Durham School, which has been part of the Steinway School initiative for many years, is delighted to announce that as from September 2012, it will become a fully accredited All-Steinway School and the only such school in the North of England.
“To become an All-Steinway School is very exciting. It will ensure that our pupils have daily access to the finest pianos in the world and it will undoubtedly attract high-calibre pianists, helping to promote Durham School’s reputation as a centre of excellence for music,” said Roger Muttitt, Head of Music and Director of Scholars at Durham School, “It will also enable us to invite local piano teachers and schools to host any of their future concerts here at the school”.
On the first day of the new term (6 September 2012), Durham School will take delivery of a total of 14 Steinway pianos and all will be played during that morning! The headline ‘artistes’ will include Venera Bojkova, who is a concert pianist and a teacher at the school, music scholars and hopefully former pupil Will Todd OD, who composed ‘The Call of Wisdom’ for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Thanksgiving Service held at St Paul’s Cathedral and broadcast on BBC Television*.
Durham School pupil and Music Scholar, Lexy Powell (Year 11) tells us why she would highly recommend applying for a music scholarship at Durham School:
“When I found out that I had gained a music scholarship at Durham School I was delighted but I did not fully appreciate what was to come. I was already passionate about music and becoming a music scholar at Durham School opened up lots of amazing experiences.
In a typical week I play in Big Band on saxophone and in orchestra on flute. I sing in the school choir and the chamber choir; the St Cecilia Singers. As well as these larger groups, I play in a wind quintet on the bassoon. We formed the group in Year 9 and are hoping that by the time we are in the 6th form we will be amazing! Around the time of school concerts we also form smaller groups and mix with people from different years. For example, in the Christmas concert I played in a trio with pupils from the 6th form.
Being a music scholar also opens up more unusual experiences. Last year, I sang with the chamber choir in a service broadcast from our chapel on BBC Radio 4. The main chapel choir sang at Durham Cathedral and York Minster too. We are also encouraged to play solos; within the last year I played to other pupils in school chapel and to a wider audience in school events and concerts. The experience has helped me to develop the skills to a level where I have been able to gain places in musical groups outside school, most recently in the Young Sinfonia at The Sage, Gateshead. The music department is always willing to give support when preparing for auditions or competitions. Of course, another element is the grades and exams as well as the possibility to choose music as an academic subject.
Perhaps less obvious but for me one of the most important advantages has been the chance to make friends with similar interests in both my own year and other year groups. This helped me to settle quickly when I first came to Durham School and to know that I had definitely made the right choice in coming here!”