Music

Music

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Find out more about our music department. The Lyndhurst Music Department has been running for over ten years and prides itself in providing the best possible music tuition for children at Lyndhurst, as well as participating in a number of events within the school and South East London.

Individual Lessons

We provide professional and experienced instrumental lessons on Piano, Drum Kit, Guitar, Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Recorder, Violin, Ukulele and Cello with over one hundred children learning an instrument at present. Aside from the instrumental lessons that are paid for by parents we have three free schemes running in the music department; The Gifted & Talented Scheme (G&T), Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Pupil Premium. The G&T scheme is for children that show a degree of natural talent, the SEN scheme that provides lessons for children with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Autism and behavioural problems, and Pupil Premium that is for children with specific needs.

Making the Grade

Pupils take instrumental grades right across the board. We have a 100% pass rate with a high percentage of children achieving merit or distinction in their exams; some pupils are taking Grade 4 and 5 before they leave and with the opportunities we provide many pupils apply for and receive music scholarships into secondary education.

Group Singing

All year groups participate in singing every week. Other groups at school include The Lyndhurst Choir, Guitar Group, Staff Choir and School Orchestra; plus we run lunchtime workshops for small groups of instrumentalists. We hold three concerts every year, a Winter Choir Concert, a Spring Instrumental Concert and an outdoor summer concert called The Playground Proms. All concerts showcase the children’s talents and provide a valuable community spirit for the parents, teachers and the school overall. As well as these events we perform a KS1 Nativity and a Year 6 musical production.

Musical Outreach

Over the years we have been fortunate enough to be involved with the London Philarmonic Orchestra, Southwark Music Services, Wigmore Hall, The Globe Theatre, Centre for Young Musicians, The Animate Orchestra, Multi-Storey Orchestra and The Royal Ballet Company on large-scale educational projects. Due to the instrumental level growing all the time we now have pupils being taught at Trinity & Laban College of Music, Royal College of Music and performing with CYM and The Animate Orchestra.

 

Music Lessons

There are many spaces available for instrumental music lessons this term on recorder, saxophone, clarinet, piano, guitar, and drumkit. Please email Mr Chambers at musicatlyndhurst@googlemail.com.

Winter Concert

If you’re new to the Lyndhurst community you may not have heard about the Winter Concert that we hold at St Giles Church, Camberwell every December. It’s one of the highlights in the school calendar.  Keep an eye on our Calendar Dates for more information.

For more information, please download our brochure below.

Lyndhurst Primary Music Department Brochure

Music Staff

  • Trevor Blanchard-Conner

    Instrumental Woodwind Teacher
    Mr Conner graduated with a B.A (Hons) in Music, and went on to study at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, where he specialised in saxophone & voice. He has worked professionally as both a session instrumentalist and singer in a variety of genres from grand opera to cheesy pop, and has been lucky enough to performat the Royal Albert Hall and on Top of the Pops, twice! He performs regularly with the BBC Elstree Concert Band and the City of London Symphonic Winds as well as with a number of ensembles and orchestras in London.

  • Clementine Brown

    Instrumental Violin Tutor
    Clementine Brown is a London based violinist and string arranger who plays in a diverse range of styles from Classical to blues. She began playing the violin at the age of 3 with the London Suzuki School of Music and holds a degree from Columbia University in the city of New York. She currently plays with Penguin Cafe, Ask An American, and David Ellis Band, and does session work in London.

  • Avvon Chambers

    Music Coordinator, Instrumental Drumkit & Guitar Teacher, Radio Editor
    After graduating from the Royal Welsh College of  Music & Drama in 2004 Mr Chambers has gone on to play drums all around the world, supporting bands such as Mumford & Sons and Coldplay. He is currently touring with Penguin Cafe and Charles Watson and has part of Slow Club, Sweet Baboo and Emmy the Great, enjoying album releases, touring and recording radio sessions for the BBC and beyond. Mr Chambers has been teaching drums and guitar for over 19 years and has been head of the Music Department at Lyndhurst since 2010.

  • Tom Jackson

    Instrumental Piano and Woodwind Teacher
    Dr Jackson is a musician active in London and Europe. He studied music at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Goldsmiths University of London and Canterbury Christ Church. His compositions are published by June Emerson Wind Music and 360 Music. He has played with many orchestras including the National Chamber Orchestra of Wales and New London Sinfonia. He is a specialist in contemporary music and free improvisation. He has been teaching for over 15 years at institutions in Cardiff and London.

  • Ashley Valentine

    Instrumental Piano Teacher & Choir Leader
    Mr Valentine was five years old when his parents bought him a small keyboard for Christmas. He became a cathedral chorister and later, at the age of twelve, an organist at two parish churches. After studying music at the University of York, Mr Valentine moved to London and is now a busy pianist, organist and teacher. He is Director of Music at St Giles' Parish Church in Camberwell and is currently spearheading a £500,000 project to restore the historic 1844 Bishop organ there. Following in the footsteps of his first teacher, he has scored music for several silent films and performs live piano and organ film accompaniments throughout the UK.

  • Andrew Waterworth

    Instrumental Piano and Cello Teacher
    After graduating from Trinity College in 1992 Mr Waterworth went on to write and perform in many musical guises. He is the principal bass in the contemporary group Reservoir, a performer and composer in the string sextet Instrumental, bass player in the duo Ben & Jason and double bassist in the Drum & Bass band London Elektricity. Mr Waterworth is also one of London's leading session players having worked with Paul Weller, Duffy, David Byrne and many more.

Music Tips & Info

Terrific Music Theory – a video covering the basic music notes.

What we teach – did you know you can learn to play 10 different instruments at school?