Music

Music plays an important role within the whole Prince’s Mead community in so many ways.  It is the one creative activity that brings the whole school together on a weekly basis in Assembly, Hymn Practice and Friday Prayers. Routinely, we run Year group choirs every week and many instrumental ensembles allowing music-making to be an inclusive and richly abundant part of school life in our many rehearsals and performances throughout the school year.  

 

Our choirs at Prince’s Mead have gone from strength to strength, from routine weekly rehearsals for Years 1 to 6, to our successful Chamber Choir who got stopped from competing beyond Semi-Final stage in the BBC Young Choir of the Year by Covid. Music is about discovery at Prince’s Mead, and each child is fully encouraged to find their inner musician. 

 

Class Music

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Children from Nursery to Year 6 will have a class music lesson with the Head of Music once a week. Class music is performance based and uses untuned and tuned percussion with a focus on xylophones in the Prep School. Performance led learning allows the children to get a feel for showing their innate skills through independent learning. They perform in class to their peers and those more able can be given the opportunity to teach or lead others. Pre-Prep class music is geared towards unlocking innate interest and skills through song, movement activities and sound exploration on instruments.

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Once a year, every class will perform their class assembly in Friday Prayers. Often, we will work on a song or musical offering in our class music lessons in preparation for this performance. For example, Year 5 performed a fanfare to open their class assembly about the Ancient Greeks. 

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Singing

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Every child is encouraged to sing! We sing a lot at Prince’s Mead which has led to Singing lessons being a very popular choice for one-to-one lessons with one of our Singing teachers. In addition to our whole school singing activities, we run many choirs.

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Year 1 & 2 Choir

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Bringing all of Year 1 and 2 pupils to sing is an excellent way to make music together in the earlier years. We meet every week to sing fun songs with focus on correct singing technique, singing in tune and good listening. Pupils are often given the opportunity to sing a solo, or in a small group as a routine part of our choir practice, which shows how singing is a great way to encourage confidence. Year 1 and 2 choir work towards a performance in Friday Prayers each term, and they sing in a Nativity Play in the Michaelmas Term. 

 

Year 3 & 4 Choir

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In Year 3 and 4 Choir, each week, we look at performance songs to develop vocal range and technique. Year 3 and 4 Choir provide a strong and positive voice to whole-school singing, being right in the middle of the school. They produce a great sound in the Carol Service and also perform in Friday Prayers every term. 

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Young Voices

 

Year 5 and 6 are split between two choirs which are run simultaneously. Young Voices is a fun-based choir for Year 5 with some Year 6. They have a weekly rehearsal and work to perform in Prayers once a term. They join Chamber Choir at Christmas to create a Year 5 and 6 Choir in the Carol Service. All of Year 5 are in Young Voices, and they form the Choir for our Year 6 production in the Summer term. 

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Chamber Choir

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Chamber Choir is an invitation choir for gifted singers in Year 6 who rehearse alongside Young Voices. They perform in Friday Prayers termly, and in the Carol Service. They also represent the school when we sing in the community or in competitions. Chamber Choir attempt to sing songs with a challenging element, particularly when singing in parts. Part singing is a great way to encourage aural awareness, and to unlock vocal potential in children with aptitude towards singing. 

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Special Choirs

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At times, we are approached to form a choir for special events in the community, including Harvest Festival in our local church, and in external concerts. When numbers are limited, a special choir is formed for these events.

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​Instrumental Music

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We are blessed at Prince’s Mead to have team of nine highly professional peripatetic staff to offer one-to-one lessons on a range of instruments. Our peris visit weekly, and all lessons are scheduled by our music administrator.

 

Pupils can start to learn an instrument in Year 2 with the go-ahead from their class teacher. Pupils who are keen to explore the opportunity to learn an instrument can have a taster trial lesson on an instrument to help them decide, and for the peri to provide feedback regarding suitability. As children progress on an instrument, we facilitate graded exam preparation where suitable, using both the ABRSM and Trinity examination boards.

 

Pupils learning an instrument will be able to join one of our ensembles. ​The following ensembles are by invitation, based on whether the pupil has achieved Grade 1 standard, or has a good level of music reading skills:

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Wind Band

Orchestra

String Group

Flute Group  

Advanced Guitars

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The following ensembles are open to all children:

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Beginner Guitars

Recorder Group (to start in the Summer 2025)

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​Instrument Lessons

 

Here at Prince’s Mead, 260 one-to-one instrumental lessons take place every week! The fun starts in Class Music, which then unlocks the interest to learn an instrument. Our team of peripatetic staff are self-employed, so they will communicate directly with parents although our music administrator who deals with timetables and lesson scheduling.  

 

We are so lucky to have instrumental teachers who play at a high level, and who are passionate about passing their skills to young people. Children learning an instrument are invited to play in our bi-termly Tea-Time Concerts. Currently we offer one-to-one lessons on:

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Trumpet/ cornet/ tenor horn/ trombone/ French horn/ baritone

Flute/ clarinet / saxophone/ fife

Piano

Violin/ viola/ cello

Singing

Drum kit/percussion

Guitar

Recorder

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Concerts & Annual Performances

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Every child at Prince’s Mead will perform in some musical capacity or other in the year.  The main events are as follow:

 

Year 1 and 2 Nativity Play

Nursery and Reception Nativity Play

Carol Service – performed by Years 3-6

Christmas Concert – performed by Years 3-6 but also including Musical Theatre Group from Years 1 and 2

Summer Ensemble Concert – performed by Years 3-6

Prince’s Mead Music Festival – open to all children learning singing or an instrument

Prince’s Mead Music Festival Celebration Concert

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Music Awards

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Music is celebrated in a number of ways at Prince’s Mead.

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Bronze: A young person of Junior school age selected for a County Level Junior Ensemble or the equivalent Hampshire Youth Junior Choir or Hampshire Youth Training Band. A young person who has appeared in a musical capacity in one or more major performances with a recognised professional theatre/opera company; participation in an amateur capacity.

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Silver: A young person playing in a recognised County Level Senior Ensemble such as Hampshire County Youth Orchestra, Southampton Youth Orchestra, Hampshire Youth Concert Band, Hampshire County Youth Wind Band, Hampshire Youth Jazz Orchestra. In addition, a young person excelling on an instrument having achieved any of the higher grades.

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Gold: A young person selected to play at National level, for example, the National Youth Orchestra, National Youth Jazz Orchestra or National Youth Choir.

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A young person undertaking professional engagements in either a full or part-time capacity; employed professionally for their musical services.

 

Music Colours

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Music Colours are awarded during the course of the year to worthy pupils, in the main from Year 6. However, there may be circumstances when pupils as young as Year 4 will receive colours. Pupils receiving music colours will have achieved a particularly high standard on their instrument or voice, displayed flair, innate natural ability or will have received special musical success. Colours may also be awarded to a pupil who has exhibited consistent and strong musical potential towards their own musical development and interest.