Commercial Music

Following the success of Ella Henderson in the 2012 X Factor Competition September 2013 will see the launch of Tring Park's new Commercial Music Course!

The course will focus on Pop, Rock and Jazz music. It will be aimed at musicians interested in enhancing and developing their understanding of the pop idiom and give them the skills to pursue professional work or further training.

Live performance will constitute a large proportion of the course and there will be opportunities throughout the School to collaborate with some of the other vocational departments. The creative aspect of the Commercial Music Course will allow pupils to write original material, create their own arrangements and write for commissions. Other classes will include:

• songwriting
• ensemble performance
• studio musicianship
• master classes given by industry professionals
• theory and aural training
• the music industry
• music in context. 
• one lesson a week on the student's primary  instrument

Tring Park is renowned for its high performance standards and would expect anyone applying for the Commercial Music Course to have reached a good standard on their principal instrument.

Auditions

Please complete and return the Tring Park Application Form.

For all enquiries concerning the Commercial Music Course please contact Harmesh Gharu, Deputy Director of Music at harmesh.gharu@tringpark.com or Tel. 01442 821670.

A Music Department for the whole school

Tring Park's Music Department has one foot in both camps - straddling both the academic and vocational areas of the curriculum providing pupils with the skills necessary to become professional performers.

Our Music staff work closely with the other departments in the School to provide an in-depth and rounded musical education and training.  Music at Tring Park covers a wide range of genres to a very high standard, and many pupils from the School go on to study Music in Further Education.

Music is taught to GCSE (Edexcel), AS and A Level (WJEC).  In addition, we teach Music Technology BTEC National Diploma (Level 3).

 Pupils in the Music Department are prepared for the performance aspect of these examinations by more than twenty very experienced musicians and teachers.

Practical training, individual tuition and music theory lessons

Pupils in the Lower School follow a scheme of work based in the National Curriculum, focusing on Performing, Composing and Appraising.Pupils can also receive individual tuition on a wide range of instruments, including:

• Singing
• Piano
• Classical and electric guitar
• Bass Guitar
• Saxophone
• Drum kit
• Orchestral instruments

"The contribution made by the pupils to this concert was outstanding, adding significantly to the sound of the choir, and singing with a    professionalism, power and clarity of tone which was truly striking. I hope we will do more in the future; they were a delight to work with."

Richard Cooke, Conductor, Royal Choral Society

Pupils in the Music Department also have the option to take extra-curricular lessons in Music Theory. These are available on a group basis and are recommended to all pupils taking vocal and instrumental lessons as part of our Music Course.  Pupils may enter music examinations of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM), LCM Music Theatre, Rockschool and Trinity Guildhall.

Performing on the biggest stages

Choirs from our Music Department perform regularly.  Working closely with Richard Cooke, conductor of the Royal Choral Society, Tring Park's award- winning choirs have performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall. Students from Tring Park also recently took part in a performance of Verdi's Requiem at Canterbury Cathedral.

As well as our award-winning Chamber and Mixed Voice Choirs, we have a flexible approach to ensembles, which can vary according to the needs and strengths of current pupils. Types of ensembles from our Music Department often include:   

• String ensembles
• String quartets
• Saxophone groups
• Rock and pop groups
• Barbershop Choir
• '16' - an elite Upper School mixed voice choir
• Chamber Choir - a girls' voice choir