Music education at Greengates: In preparation for the Christmas Concert and Posada

At Greengates, music education plays a vital role in fostering a well-rounded and holistic educational experience. The inclusion of a comprehensive music curriculum is essential for a number of reasons. Firstly, music education enhances cognitive abilities, including improved memory, attention and problem-solving skills. It also contributes to the development of emotional intelligence, allowing students to express themselves creatively and understand the nuances of human emotions through musical expression.

On Wednesday 6th December at 5pm we will be presenting our Christmas Concert in the Gymnasium. Students from both Primary and Secondary have been working hard to prepare a lively and varied programme of festive music, dance and drama and everyone is very welcome to attend.

Years 3 and 4 have been busy rehearsing a special programme of seasonal songs for the evening, and various groups have been preparing for the event throughout the term as part of the extra-curricular programme. After a hiatus, our Secondary Orchestra is now building up again, and we now have some strong string, percussion and brass sections, supported by additional woodwind and brass tuition during the school day. Our Secondary Choir is going from strength to strength and the students have been working hard to develop their vocal technique to perform some challenging and very expressive pieces. During break times we have been running our Pop and Group activities where students are able to develop their vocal and instrumental playing techniques by forming bands to perform music in a variety of styles.  Our Secondary Drama Club have also been working hard this term to develop their performance skills and the popular Primary Dance Club have been enthusiastically working on their presentation for the evening.

The groups performing at the concert will include all Year 3 and Year 4 students, the Secondary Orchestra, the Primary and Secondary Choirs, the Secondary Rock Group, the Secondary Drama Club and the Primary Dance Club. The programme includes some well known Christmas carols sung by the children in both English and Spanish and accompanied by our school orchestra, some special vocal arrangements sung by our choirs, a seasonal arrangement performed by one of our rock groups and a traditional performance of traditional Mexican Posada songs by the Year 3 students. We will also have a special performance by the Primary Dance Club and a special adaptation of a classic Christmas story performed by our Secondary Drama Club. After the concert, the festivities will continue with a traditional Mexican Posada.

These collaborative experiences not only strengthen interpersonal skills, but also build a sense of community within the school. In addition, exposure to a variety of musical genres and cultures through the curriculum fosters cultural appreciation and global awareness among students.In essence, music teaching at Greengates plays a vital role in nurturing well-rounded individuals with a deep appreciation for the arts, strong cognitive abilities, and a sense of community and cultural understanding.

Jim Taylor
Head of Performing Arts