Music

Emanuel has a rich and diverse musical tradition.

The music department is hugely ambitious for its pupils and their musical opportunities, working to become a centre of excellence for contemporary music while maintaining excellence in choral and orchestral music.

Music Calendar 2024-25

Vision

The music department is hugely ambitious for our pupils and their musical opportunities. We are working to become a centre of excellence for contemporary music while maintaining our high standards in choral and orchestral music. We are offering DJ lessons, developing the KS3 curriculum so pupils benefit from a truly C21st music education, hosting careers’ talks for those keen on a future in the music industry, becoming a Rockschool examination centre, offering RSL Music Production grades and investing in the very latest technology and software. Our work is all in conjunction with the leading companies and personnel in music education.

‘Hear the Noise’: Charles Janz, Director of Music, in Absolutely Education

Academic music & music tuition

Of the pupils taking A level, many wish to read music at university or at a conservatoire. Several pupils have gained choral scholarships to Oxford and Cambridge. All pupils in Years 6, 8 have class music lessons for a double period once a week of one hour and 15 minutes duration (Year 7 has one 35-minute lesson a week). Classes are divided in Year 8 to encourage small-scale ensemble work, to stretch the gifted and talented, and help the less musically experienced.  Music is an option subject for those in Year 9.

Special arrangements for the music scholars

We aim to stretch and challenge the elite musicians in the school. We have around 25 music scholars in the school at any one time, and there are many others who perform and play at a very high standard. A programme is organised for the scholars and other interested pupils, which includes visits, careers talks and master classes with external professionals. Music scholars are expected to sing in the school choir and attend at least two instrumental ensembles. It is expected that all scholars will study music at GCSE.

Concerts & co-curricular music

There are countless opportunities for pupils to take part in music concerts, workshops and ensembles at Emanuel. Our 2024 – 2025 music calendar (below) includes Performers’ Platforms, two major annual house music competitions, a ‘Night at the Musicals’ concert with our school choir, parents’ choir and a professional 16-piece band at the Clapham Grand, a rock and pop event at the Half Moon in Putney, a ‘Showstoppers’ concert for all pupils in Years 6 and 7, masterclasses with external professionals, an evening carol service at St Luke’s Thurleigh Road, several ensemble concerts (featuring our orchestras and bands), a Classical Musician of the Year Competition, an Evensong at St Paul’s Cathedral, Music Production masterclasses with industry professionals, and unrivalled opportunities such as our DJ-ing night at London’s iconic nightclub, XOYO.  The department will also be taking pupils to New York for five days in July, where they will soak up the magic of Broadway.

The chapel and the school’s choral tradition

Emanuel School has a long tradition of delivering high-quality music for the chapel services, evensongs at various cathedrals, carol services and choral concerts. There are chapel services in school every day and the chapel choir also regularly performs evensong in cathedrals around the country including St Paul’s and Westminster Abbey. There is a carol services held near Christmas with the choir and a professional brass quintet. At least one large-scale choral performance is held annually with the choir augmented by the parents’ choir. Last academic year we put on a ‘A Celebration of Rock’ at the Clapham Grand with our parents’ choir, our partnership school choir and a 16-piece professional band.

Facilities

Emanuel’s music facilities include a beautiful Victorian vaulted concert hall equipped with two grand pianos and the latest music technology and recording facilities. This venue is also used for chamber concerts, instrumental competitions and ABRSM grade examinations. The school’s chapel has a two-manual Bishop pipe organ and is where daily chapel services are held. There are four music classrooms, three of which are equipped as computer suites for music composition (Sibelius, Logic and Soundtrap are used). Twelve practice rooms are available for tuition and rehearsal.