Music
Music Subject Staff
|
Miss Gore |
Head of Music |
|
Mr Pearson |
Teacher of Music / Head of Year |
Statement of Intent
Music reaches into the hearts and minds of our young people, the enrichment that they experience through Music can have a profound impact in shaping their lives academically, spiritually, and socially; specifically benefiting many aspects of their personal development and overall wellbeing.
Our curriculum echoes the ambition of the UK National Curriculum for Music and takes inspiration from the new model music curriculum placing playing an instrument to a competent level to the forefront of learning. Students will engage with music on a practical level as much as possible. We let music do the talking. Students will learn how to Find Their Voice and Sing with Confidence, learn to perform solo and with others demonstrating accuracy and appropriate instrumental technique. Students will learn to read music, listen to, review and evaluate the range of musical elements that are interrelated and use this to deepen their understanding of music and understand how music is created. Students will learn how to compose music to meet a brief and will develop their own compositional voice. Learning will begin and end with music.
The sequence of learning is designed to ensure that all students build upon prior knowledge and can access the next stages of their learning appropriate to their starting point. Assessment is used to enable teachers to provide high quality feedback to students verbally and in the moment. Music is a practical subject and requires expert guidance on how to improve technique to improve musical proficiency. Students will receive this throughout their learning journey. This will be the primary way in which they learn how to improve so that they can get better at music.
Music is an excellent vehicle for exploring some of the important societal topics of today and throughout human history. For example, within our curriculum we explore The Blues which has roots to the experiences of Black African Slaves during the Slave Trade. We learn about these connections and others drawing on how these elements of history are important and still relevant today. Through this exploration there are opportunities for students to read. We draw upon and exploit the connections to other subjects such as history in this example. Students will also understand how the skills they are learning link directly to jobs within the music industry and the wider labour market on a termly basis. Through music we develop students’ cultural capital and foster these themes to assist in enabling students to become open-minded citizens within a global society.
Our Curriculum for Music ensures that all children are immersed within a culture rich with opportunities; enabling them to fully explore the subject, to have access to an appropriate, comprehensive, and high-quality curriculum at both KS3,4 & 5, as well as a full programme of enrichment opportunities such as lunchtime extra-curricular provision: Voiceworks, Guitar Club, Music Tech Club, as well as, GCSE Composition Workshops and OS House Band for gifted and talented students.
At Ormskirk School, we are extremely lucky to have a brilliant team of highly accomplished musicians who deliver individual music tuition.
If you would like to learn flute/keyboard/piano/violin/drums/guitar/bass/singing/brass then we have a teacher for you! We also have a number of instruments which we can lend to you for FREE. Lessons take place during the school day and lesson times are rotated to avoid you missing the same academic lesson every week. We also offer a number of ensemble opportunities.
Students in receipt of free school meals receive a 50% discount on the cost of their lessons.
So, why not take up a new instrument? You could be playing as part of one of our fantastic concerts, before you know it!
If you are interested in having lessons with one of our teachers, please read them information about them, below. Ask your parent/carer to read the information about prices. If they agree to the lessons then they will need to fill in the application form and we will get you started right away!
Taran Harris
'Rock' Instruments
Taran Harris is a singer, guitarist, bassist, drummer and trumpet player based in Liverpool and teaches ‘rock’ instruments in Ormskirk School. He graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2013, having achieved both a Bachelor’s Degree in Music and a Master’s Degree in Applied Music Technology and Musicology. He is a prolific performer, having performed in several prestigious concert venues around the country including London’s Festival Hall, The Wales Millennium Centre and Birmingham Symphony Hall to name but a few. Taran is a tenor in the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir, and the Liverpool Chamber Choir and was a member of the male voice choir ‘John’s Boys’ who made it to the grand final of BBC’s choir of the year 2016. Along with his wife Aimee, Taran has been the composer and musical director for MATE productions, in association with Shakespeare North, for the last three years, performing his own compositions across the north west and in Stratford Upon Avon. Taran has performed at the opening and closing concerts of the National Eistedfodd in Llangollen, including the world premiere of Karl Jenkins’ ‘Adiemus Colores’, conducted by the composer.
Adam Letman
Saxophone, Piano and Woodwind
After graduating from LHU with a first-class honour's degree in music (specialising in composition), passing his grade 8 music theory with merit and setting up the Composers Symposium, a programme where young composers can collate and perform contemporary works together, Adam then went on to study composition at Manchester University's Prestigeous contemporary music masters course in 2022, specialising in eastern European contemporary classical music and arrangement, Adam graduated with merit and has gone on to have his pieces performed internationally by ensembles such as Quator Danel (Rishi and Fatima) in Belgium and The Cairngorms Wind Ensemble (Caledonia) in Scotland.
Adam is also a multi-instrumentalist, specialising in woodwind and piano, and can be found performing throughout Europe with the international Clubland party band Brassienda, an all-brass covers band with a thumping kick drum playing at international events and parties. Adam is also involved in classical music and musical theatre, as he is part of the wind section in Southport Little Theatre, as well as being the musical director for Concerts by Candlelight's TinaFever. Adam is a regular face on the Liverpool music scene, performing with riot-jazz ensemble 'Sweet Beans' for 6 years, headlining Derry jazz festival for 3 years and LIJF for 4 years, as well as performing with his own jazz trio regularly.
Gill Harris
Singing / Piano / Keyboard
Gill has studied music from an early age, learning piano, singing, violin and viola from the age of 8. She gained a BA (Hons) in Music from the University of Liverpool and later earned the Associate of Trinity College London (Piano). Gill was a member of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir for many years and with them was lucky enough to perform in various venues throughout England, including the Royal Albert Hall, as well as performing abroad. As a soprano with the RLPC Gill performed with many artists including Leslie Garrett, Russell Watson and Tony Hadley. Gill has also performed around the northwest as part of a jazz duo and in numerous musicals with societies such as Southport Spotlights. As musical director Gill has worked with both children and adults on shows such as Godspell, Return to the Forbidden Planet and The World Goes Round. Gill is both a vocalist and musical director for U Turn Productions, a semi-professional vocal group producing concerts around the north west.
Gill has been teaching piano and singing for over 15 years privately and with several primary and secondary schools in the local area. She also has many years experience both teaching and as principal of Stagecoach Theatre Arts and as singing teacher at WSDA in Merseyside.
You can apply online for music tuition. Simply fill in a few details below so we can get back to you with more information.
| 1-1 Tuition | 20 mins | 30 mins | 60 mins |
| Cost | £10 | £15 | £30 |
