Music
At LWC we aim to enthuse, nurture and develop a lifelong passion and cultural appreciation for music. Every pupil has access to a wealth of performing, creating and listening opportunities, allowing students to explore their creative talents and abilities to their full potential. We are an inclusive department, offering a relevant, current and exciting academic curriculum.
Music is taught as an academic subject to the 1st and 2nd Forms, and continues as a 3rd Form, GCSE and A Level option. We offer a varied and balanced curriculum combining studies into film music, jazz, opera and musicals, world musics, music technology/sound production and popular genres, with tuition in conventional notation and listening analysis/appreciation.
Acting Head of Department: Mr Aaron Parker
GCSE
Exam Board: Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Music 1MU0
At GCSE, pupils learn to identify and compare distinctive musical characteristics from a variety of musical styles and traditions based on the study of set works from four Areas of Study. Performance and Composition are assessed as coursework; these elements support the written listening analysis paper.
A Level
Exam Board: Edexcel A Level Music 9MU0
A Level students experience a wide range of musical disciplines including performing, composing and analysing, as well as developing knowledge of the historical and contextual uses of music, aural analysis, and an understanding of traditional harmony.
Music Technology AS
Exam Board: Edexcel
This 2 year Edexcel AS level Music Technology course is ideal for any student who enjoys recording, sequencing and composing music, as well as analysing the impact that technology has had throughout the history of popular music.
Instrumental Lessons
We schedule over 200 individual instrumental lessons each week. A team of twenty professional peripatetic staff offer tuition on a variety of instruments. In support, we timetable practice clubs, accompaniment sessions, and theory/aural classes. We offer free group lessons to 1st Form beginners on a range of instruments.
ABRSM/TG exams are scheduled twice per year.
Music Enrichment and Appreciation Programme
In support of both the academic and co-curricular demands of Music as a subject, we organise regular trips to the Albert Hall, Cadogan Hall, Glyndebourne, London’s West End and local venues.
We also arrange masterclasses, workshops and lectures delivered by professional musicians. Recent highlights have included: a musicology lecture from Dr Graham Griffiths; GCSE Schools’ Concert with the LSO; workshops by members of the STOMP cast and an African Masterdrummer, compositional workshops with Michael Omer and Robert Hartshorne, and various Instrumental masterclasses including James Lisney, international concert pianist, ECO String Masterclass, and Ronan Busfield, ex-LWC operatic tenor, to name but a few.