Music Department
The intention of the Music department at CTS is to provide an outstanding music education for all students, regardless of their background or ability. The department aims to inspire students through a range of high-quality musical experiences, including performance, composition, and listening activities whilst exploring the rich history and culture of music throughout the world. The department strives to create a rich and inclusive musical environment that promotes creativity, critical thinking, and a lifelong appreciation for music.
It communicates our emotions and feelings in a way that is far more profound than simply using words. This may be why music and song can often evoke memories and feelings that we didn't even know we had and is a form of expression that can sometimes only be accessed by music. It is the only form of communication that can be understood across all cultures. As said by German philosopher, Fredrich Nietzsche, “Without music, life would be a mistake.”
Music Facilities
Peripatetic Music Lessons
We are proud to be working with Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust (NMPAT) to provide peripatetic music lessons for our students. A specialist teacher in Guitar, Piano, Drum Kit and Upper/Lower Strings visits our school one day a week to teach.
Students have a choice of opting for paired tuition (recommended for students below grade 2 standard) or individual tuition. The lessons last for 20 minutes, and will be rotated to be at different times of day so that students are not always missing the same lessons each week. Due to us having different term dates to NMPAT, we work on a calendar of three sessions, each with a ten week duration.
In order to secure a place for your child, please complete the contract here and return to reception or email to enquiries@corbytechnicalschool.org. We are over-subscribed and the lessons will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
If you are successful in your application, you will receive an email from school to inform you of this and ask that you make your first payment. The payments will be made via WisePay. Lessons are charged at £7 per lesson for paired tuition, and £14 per lesson for individual lessons. The session cost (ten lessons) for paired tuition is therefore £70, and for individual lessons is £140. If you wish to pay upfront for the year, the cost for a year of paired lessons is £210 and for individual lessons it costs £420 for the year. If your child is entitled to pupil premium funding and you would like support with payments, please contact the school Finance Officer Mrs Cheryl Ritchie at critchie@corbytechnicalschool.org. Similarly, if you wish to set up a payment plan to split the cost down further, please contact Mrs Ritchie to discuss this
As mentioned in the contract, it is beneficial for your child to have an instrument at home to practise on in between their lessons at school. Instruments will be loaned out via NMPAT to any child learning upper or lower string instruments who don’t have their own (not guitars).
If you have any questions regarding this opportunity, please contact Miss Jenkins at ajenkins@corbytechnicalschool.org.
Music Enrichment
The music department offers several occasions throughout the year for students to perform to one another outside of lesson time. These include Christmas concerts, Whole school shows, and live music performances in assembly.
Students are also all invited to attend the school choir, a Drumming Club, and we also run a year 7 Music Technology Club, as well as having open access to the practise rooms to work independently on developing instrumental skill.
For students in year 9, there is the opportunity to work with a Music producer from Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust in a Music Technology project which is sponsored by the Travis Perkins Foundation.