The Music Department
Welcome to Presdales’ music department webpage. We hope that the following information is useful and if there is anything that you wish to ask, please do not hesitate to contact us at music@presdales.herts.sch.uk
Presdales School music department has an outstanding reputation for its teaching, learning and extra curricular activities.
Our sought-after choirs have a celebrated reputation within the community, being asked to perform in commissioned works with Hertford Symphony Orchestra and Hertfordshire Chorus in notable venues such as the Barbican and Saffron Hall. We also have vibrant string, woodwind, brass, keyboard and percussion departments with over 200 pupils learning an instrument or voice within the school. We host two public music exam sessions a year, with many of our pupils achieving grade 8 and even beyond.
Presdales Music Department is extremely proud of our academic results. At GCSE the majority of students achieve the top grades of an 8 or a 9 in recent years and our A Level results are consistently within the top 25% of schools in the country.
We are always keen to work and collaborate with other schools, ensembles and musicians. Please get in touch to discuss any collaborative ideas you might have.
Our Vision
We believe that music enhances lives. It has the power to help young people develop a myriad of skills whilst increasing self confidence, creativity and their sense of achievement. As a department, we aim to create a musical education that is challenging, vigorous and inspiring. As a result we hope that all people will experience many different styles of music whilst enjoying and expressing themselves both inside and outside of the classroom.
Our Aim
We aim to ensure that all students:
- perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians
- learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence
- understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notation
All students are taught one lesson of music per week. Through the interrelated skills of performing (both improvisation and from notation), composing and appraising, students will continue to develop their knowledge and understanding of music. All students will have lessons in our music technology suite and in our larger classroom where they will learn to play a variety of instruments from around the world.
Year 7
All students learn to read traditional musical notation through compositions and performance in pairs, small groups and as a whole class.
Year 8
This year there is an emphasis on music from around the globe and students will learn about the musical heritage of a number of different cultures. Music literacy is developed further and there is a natural progression onto chords (how to create and use).
Year 9
This year provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate individuality within creativity. Perhaps the highlight of Year 9 music is the film music project, where students create their own movie soundtrack.
Presdales Virtual Summer Concert 2020
All You Need Is Love
Sonata in G for Recorder
The Can-Can
GCSE Music Selections
Postman Pat
Levee Dance
Knock on Wood
Angel Eyes
Adagio for Oboe
