A picture is worth a thousand words and school performances are a living prospectus!
In celebrating the breadth, depth and quality of our extra-curricular music provision which operates throughout lunchtimes, after school activities and the many evening and weekend concerts where pupils represent the school in major musical events, concerts and competitions within the Bangkok Performing Arts Community……we must recognise that there should be no distinction between curricular and extra-curricular in the management of the music provision but rather that the successful combination and collaboration of the two should be our main concern.
Involvement in choirs, chamber groups, orchestra etc, performance in internal concerts, assemblies, competitions, public concerts all form a key part of a pupil’s development.
The activities within the department continue to cover many aspects of choral and instrumental music making and the range of opportunities available to all pupils remains outstanding. We now have an upgraded fully equipped recording studio which can accommodate our many rock bands and our symphony orchestra. Additionally, the Music ICT Suite this year received 14 apple Macs and keyboards running the latest versions of Cubase and Sibelius. A large number of pupils play at least one instrument and a significant number also receive tuition from our visiting specialist staff within the school day on a rotation programme. We continue to enjoy performance from the Senior Symphony orchestra and Primary orchestras, a wide range of Chamber Groups (Quartets, Duets, String Ensembles, etc), drawing on a wide range of musical genres and styles. There also exists a significant number of ‘pop and rock’ bands, smaller jazz ensembles and a larger senior Jazz Band. Through events such as the Autumn Bash, the Carol Service which attracted an audience of over 1500 as the school came together on every level to make it a whole school Carol service, other public concerts, internal concerts, classroom performances, the House Music Competition which for the second year running received over 500 individual entrants and through involvement in ‘Musical’ theatrical productions, pupils at Harrow enjoy a carefully balanced range of performance opportunities. The School’s record in Associated Board Examinations record is going from strength to strength and a number of our students have been awarded the highest performance mark within Asia. Additionally, our best musicians have been awarded national and international music awards and go on to study Music at a variety of specialist Music Conservatoires around the world.
‘Music should touch the lives of as many children as possible. The Music Department is committed to a philosophy which promotes excellence whilst enabling all pupils to experience the joy of music.’
Christopher Johnson
Director of Music & Senior House Master
