Music Senior School
Music offered at Senior School
The Senior School has an active co-curricular music programme, with a wide variety of instruments taught by a group of dedicated and professional musicians. Tuition is offered in piano, classical guitar, violin, cello, flute, clarinet, saxophone, recorder, trumpet and voice. If other instruments are requested, teachers can be sourced.
The department subscribes to the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and enters girls in the May and October examination sessions. Programmes are structured to suit the individual and entry into examinations and eisteddfods is carefully considered, taking into account personality and ability.
Choral music
On various days of the week The Edge resounds with the exquisite sounds of the various choirs on campus. Vocal ensembles in the Senior School include the Senior School choir, chamber choir and traditional choir. No Eucharist, Patronal Festival or Old Girls’ Day would be celebrated quite as successfully without the strong and confident sounds of the choirs.
Contemporary music
Contemporary music is alive and well on campus. The girls relate readily to contemporary genres and enjoy performing them. They provide the girls the opportunity to express their creativity through songwriting, improvisation and performance.
The jazz syllabus of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM), Rock School and Trinity Rock and Pop syllabi are also offered at the school. St Mary’s is the examination centre for the ABRSM jazz examinations in Gauteng.
The bands and ensembles perform regularly at school and external functions, competitions and festivals. Original music is encouraged, and musicians are often provided with the opportunity to record their work. St Mary’s hosts an annual Battle of the Bands, at which bands from all over Gauteng compete for a range of prizes that are geared towards equipping the bands and their members for the music industry.
Ensemble programme
The St Mary’s Music department runs a dynamic ensemble programme. Girls playing instruments are encouraged to play in groups to develop their sight-reading skills and ensemble techniques. The Senior School orchestra, marimba bands, jazz band, rock bands, R&B band and keyboard ensembles perform regularly at important school events, external functions, competitions and festivals.