QM has a very strong choral tradition. The Chamber Choir sing at most school Chapel services but also perform secular music in concerts. They often sing for services and other events outside school such as weddings, and regularly sing Evensong at York Minster and Selby Abbey.
The Junior Choir rehearses weekly and is well attended by Years I and II. The choir performs in school concerts and services.
Choral Society is made up of senior girls, staff and members of the local community and rehearses and performs in the autumn and spring terms. Recent performances have included Mozart Requiem and Vivaldi Gloria.
The Orchestra performs in a major concert at least twice a year. A varied repertoire has recently included Carnival of the Animals (Saint-Saëns), Beethoven’s First Symphony and the music from ‘The Lord of the Rings’.
There are a number of other ensembles to suit all musical tastes and abilities:
- Sinfonia (string ensemble)
- Junior Ensemble (all instruments)
- Cello group
- Brass group
- Jazz group
- Flute group
- Junior and Senior Rock Bands
- Concert Band
- Pipe Band/Drum corps
All these groups rehearse once a week and perform at regular intervals throughout the year.
Fifteen peripatetic staff teach the usual orchestral instruments plus guitar, harp, piano, organ and bagpipes. Nearly 200 lessons are taught each week and46 girls learn more than one instrument. Approximately 60 girls take ABRSM exams each year, with a small number opting for Trinity Guildhall exams. There is an excellent record of examination results.
We hold three major concerts each year at Christmas, in the Spring as part of Music Festival Week and ‘ Music for a Summer Evening’ at the end of the Academic Year.
In addition to the annual Carol service our choirs and ensembles perform at a variety of venues and we also hold a series of informal lunchtime concerts each term. There are individual instrumental and singing competitions and the Inter-House Fun Song competition involves the whole school.
The annual Music Festival Week incorporates the House Music Competition, Battle of the Bands, featuring the school’s rock bands and invited bands from other schools (eg Ampleforth and Uppingham) and a Musical Showcase which is a platform concert for some of the school’s most talented musicians.
We also hold regular workshops and masterclasses (most recently a Samba workshop led by Brian Costello and a piano masterclass and recital given by Sarah Beth Briggs). Musical productions are staged at least every two years, most recently Anything Goes in November 2008. The Wizard of Oz will be performed in June 2010.
We organise frequent trips to see live concerts and operas and the department organises a tour abroad every other year (most recently Venice and Belgium). There is an annual Junior Choir & Ensemble trip to London to see a musical. This was ‘Wicked’ in 2009.
 |
Please click on the links below for details of the York Guitar Festival 2010 which will be held at Queen Margaret's in August:
Programme
Application Form
|
.aspx?maxsidesize=120)
|
All the school's choirs and ensembles came together on Monday 14th December for a festive musical celebration.
|