Music Course
About our Music Course
Junior Guildhall’s Music Course offers advanced training for young people between the ages of 8 to 18 (singers from mid-teens). This comprehensive programme based in the Silk Street building is carefully designed to give students a balanced exposure to the discipline of music through individual instrumental lessons, chamber music, orchestras, choirs, workshop activity, classes and frequent performance opportunities. Students receive the type of considered personal attention that young musicians really benefit from, with the timetable tailored to their individual needs. An exciting curriculum, combined with the School’s modern facilities and professional staff, creates a unique environment for aspiring performers.
There are approximately 290 students who attend the Music Course, which runs from 8am to 6pm on Saturdays. All students receive an individually constructed timetable. There are compulsory activities and a number of optional classes and lessons. The length of each student’s programme will, therefore, depend on the number of optional activities chosen.
Students travel to Junior Guildhall from across the UK, enabling them to live at home and continue their general education during the week, travelling to London on a Saturday for their specialist musical education.
First study lessons can be provided in the following:
| Bassoon |
Guitar |
Trombone |
| Cello |
Harp |
Trumpet |
| Clarinet |
Horn |
Tuba |
| Composition |
Oboe |
Viola |
| Double Bass |
Percussion |
Violin |
| Euphonium |
Piano |
Voice |
| Flute |
Saxophone |
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Entry requirements
Entry to the Music Course is by audition where we look for musical potential and commitment. If you're interested in applying for this course, please head to our 'How to apply' section for detailed information on entry requirements and how best to prepare for your audition.
Course highlights
- Students receive 30 one-to-one instrumental or vocal lessons in each subject divided between three terms over the academic year. This is for a minimum of 40 minutes per week with a specialist teacher (which can be extended at an additional cost). Students are expected to devote a considerable amount of time to regular private practice during the week, which is essential if a student is to make good progress.
- Optional second study instrumental lessons are available in any of those subjects available as first studies for an extra charge. In addition, music course students can also take extra study lessons in Jazz Saxophone and Jazz Piano.
- Weekly one-hour Musical Awareness classes develop aural perception, creativity and general musical knowledge and lead to the Junior Guildhall Higher Certificate in Music examination, which is usually taken in Year 11. Students in the Upper School (Years 12 & 13) are offered a range of optional classes including an A-level Support Class, Jazz, Conducting and an Electronic Studio Class.
- The Chamber Music Programme develops high-level musical and life skills through the rehearsal and performance of chamber music.
- Specialist classes, ensembles and workshop opportunities relevant to their student’s instrument or voice.
- Constructive feedback through annual Platform Performances and Formal Assessments.
- Optional Alexander Technique lessons or classes with a specialist Alexander Technique teacher focus on posture and well-being. These either consist of 15 individual sessions per annum or 30 group sessions per annum. Each session lasts for 30 minutes. The individual sessions broadly take place every other week during term-time.
- Additionally, students on the Music Course may engage in jazz studies by taking one-to-one jazz lessons as an extra study and/or participating in Jazz Workshop, Big Band and Jazz Musical Awareness (Years 12 & 13).
- Career advice and guidance is provided by the Senior Management Team.
- Junior Guildhall offers a direct entry route to BMus2 - the second year of the Guildhall School’s BMus course for students with exceptional performance and academic ability. Students are selected by the Senior Management Team. This provides a significant cost-saving advantage for those who wish to pursue studies at the Guildhall School, as students entering BMus2 will only need to complete three years of full-time study to obtain their degree.
- Junior Guildhall has an extensive library of ensemble music which students are able to benefit from. Students may then sign out individual parts for pieces their group is rehearsing. Junior Guildhall students may also join the Barbican Library which is open on Saturdays. The Barbican Chimes Music Shop is located on Silk Street from which sheet music can be bought and ordered. Junior Guildhall students are entitled to a 10% discount on music bought through the shop.
- The School's recording studio incorporates an advanced industry standard Pro Tools recording and production system. Most concerts are recorded for archiving purposes and parents may obtain recordings of concerts in which their children have performed. There are also two elaborately equipped electronic studios, which boast a comprehensive range of synthesisers, samplers, effects units and computer systems.
Ensembles & workshops
For each subject there are specialist classes, workshops and ensembles. All students are expected to attend at least one ensemble or workshop activity which is directly relevant to their first study subject. These include:
| Symphony Orchestra |
Brass Band |
Trombone Class |
| Junior String Ensemble |
Wind Academy |
Horn Class |
| Intermediate String Ensemble |
Wind Orchestra |
Tuba Class |
| Junior Guildhall String Ensemble |
Brass Ensemble |
Percussion Ensemble |
| String Chamber Music |
Brass Quintet |
Big Band |
| Viola Class |
Wind Chamber Music |
Vocal Workshop |
| Bass Class |
Saxophone Ensemble |
Chamber Choir (SSA) |
| Harp Ensemble |
Flute Class |
Boys' Choir (By audition) |
| Guitar Workshop |
Oboe Class |
Junior Choir |
| Piano Workshop |
Clarinet Class |
Jazz Workshop |
| Piano Ensemble |
Bassoon Class |
Composition Workshop |
| Piano Sightreading Class |
Trumpet Class |
Contemporary Ensemble |
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Performance Opportunities
Performance is a central part of our work at Junior Guildhall and there are over 80 student concerts a year including Public Concerts, Student Recitals, Chamber Concerts, informal Open House Concerts and Second Study Concerts.
Students have given television and radio recordings and external performances have taken place at the Barbican Hall, Fairfield Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, Wales Millennium Centre, St James’s Piccadilly, St John’s Smith Square, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Snape Maltings Concert Hall, the Southbank Centre, St Lawrence Jewry, Bishopsgate Institute, Charlton House, Regent Hall and West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge.
Advanced students are given the opportunity to give concerto performances with one of Junior Guildhall’s ensembles or to give solo recitals.
Concert tours are sometimes organised, the most recent being to Spain, Scotland and Devon.
Details of public concerts by Junior Guildhall are included in our What's On section.
Visiting artists
Masterclasses and workshops are given by distinguished visiting artists and by members of Junior Guildhall professorial staff. They include guest performances, masterclasses, ensemble coaching and composition projects.
Recent guests have included members of the London Symphony Orchestra, David Waterman and members of the Royal Opera House, Thomas Adès, Oystein Baadsvik, Jeff Bradetich, Iain Burnside, Charles Castleman, Peter Donohoe, Philip Fowke, James Galway, Bernard Haitink, John Harle, Paul Harris, Andrzej Jasinski, Jens Lindemann, Frank Lloyd, Ronan O’Hora, Gregg Patillo, Michael Seal, Dominic Seldis, Bobby Shew, Weidong Tong, Raphael Wallfisch and Mark Wigglesworth.
Examinations
Although no great emphasis is placed on graded examinations we recognise that many students like to take them. Students may take graded examinations or diplomas of any recognised board.
Our own internal examinations are kept to a minimum, giving preference to platform performance. All students, except those in Year 13, are expected to give one platform performance each year which is assessed and students in Years 12 and 13 are encouraged to give a recital. As part of their Musical Awareness course, all students take regular aural assessments and submit examples of their creative work for marking. Students are given the opportunity to perform their compositions and arrangements in concert. All students in the top level of our Middle School (usually Year 11 students) take our internal Higher Certificate in Music examination (further details are available on request from the Junior Guildhall Office) and all students in Year 11 take a formal performance assessment.
Students in their first year at Junior Guildhall have their place reviewed by taking a formal performance assessment.
Detailed progress reports on every student are issued annually during the Summer Term.
Course regulations
These notes are taken from the Agreement parents sign when accepting a Junior Guildhall place. If you would like a copy of the Agreement please contact the Junior Guildhall office.
- Junior Guildhall students are not permitted to participate in masterclasses or take instrumental lessons outside the School (unless with the student’s Junior Guildhall teacher) on instruments studied at the School unless permission is granted by the Head of Junior Guildhall.
- The full annual fee will vary according to any timetable requests made and the first instalment of fees must be paid prior to the commencement of tuition.
- Students are expected to remain at Junior Guildhall for a full academic year (or remainder of the academic year if tuition commenced after the start of the year). If a student is withdrawn from the course at any time during the year, the full annual fee (or proportion of annual fees if the student started after the commencement of the academic year) will still be payable unless dispensation has been granted by the Head of Junior Guildhall. If a parent wishes to withdraw a student at the end of the academic year, notice must be given in writing to the Head of Junior Guildhall no later than 1 April.
- Students are accepted into Junior Guildhall on the understanding that they make satisfactory progress and that they attend regularly. When students wish to be absent, permission must be requested in writing the Head of Junior Guildhall. Students should not arrange other activities on a term time Saturday or concert day until permission for absence has been granted by the School.
- Please note that we do not give students permission to miss concerts/performances or important rehearsals.
- Leave of absence will normally be granted for days when a student is not involved in a concert/performance, an important rehearsal, an internal assessment or other important event. Repeated absence can be detrimental to a student’s musical progress and very disruptive to ensemble work. For this reason, the Head of Junior Guildhall will normally only grant a student one absence per term. Absence from Saturdays may reduce a student’s chances of participation in Chamber Music. Written requests for absence should be made as early as possible.
- In the interest of all students, Junior Guildhall concerts and performances must have priority over any outside engagements that students may be offered. Principal concert dates are available from the Administrator more than a year in advance.
- The Office should be informed as soon as possible if a student is ill so that relevant teachers can be notified.
- The School occasionally arranges for photographs to be taken of the students. This is carried out in an unobtrusive manner and may be used for record and archival purposes. Junior Guildhall will seek separate permission if the images are to be used in the prospectus or in other published material and/or multi-media relating to the School.
These notes and conditions are subject to change from time to time. Parents will be notified in writing in advance of any such changes. On accepting a place, parents will receive a Handbook which details Junior Guildhall’s procedures and policies.
