College has a long and proud history of music-making. Its former Directors of Music include the composers Herbert Sumsion and John Sanders, and Music has always formed a vital filament running through the day-to-day life of many College girls.
Today, it continues to lie at the very heart of our community. Around 50 specialist and highly qualified staff teach over 1,200 individual lessons and groups each week.
It is our ambition to make the academic and practical aspects of the subject challenging, engaging and relevant, to equip our students with lifelong skills that will enable them to enjoy their studies throughout and beyond their time at College.
We offer a huge range of co-curricular activities. A significant proportion of these, such as concerts in Tewkesbury Abbey and Gloucester Cathedral, as well as Cheltenham’s Pittville Pump Room, are designed to celebrate and communicate the great musical heritage of the Western classical tradition. Girls will also find plenty of further outlets for their creativity in our wide provision. Jazz Band, Gospel Choir, Singer-songwriter lessons, as well as the Annual House Music Competition are some examples.
Music is part of the core curriculum in LC1 and LC2, and all girls have the opportunity to continue their music studies in LC3 and beyond.
The OCR specification is followed at GCSE.
In the Sixth Form, OCR AS and A Level Music or IB Music are available.
“By offering the possibility of exciting and fulfilling musical experiences for each and every girl, we aim to make a significant contribution to their wider, intellectual, creative and spiritual development through diverse, culturally enriching experiences.”
Director of Music: Mr David Lloyd BMus (Piano and Viola)
Head of Academic Music: Mr Christopher Keir BA
Mr Edgar Bailey BMus DipRCM (Head of Strings) (Violin and Viola)
Mrs Sarah Bungard (Head of Woodwind, Brass and Percussion) (Flute)
Mr Dominic Hawley BMus (Violin)
Mr David Jones MMus (Head of Keyboard) (Piano)
Mr Oliver Parker MMus PGDip (Head of Vocal Studies)
Mr Louis Stockton BA MA
Mr Michael Bacon BMus (Hons) LRSM (Cello)
Mrs Fiona Beck BMus MA ARCM LTCL ALCM (Oboe)
Ms Gillian Bradley GRNCM (Violin)
Mrs Rebecca Brown BMus (Singing)
Mr Andrew Bunting (Jazz Piano)
Mr Jeremy Carter DipRAM (Piano)
Miss Lauren Chinn (Trumpet)
Mr Thomas Elwin (Singing)
Ms Tessa Frye BSc (Saxophone, Clarinet and Jazz Piano)
Mrs Diana Galvydyte
Miss Sarah Harper GRSM ARCM DipRCM (Violoncello)
Mr Sam Harrison-Oram (Singing)
Mrs Corinne Hepburn MA FRCO LRAM LGSM (Piano and Organ)
Miss Samantha Holmes BMus (Hons) (Guitar)
Ms Esther Hopkinson BA (Violin/Viola)
Mrs Elisabeth Irvine BA MPhil (Singing)
Ms Ariane Jurriaanse DMKC MMus PPRNCM (Piano)
Miss Brigid Kirkland-Wilson BEd MMus ARCM (Violin)
Ms Monica Leiher BMus ARCT (Clarinet)
Mrs Claire Lloyd-Smith GRSM LRAM MTC (Piano)
Mrs Yoko Mathers BMus LGSM (Piano)
Mrs Nicola Marshall
Miss Christina McMaster
Mrs Laura Morris LTCL DipTCL ARCMpg (French Horn)
Mr Daniel Neale BMUS (Percussion)
Mr Robert O’Connor BA LTCL (Piano)
Mrs Heather Parker MA CANTAB (Singing)
Ms Lisa Portus GGSM (Bassoon)
Mrs Rose Redgrave
Mrs Harriet Saunders MSTAT (Alexander Technique)
Mrs Jacqueline Statham ARCM (Violin)
Mr Josh Tagg BMus (Trombone and Lower Brass)
Ms Catherine White MMus (Harp)
Mr Simon Williams (Organ and College Organist)
Mr Christopher Xuereb RNCM (Double Bass)
