in much the same way as when a child is involved in a show-and-tell exercise.  Teachers will guide the pupil through every step of the process. There are two afternoon concerts each term for those children in the Pre Prep who will have recently started lessons and are ready to play to an audience. These concerts are relatively short with up to 25 performers. Children are taught to present themselves in 'concert conditions' - they announce their pieces, bow and acknowledge applause. This forum was introduced in January 2004 and has proved very successful with teachers, parents and of course, pupils! Numbers have increased considerably in the past few years and it has become necessary to provide more opportunities more frequently throughout the year. The Year 2 Choir, the Violin groups and class recorder groups may also be involved in these concerts. This way every child is given the chance to be involved in some way should they so wish.

Each term there are up to three Informal Concerts for pupils in the Main School. These take place in the evenings from 7.00 p.m. They include performances by all age groups and at all levels (grades). The sheer diversity of grades and instrumental variety has made this forum extremely successful. It is expected that children will attend the whole concert and support their fellow performers in the way they would like to be supported. Again, the opportunity is designed to encourage and to teach the art of performing and the sharing of musical experience. Beginners are inspired by those who have been learning for some time, and for further advanced pupils there is a very rewarding sense of the progress they have made instrumentally. They too can remember being beginners.

In late January, the Music Scholarship candidates perform a concert of the repertoire that they will play for their auditions. The standard of this concert is very high, and although it is seen as part of their preparation, it is also a mark of what they have achieved in their time at St George's. Anther special concert takes place just before the CE week in the Summer Term, in which all those who will be leaving the school are given the opportunity to perform. Included in this concert are some of the ensembles - although they may of course, perform at others stages in the year as well.

Across the year there are sometimes themed concerts - perhaps a year group concert or one with a specific slant towards the nature of the repertoire being presented, e.g. Christmas music, Baroque music, music for four hands. In March 2009, several ensembles performed early music for the Henry VIIIth Art Exhibition in the Chapel Cloisters.

In class music lessons pupils are encouraged to perform to one another - not necessarily at the standard which one would expect for a 'real' concert, but rather in a workshop environment, which does so much to break down the anxiety associated with performing. Usually children volunteer spontaneously to play to the class.