Music Scholarships
Shaped by King’s #ShapedByKings | ksw.org.uk
An independent co-educational day school | 11-18 ksw.org.uk
Music at King’s King’s offers excellent opportunities for pupils wishing to make music central to their education, perhaps with a view to making a career in the musical world. The music school consists of three academic teachers and over twenty peripatetic music teachers. The main teaching classroom was recently redesigned and now comprises of workstations with a five octave keyboard, a laptop computer running industry-standard music composition and recording software. Every workstation is linked to a high-quality classroom audio system. Over 100 candidates achieve awards in music examinations in a wide range of instruments each year, many at high grades including diplomas. A number of our musicians are members of county ensembles and take part in local and national holiday music courses such as the RSCM Millennium Choir. For many years there has been a series of successes in gaining Organ and Choral Awards at Oxford and Cambridge universities and Music Conservatoires. An overseas tour takes place every two years; The Choir and Chamber Orchestra have performed in Paris and Venice in recent years. The most recent tour to Malta included a live television broadcast. The school has two orchestras as well as small ensembles such as flute and guitar groups, three choirs, a Wind Band and Jazz Band. Many concerts are held throughout the year, most of which take place in the magnificent College Hall. Open Mic Nights have been a very successful introduction to the concert series and take place in the Boathouse. The choirs perform regularly in the Cathedral at school services, as well as singing Choral Evensong occasionally.
Music has always been at the heart of King’s and today the department remains a vibrant place both in and out of the classroom. We offer diverse opportunities for all musicians within an unparalleled environment of ambition and inclusion.
The best way to get a real feeling for music at King’s is to come in and see us in action - come along to a concert, attend an Open Morning, or arrange a visit to King’s on a normal working day. You can even listen to King’s concerts and music performances on the schools sound cloud (/kings-music) or search for King’s Worcester virtual lunchtime concerts on YouTube. I look forward to meeting you.
Simon Taranczuk, Director of Music
https://soundcloud.com/ksw-music
@kswmusicschool
ksw.org.uk
Music Scholarship Award Those students who have a musical flair and passion could be eligible for music scholarships. There is a wide range of styles and genres of music on offer at King’s, including orchestras, wind and Jazz bands and solo concerts, allowing students to demonstrate and enhance their musical talents. •
Music scholarships are awarded to pupils on entry to the school at 11+, 13+ and 16+.
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A music scholarship may be awarded in the range of 5% to 25% fee remission and is accompanied by free tuition on the main instrument or voice.
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Next Steps
For further information on our music scholarships or to download an application form visit www.ksw.org.uk/musicscholarships or contact: Mr Simon Taranczuk, Director of Music staranczuk@ksw.org.uk
01905 721774
Mrs Deborah Paddock, Music Administrator dpaddock@ksw.org.uk 01905 721772 For general admissions enquiries, please contact:
Those awarded a music scholarship will be expected to play a full part in the musical life at the school. The award will be retained as long as the pupil’s academic and musical progress are of a high standard.
Vickie Peckston, Registrar registrar@ksw.org.uk
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Music scholarship assessment takes the form of an instrument or vocal performance of two contrasting pieces of music. If a second instrument is offered, which is by no means mandatory, one piece of music is required for each instrument. It is expected that the candidate will reach as least the AB/TCL standard below on his or her chosen instrument.
Music scholarship auditions will be held in January (please visit ksw.org.uk/musicscholarship for audition dates). The closing date for applications is the 18th January 2022.
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11+
Grade 4
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13+
Grade 5
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16+ Grade 7 (Grade 5 for second instrument)
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An aural test will also be given, along with sight-reading exercise on the main instrument.
01905 721742
Key Dates
Music Exhibition
Exhibitions for music are offered in the form of free music lessons on one instrument. As with Music Scholars they are expected to play a full part in the musical life of the school.
Gaining a music scholarship at King’s opened up plenty of opportunities for me. I was able to really build my skills in performing and composing through learning from and participating in workshops, arranging and collaborating with other pupils in concerts and Open Mic Nights, and getting the chance to perform in high-profile events and venues. Playing the Worcester Cathedral organ on King’s Day, meeting famous faces like Bob Chilcott, and composing for the school choir are just a few of the many highlights made possible through the scholarship.
My music scholarship at King’s has encouraged me to develop in both confidence and ability as a musician. With such an array of performance opportunities on offer, the scholarship has encouraged me to seize many which I previously did not think were available. In doing so, music at King’s has created some truly extraordinary memories from singing in Notre Dame in Paris and St Mark’s Basilica in Venice, to featuring on an episode of The Archers on BBC Radio 4, as well as composing music that was performed by the school’s Wind Band.
Matthew Kelley (left in 2017 - currently Organ Scholar at St. Chad’s Durham)
Archie Jury Former Music Scholar
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Frequently Asked Questions What level of experience is expected of a potential scholar? Is it essential to have reached a certain certificated level of grade exams? Candidates for music scholarships are expected to show a good level of proficiency on one instrument. At 11+ level an entry standard of Associated Board or Trinity Grade 4 is expected, at 13+ an entry level of Grade 5 and, at 16+ an entry level of Grade 7. In each case we would expect a good merit or distinction to show full scholarship potential. In practice, we would often expect to find successful candidates at each level who surpass these entry requirements. Is a combination of two instruments stronger than one instrument and voice? Can you offer two instruments and voice? A second or third instrument or voice can all be assessed on the examination day and may be of additional help in the awarding process if it is not possible to distinguish between two very good musicians in any other way. The Director of Music is very happy to meet and hear prospective candidates in advance. Those candidates whom we do not meet until the day of the audition will, however, be in no way disadvantaged. Is any weighting given to particular instruments either because they are in greater demand (because of a shortage of players at the school) or because they are considered harder to play? No special weighting will be given. The decision of the music staff at King’s will be based entirely upon their judgements about the musicianship of each candidate, regardless of instrument. They will, of course, use their knowledge of different instruments in making decisions about the quality of a performance. Under what circumstances would an applicant not be called for audition? We would not call an applicant who, compared to the others, looks most unlikely to qualify for a scholarship on the grounds of limited experience or achievement so far. This is no judgement at all on their likely progress as musicians at King’s but a practical outcome of the usual strength of the field. What is the nature of the assessment on the day? The principal element of each scholarship exam is performance. At all levels there will be aural tests and appropriately chosen sightreading tests on the main instrument. What is the weighting of the different elements of the assessment (audition, discussion, theory)? Excellence on a main instrument remains the prime criterion for awarding a music scholarship. A music scholar is expected, above all, to be a good contributor to music-making in the school. Conversation with the candidates about their current musical activities will help to give some idea of their likely commitment to taking part and performing at King’s. Is any reference required from my child’s current music teacher? Yes, we will require evidence from the candidate’s music teacher that a prospective scholar will be a willing, active and pro-active participant in a wide variety of school musical activities. Candidates can expect to be asked questions about their current musical activity, and about musical aspects of the pieces they have played as part of the audition.
When will we be told the arrangements for the assessment day? Shortly after the deadline for receipt of entries the Music Administrator will contact parents with details of timings for the scholarship exams. On the day of the exam parents and candidates will be met at the main school reception by a member of the school’s administrative staff. Candidates will then be taken to the ‘warm-up’ room in the Music School to prepare for their auditions. Is there any chance to warm-up or practise on the day? The King’s School can provide accompanists and a limited amount of rehearsal time on the day of the exam. On the day of the exam a ‘warm-up’ room is provided where each successive candidate can practise in the fifteen minutes before their exam with the help of their accompanist. What can parents do while their children are being assessed? Parents are very welcome to wait at the school during their child’s assessment. How soon do we hear about whether a scholarship has been awarded? Academic and Music awards are communicated at the same time. At 11+ and 13+, this will normally mean that such notification will be given by the end of the Thursday following the entrance tests, with the offer paperwork. How many music scholarships are awarded each year? We usually award several scholarships worth up to one third of fees at 11+ and 16+, and one scholarship at 13+ if there are candidates of suitable calibre at each of these levels. Candidates who are not deemed to meet the criteria for a scholarship but are nevertheless clearly able musicians and good participators may well be offered a Music Exhibition which provides free tuition on one or more instrument or voice. Is it possible to win an academic and a music scholarship? Yes, but the financial value of an award, whether single or combined, will not exceed one third of fees. What is the value of an award? Awards can be worth up to one third of fees but occasionally we may decide to split an award between two candidates if they are considered equally impressive. Is it possible to win an award or free tuition on an instrument at a later stage after you have joined the school? Awards made to pupils once they have joined the school are in the nature of free tuition on one or more instruments. These will usually be made at 13+ and 17+. What expectations are there of music scholars when they join the school? Music scholars will be expected to play a full part in music-making at the school. This will usually mean membership of at least two main ensembles. What success have music scholars at King’s had in the past both while at school and after they have left? King’s has helped to develop a remarkable number of very talented musicians over recent decades, many of whom have won organ or choral scholarships at Oxford and Cambridge or places at specialist music colleges. Many have gone on to be professional musicians. An honours board in the Music Department records many of these successes.
The Music Department
2020/2021 Review At the beginning of the year, we were delighted to welcome three Music Gap Students to King’s; Isobel Reid, Joe Banerjee and Euan Chalmers spent the year as Choral Scholars at the Cathedral, as well as assisting with music ensembles and classroom activities both at King’s St Alban’s and the Senior School. During the year we also said goodbye to one of our much-loved peripatetic music teachers, Robin Walker. Robin has taught piano and organ to many King’s pupils over the past 10 years, as well as accompanying a multitude of exams and concerts. We wish him a long and successful retirement. Sadly, COVID-19 severely restricted our co-curricular music provision. Our large ensembles, the School Choir, First Orchestra and Wind Band, have not performed together since March 2020. The enjoyment and skills learnt by pupils participating in these groups have been sorely missed and we cannot wait to make music all together once again. In their place, however, we created
various year group ensembles. In most cases it is fair to say that only a few of the pieces rehearsed reached a standard appropriate for a school concert, but the simple pleasure of performing music with others was the main purpose of these sessions. Mr Gunter and Mr Allsop particularly enjoyed assisting in the creation of names for the groups which included Keep UR Distance, Orchestr8, and (not to be confused with the world-famous choir that also has this name) Voces8! The Chamber Choir had, for the most part, been able to keep socially-distanced rehearsals going for much of the year in College Hall. They were an integral part of the School’s Remembrance Service recording, featuring two performances. The anthem was John Ireland’s Greater love hath no man and the motet was For the Fallen, by Richard Quesnel. The School’s Christmas Carol Service is one of the highlights of the year for members of the King’s community. This year’s was a
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smaller event due to social distancing guidelines but it did give the Chamber Choir the opportunity to sing the whole service in the absence of the School Choir and Choristers. Mr Allsop put together an excellent range of carols both old and new. At the end of term, the Chamber Choir also took up the invitation to perform at The Worcester News Carol Services in the Cathedral. The Cathedral Choir was unable to perform, which gave our Chamber Choir a further opportunity to show off their repertoire. They performed at two services in one evening, the second of which was live-streamed and was watched over 10,000 times during the festive period. Over the course of the year we were able to present four Young Performers’ Concerts. We began with a concert in the theatre in October, in which the performers doubled as the audience in a live concert which, as well as featuring a good number of soloists, included a performance by the Upper Fourth Orchestra. By the Spring Term it had become clear that live performances were not going to be possible for a while, so in March we released a concert of videos submitted by pupils across the lower three years of the school. This event proved so popular with the pupils that we released it as two separate events, one for the Lower Fourths and the other for the Upper Fourths and Lower Removes. The Summer term saw the return of live concerts, although sadly still without audiences, so two further concerts, in May and June, were given by pupils in the school theatre and released as videos on Firefly. It is hugely impressive that our young musicians have continued to work hard on their instruments, attending lessons that have often been on-line, practising regularly and taking part in these concerts. It has been a delight to share their talent with the wider King’s community this year. Open Mic Nights are very popular occasions at school and they have been sorely missed as live events. In their place we produced two on-line gigs in March and July. The Spring Term OMN featured 16 performances and involved 40 pupils. Most songs were recorded at home and edited together by the music staff, though the first act
was a live recording of a Sixth Form band performing in the John Moore Theatre. The evening continued with a mix of solo songs and duets with backing tracks, as well performers accompanying themselves on piano or guitar. There were a number of debuts from new pupils to the school as well as performances from seasoned veterans! Some staff took up the offer to have their ‘Top of the Pops’ moment and introduced some of the acts, and there was a surprise guest introduction from OV Chris Tarrant as well! The evening finished with a massed virtual performance of Demons sung by five Upper Remove boys who had recorded their parts separately at home and three Lower Sixth girls who recorded the backing vocals in the theatre. The large number of comments made in real time during the Facebook Live event from pupils, staff, parents and the wider King’s community confirmed how successful the evening was. Plans for the second OMN had to be changed at short notice due to the Lower Sixth and some other performers isolating at home. Numerous recordings were made in the theatre a few days beforehand while others were made at home. In some cases these recordings were combined together such as that by Riya M, who recorded her vocals and piano to Gloria Gayner’s I Will Survive in the theatre with Jack B on drums before Jamie K and Tom K-D added their funky guitar parts at home. Jamie and Tom helped coordinate the event brilliantly as part of their Gold Arts Award. In March the Music department hosted a virtual evening with OV and internationally acclaimed conductor, Nicholas Cleobury (Ch 58-68). We were delighted to be joined in the Zoom event by nearly 100 members of the King’s family: OVs, current pupils, current and former staff. Nicholas spoke about his time at St Alban’s and the Senior School and the significant influences on his life from staff such as the Director of Music at the time, Harry Bramma. During the evening, music was shared with the guests, featuring musicians who have influenced Nicholas’s life, alongside stories and anecdotes from his time at King’s and his long and distinguished career. He was interviewed by our very own ‘Terry Wogan’, Mr Allsop, and at the end he asked Nicholas, “As music re-emerges and re-awakens after this pandemic, is there anything you would like to see change or develop?” Nicholas replied, “I
hope that we have all realised that music is not an add-on but an essential part of life. We will come back appreciating it and I hope that music of quality is not thought to be elitist. Music is for everyone, no matter your colour or sexuality. Let’s appreciate it and not denigrate it.” Nicholas has offered to support the Music department with some coaching of pupils and ensembles, and we very much look forward to welcoming him back to King’s. The termly concert which showcases King’s more senior and advanced musicians has been renamed the Cleobury Concert in honour of two distinguished musical brothers and OVs, Nicholas and his brother Stephen. The Spring Term concert featured 17 soloists as well as the flute group, with the majority of performances recorded at home. Their joy at sharing their musicianship was evident. This virtual concert was presented as a Facebook Live event enabling those watching to comment in real time. The final concert of the school year in the last week of term was the first concert for over a year which parents and guests were able to attend. It featured a superb range of soloists, including Upper Sixth pupils Emma M and Bethan F, who both achieved distinctions in their ARSM diplomas during the year. The Chamber Choir has been the most active ensemble during the year and began the concert with three pieces, concluding with a beautiful performance of the spiritual Stand By Me arranged by Moses Hogan. We also very much enjoyed the Chamber Orchestra and King’s Swingers’ first performances for over a year. The strings played two of the most contrasting pieces you are likely to come across in a concert – Elgar’s popular Salut d’Amour alongside one of the earliest examples of minimalism and aleatoric music (no performance is ever the same!), Terry Riley’s in C. The Swingers’ first rehearsals of the school year took place at the start of the Summer Term in the garden of No.12 (as did rehearsals with the Lower Years Choir and Second Orchestra). They concluded the evening with two up tempo numbers, the theme tunes to Peter Gunn and Feel the Funk. Over the course of the year more than 100 pupils have passed
practical music exams. It is a great credit to them and their instrumental teachers that so many pupils have been able to continue their learning through lessons at school or in on-line lessons at home. The school has hosted two exam sessions with a visiting examiner and many pupils have also taken advantage of the new performance exam, which enables pupils to record their pieces and send these recordings to the exam board. Huge thanks to Mr Allsop, who has accompanied virtually all of these recorded exams. In addition to the two Upper Sixth pupils already mentioned who have achieved diplomas, we should also celebrate Fifth Form pupil David W, who is the third pupil this year to achieve a distinction in the ARSM diploma, this time on the oboe. Upper Remove pupil, Riya M, is another pupil to have achieved a diploma this year, in Musical Theatre. The pandemic did its best to hinder music-making across the world. Hymns have not been sung for over a year; our large ensembles have not rehearsed or performed for over a year; audiences have not been allowed for over a year. Through all that, however, the determination of staff and pupils to think outside the box has resulted in the production of a huge range of performances and concerts. All those involved should be very proud. The school’s social media channels are full of videos from pupils and OVs that have been made throughout the year. The way we showcased our music provision has had to change but the quality continues to remain extremely high and we look forward to increasing our musical output next year. To quote Michael Tippett, as referenced by Nicholas Cleobury, “If, in the music I write, I can create a world of sound wherein some of my generation can find refreshment for the inner life, then I am doing my work properly.”
Our soundcloud page has over 600 recordings from school concerts and Open Mic Nights. These can be found at www.soundcloud.com/ksw-music.
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The Music Department All application forms are available to download at www.ksw.org.uk/scholarships (internal candidates) or via the OpenApply portal (external candidates) from launch date. Or, please complete and return this Application Form to: Mrs Vickie Peckston, Registrar, The King’s School, 5 College Green, Worcester WR1 2LL. Please ensure the form will be received before the closing date and that the candidate will be available to attend the Music Scholarship Assessment on the date advertised.
Candidate Details Forename(s):
Surname:
Known as:
Date of birth:
Age at entry:
Proposed date of entry (e.g. 09 / 2022): Address (including postcode):
Name and address of current school: Name and address of current music teacher: We will contact the music teacher for a reference - please advise the teacher to expect this. If your child has more than one teacher, please continue overleaf.
Instrument Details First instrument:
Grade achieved:
Pieces to be played: 1 2 Is an accompanist required? YES / NO The candidate is welcome to audition with a second instrument; if doing so, only one piece of music will be needed. Second instrument:
Grade achieved:
Piece to be played: The Assistant Director of Music will accompany all candidates if an accompaniment is required. Parent/Guardian Details PARENT/GUARDIAN 1
PARENT/GUARDIAN 2 (if applicable)
Full name:
Full name:
Relationship to child:
Relationship to child:
Address (if different to above):
Address (if different to above):
Contact telephone number:
E-mail:
E-mail:
Please consider my child for a Music Scholarship.
Contact telephone number:
Please consider my child for a Music Scholarship.
Signed:
Signed:
Date:
Date:
Offers of Music Scholarships are limited and subject to availability. Any candidate offered a Music Scholarship shall be subject to the admission requirements of the School at the time the offer is made. A copy of the current Terms and Conditions for admission to the school will be supplied on request.
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ksw.org.uk The King’s School 5 College Green Worcester WR1 2LL t: 01905 721 700 e: info@ksw.org.uk
The King’s School, Worcester: A company limited by guarantee, registered in England. Registered office: 5 College Green, Worcester WR1 2LL. Company No: 4776324. Registered charity No: 1098236. The information, terms and conditions set out in this prospectus and all occasional papers may be amended from time to time, and their provisions, subject to any such amendments, shall continue to apply for the whole period during which a boy or girl continues to attend the School, irrespective of his or her age.
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