Music

Music plays a huge part in the life of Seaford College.

As well as offering instrumental and singing tuition, the College lends support to the burgeoning band of budding rock musicians in the School and has started its very own Seaford Soul Band, while the Chapel Choir is regularly invited to sing at venues throughout London and the South East. A number of students have made their professional debuts whilst at Seaford.

The wonderful Music School not only offers magnificent practice and performance rooms, but also a recording studio, computer room, keyboard room, and sound-proofed band practice room, and enables us to offer exam courses in Music Technology.

Orchestra, bands, and small ensembles are encouraged to perform and concerts are organised at key points throughout the year.

Music plays a large part in life at Seaford College, and the Chapel Choir is regularly invited to sing at venues throughout London and the South East. As well as offering instrumental and singing tuition, the College also encourages its many enthusiastic rock musicians. Such is the enthusiasm and musical creativity of our students that there are sufficient bands in the College to host our own annual rock and pop festival – Seafordstock – which provides a platform for a wide range of musical tastes and abilities.  Seafordstock is a firm favourite with students and parents during our Summer Term; the concert is held on our Mansion Terraces and everyone brings picnics which brings a real festival atmosphere.

Prep School students have lessons in our Music School. Sunshine Singers is a popular Prep School Choir.  Our Sunshine Singers love performing at our own annual rock and pop festival, Seafordstock in the Summer Term. There are plenty of opportunities to audition and perform enabling talents and confidence to grow from a young age. 

The College has produced a number of outstanding musicians in recent years, ranging from organists to opera singers. 

We find out how Seaford's Music Department keeps up with the times. Meet Sara Reynolds, Director of Performing Arts.

 

 

How is your Music Department moving with the times?

We love the changing face of music and embrace all that this entails. We now run class lessons in Music Tech alongside traditional Music. Our staff lead ensembles influenced by modern genres of music, whilst still maintaining traditional group work. We now have a soul band, a rock band, MTech clubs, DJ-ing, jazz bands, and Seafordstock – a huge rock and pop festival – every year.

Do lessons embrace modern ways to enjoy music, such as watching YouTube and apps? I know ours do, as we use both of these tools to enhance our lessons, proving that our staff are 'current' and aware of today's cultures. Students are often leading the way in this – they often have their own YouTube or SoundCloud accounts to showcase their work, too.

What do you do to inspire a love of music in a digital world?

We use masses of performing opportunities to inspire a love of music. We hold weekly 'informal' lunchtime concerts that anyone can watch or perform in, on any instrument and in any style. We runs masses of chamber groups including choirs, (both 'formal' and 'informal' types), a string group, rock band, soul band, jazz band, wind group, MTech clubs, guitar groups, and DJ-ing lessons, and keep music live as best we can.

And what is the role of music in a child’s development?

Music is pivotal to a child's development. Only this morning, a very emotionally  exhausted student sang to me and told me she felt so much better after just ten minutes of singing. She left to go back to a highly academic lesson 're-invigorated' (her words) and ready to learn and in a much better frame of mind. All children deserve to feel the power of music in this way.

Is it crucial or a fringe benefit we no longer have time for?

Of course it is crucial. The results are clearly obvious: students who participate in musical activities have better mental strength, less anxiety, are more resilient and usually achieve better results – not just academically (though this is often the case), but emotionally too. 

Good Schools Guide

 

 

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