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Music plays a large role in the life of the school at Junior King's. A very large number of boys and girls are involved from the very first day they arrive.

There is a very popular choir with lunchtime rehearsals once a week. Pupils just turn up.... auditions are not necessary. The choir sings at a number of special occasions during the school year. They are evident at the Prize Giving evening in November and a small number only at Open Morning also in November. The full choir always sings at concerts in school and in Chester Cathedral for the end of term services.

The school orchestra is made up of pupils who have had lessons on their orchestral instrument for at least two terms. We have a full range of orchestral instruments of varying standards. Music is specially written for the pupils, so all standards are catered for. We play all kinds of music; TV themes, film music and classical music.

All pupils learn to play the descant recorder in year 1 as part of their music lessons. Some pupils are proficient enough to join the orchestra after a few terms.

Pupils bring their musical instrument to school on a regular basis to accompany the hymn in morning assemblies. Classes of pupils too are able to accompany the hymn on a percussion instrument from a large selection we have in school. This has to be arranged on a rota because of the enthusiasm of the pupils.

Private Music Lessons

Pupils can at any time choose to learn a musical instrument. We are very fortunate to be able to offer lessons on a huge number of instruments from visiting peripatetic teachers:

Violin Flute Comet Percussion
Viola Oboe Trumpet
Cello Clarinet Trombone Piano
Bassoon Tenor Horn
Saxophone Euphonium

The 35-minute lessons take place in a purpose built music school close to the junior school buildings. Before-school and after-school lessons do take place, but, in the main, lessons are given on a rota basis during the school day.

Trinity College of Music examinations can be taken in December or May.

Concerts

There are two musical concerts which parents eagerly await each year; one at Christmas and one towards the end of the Lent term. With so much talent, we give all pupils an opportunity to take part.

The choir and the orchestra play a large part in both concerts, but the Christmas concert has become a very grand affair over the last years. All the boys and girls sing a cantata together, usually accompanied by senior instrumentalists and then go on to perform something with a Christmas flavour!

The concert in the Lent term shows off the musical talent of the school. The pupils themselves, under the guidance of their teachers, prepare pieces on their instruments. Less experienced pupils play music to one another during morning assembly, while older or more experienced pupils play longer and more difficult pieces to an invited audience of parents and friends.

Concert reviews

A celebration of pupils’ performance in music, drama and dance

On Thursday, 15th March, 2007, a concert was held in the Consterdine Hall entitled ‘A Celebration of Pupils’ Performance in Music, Drama and Dance’. The concert featured a variety of different performances, including: the Choir, Dance Club, extracts from the second year play, ‘Hoodwinked’, the Orchestra, musical soloists and many more performances.

After lots of practice, the orchestra assembled in the Consterdine Hall ready to perform. Mr Malone welcomed all of the spectators, who had come to watch.  Now it was the orchestra’s duty to open the concert with the theme from Black Beauty, ‘Galloping Horse’ by Denis King. The orchestra started off strongly with a lovely sound. The tune was passed around the orchestra, each section playing brilliantly. The piece ended as well as it started and there was an enormous applause.

Now it was time for Eleanor Barnard, Henry Thompson, Finn Abberton and Cameron Hogg, with Mr Rushforth, who form the String Quartet, to play their piece, ‘Serenade’ by Daniel Turke. Again it was brilliant and there was a round of applause.

The Brass Ensemble, George Hutchings, Kitty Abberton, Alistair Coley, Conor Ainsworth, William Dodd-Moore, Sam Pode and Simon Holme, with Miss Vernon, had prepared two pieces for the concert. The first was called ‘Fanfare Open Up’ by Ian McKenzie and the second was the well known Beatles song, ‘Yellow Submarine’, by Lennon and McCartney. Both pieces were excellent and were enjoyed by the audience.

Next the Junior String Ensemble played ‘Nobodyes Gigge – Shakespeare’s England’ arranged by Nicholas Hare. It was very well played and received loud applause.

Then followed a varied selection of solo musical performances from Simon Ellershaw (recorder), Ellie Kearney-Mitchell (cello), Anna Longson (piano) and Paul Brownson (drum kit). Each performance was prepared to a high standard and was received well.

Finn Abberton, Nia Hughes, Hermione Bird and William Garside performed a scene from George Bernard Shaw’s ‘Pygmalion’. This piece had been entered in the Chester Festival of Drama and received a ‘Commendation’. The audience certainly enjoyed the performance and there were a few smiles when Eliza Doolittle (Hermione Bird) started speaking in a typical Cockney accent!!

We were then treated to a flute duet by Lucy Peel and Andrew Giddis. Andrew Darby performed a funny voice performance called ‘Food’ that made everyone laugh. Urbi Sen played a delicate piece on the piano called ‘Balleto’.

Next Lucy Kinsey, Libby Parry-Hughes, Megan Pode and Alice Chambers performed a short scene from ‘Little Women’ by Louise M Alcott. This piece had also been entered in the Chester Festival of Drama, was ‘Commended’ and had come fourth overall. Everyone played their part well and the audience took pleasure in watching it.

To whet the audience’s appetite, two scenes were performed from ‘Hoodwinked’, the J2 play. The first scene performed was ‘Maid Marion’s Ladies’. It was well acted out with a few funny lines and a lovely accompanying song and dance.

After a dazzling first half of the concert, the audience went to get refreshments, whilst the pupils had a short break before returning to the Consterdine Hall for the second half of the concert.

The second half started with a bang! The choir performed three songs: ‘The Locomotion’ by Gerry Goffin/Carole King, ‘Close Ev’ry Door’ from ‘Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’ by Lloyd Webber and ‘Chariot’s Comin’!’  (Swing Low. Sweet Chariot) by Don Besig and Nancy Price with a solo by Finn Abberton and Sarah Lusher. All were performed at a high standard and sounded great!

Next there were four musical soloists: Anna Longson (Eb sax), William Dodd-Moore (cornet), George Nott (piano) and Eleanor Barnard (violin). They all performed well.

Amelia Barry, Sam Reeves, Ciaran Gilling-Smith and Hayley Milner performed a clip from the play ‘To Kill a Mocking Bird’ by Harper Lee. This piece was also entered into the Chester Festival of Drama and they came third. They acted it out very well.

Cameron Hogg (cello) and Katie Pownall (clarinet) performed two solos. Both of them played very nicely and the audience looked impressed.

Edward Downes, Sebastian Morris, Alexander Kerr, Ananth Ranjit, Arjunan Ranjit, Ciaran Gilling-Smith and Samuel Reeves performed a small piece from the play ‘Lord of the Flies’ by William Golding. This piece was entered into the Chester Festival of Drama and came first in its section, which was a great achievement. They performed as well as ever. The audience thought that they were great.

Next the J2s acted out another scene from ‘Hoodwinked’. The scene was called ‘Robin of Locksley’. They performed without a single mistake. The audience loved it.

Finally, Dance Club performed two dances. The first one was called, ‘Friendship Dance’. This was performed by Lucy Peel, Isabel Dawson, Daniel Weatherly and Laurence Ankers. It was very good. The second dance was called ‘King’s Dance Club Chester’. The whole of the dance club performed this. It was a cheerleading dance. At the end Emily Boothroyd jumped off the stage and did the splits. It was incredible.

The whole concert was great success and I hope it is so great next year!

Eleanor Barnard and Libby Parry-Hughes J4A

Band for the 4th Year Play

During the summer term the fourth year prepare and perform a musical play. A variety of plays have been performed over the years; 'Trolls' by Peter Skellern , 'Treasure Island', 'Tom Sawyer' (both these following closely the true story) and 'Carrots' by Peter Canwell, the true story of the founding of Dr Barnardo's Children's homes. Last year they performed a junior adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare. The songs for the play were sensitively written both in unison and two parts.

It has become a tradition that some of the third year musicians are invited to form a band to accompany the songs for the play. Recorders, violins, clarinets, trumpets glockenspiels and xylophone, as well as percussion, form the talented band. Rehearsals are intense from the beginning of the term, but by the night of the play they are note perfect and give a performance of their lives!

Christmas Concert 2006

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On 30th November and 1st December, 2006 the King’s Junior School held their annual Christmas Concert.  All the pupils had put a lot of effort into rehearsals leading up to it.

When it came to the night everyone was feeling incredibly nervous.  The first and third years entered the concert hall first.  The third years seated themselves while the first years remained standing to start the singing.  Mrs O’Leary had put a lot of hard work towards the first year’s songs.  The first years sang beautifully, accompanied by Mrs O’Leary playing the piano.  The first years then sat down and it was time for the third years to shine!  The third years sang about the food at Christmas time with some very humorous songs!  Once the third years had finished their songs, the second and fourth years filed into the hall.  The fourth years found their places and sat down.  The second years remained standing and started their specific songs.  Then it was time for the fourth year.  I was incredibly nervous as I was playing my drum kit during this song.  The music started (with a few groovy dance moves that Miss Arkle had come up with).  The fourth year’s performance was excellent.  Once the different years had sung their songs, it was time for a choir song, which was very funny!  The choir remained standing while the rest of the school joined them to sing a very jolly and festive song.  The first part of the concert had finished and the whole school went for refreshments.

We came back and took our places (there was a percussion group playing along to the songs as well, which I was part of).  The first narrator stepped forward and kick-started the second part of the concert.  At the end of the concert, the adults were asked to stand and sing with the children ‘Hark, the Herald Angels Sing’ (which the whole of Chester could have heard!).  Mrs Roberts had put so much into this concert and the pupils were all very grateful to her.  The 2006 Christmas Concert could not have gone any better!

Cameron Szerdy J4A

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