Come Together

Posted on: 04/02/2021

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Lockdown may have changed the way some music lessons are delivered but it hasn’t stopped Harrodians from playing or singing

While Harrodian’s class music lessons are continuing at all age group levels during lockdown, the main thing Hannah Ashe, Head of Music, is really pining for this winter is the chance to take part in live music. ‘We’ve all missed it terribly. There’s nothing like the adrenaline and buzz of playing in front of a live audience,’ she says ruefully. ‘We can’t wait to be able to do that again.’

Communal events such as the Spring Concert or the Battle of the Bands, both much loved dates in the Harrodian calendar at this time of year may seem a distant dream (though Mr Hooke tells me planning is already under way for a serious Dance spectacular in November).  But for the moment,  on-line learning has brought a shift in emphasis to some of Harrodian’s group Music lessons. ‘In Pre-Prep, we would usually be learning to play the recorder, but this year we have changed this to music appreciation classes. We learn about a different composer or piece of music each week. Last week it was Mozart who would have been 265 years old last week,’ says Ms Ashe. ‘And in the Prep pupils are online with their normal teachers learning about all different styles of music from film composers to reggae.’

Pre-Prep lessons are including a lot more singing than we were able to do in person during the Autumn Term, which I'm viewing as a positive

Kerry Sampson, Music Teacher

That doesn’t mean Harrodians have stopped playing or singing, though. In the Pre-Prep for example, Mr Hooke welcomes a new musical guest pupil from Prep and Senior Schools to perform at  the Wednesday afternoon assembly every week. Ms Sampson leads the live assembly singing, above  – this week’s number was The Power in Me’ – and she has also gone to special lengths to ensure that Pre-Prep pupils deprived of their traditional Friday Afternoon Singing session do not miss out. ‘I'm teaching from school so that I can access a proper piano and a big room,’ she says. ‘I have a loud voice and don't want to annoy my neighbours.’ Her range of pre-recorded singalong favourites are accessible to everyone on the YouTube Channel that she set up at the start of the first Lockdown. ‘The intent is to maintain "community singing", which many of us in the music department strongly advocate as well as to provide a sense of normality,’ she explains.

Kerry%20arms%20raised%20smaller.jpegHer output may not always be exactly ‘live’ but it’s probably the next best thing. ‘Given that families are having to work around an array of timetables, giving access to the songs at a time that suited them seemed kinder than trying to stick to a rigid time,’ says Ms Sampson. ‘And the Pre-Prep lessons are including a lot more singing than we were able to do in person during the Autumn Term, which I'm viewing as a positive.

According to Ms Ashe, Harrodian Music teachers have been using lockdown to hone their on-line teaching skills at exam levels too. ‘Our GCSE students are working hard. It’s certainly more challenging to work on the practical elements of an exam focused music course remotely,’ she admits. ‘But our GCSE teachers Miss McTighe and Miss Osborne are using new online music software programmes and finding creative ways to do that.’

For lots of people, it is very important to be able to continue to play their instrument or sing as relief

Hannah Ashe, Head of Music

It’s a similar story with the many individual music lessons that have continued on line for the past year. ‘I know that many of our peripatetic teachers have some very slick setups with multiple cameras and microphones in order to be able to give the best audio/visuals to pupils in their individual lessons,’ says Ms Ashe.  I think for lots of people, it is very important to be able to continue to play their instrument or sing as relief. Harrodian 9s pupil and budding violinist Aimon (shown here with his teacher Ms Hartley, below) is one of them: ‘I feel more confident playing on Zoom as it’s only me and my teacher,’ he says. ‘I look forward to my lessons each week and it keeps me happy during lockdown.’

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As is the way with Harrodian, lockdown or not, members of our community are still going the extra mile to enliven musical life. Mr Hooke highlights the School Christmas song, Bon Jovi’s Do what you Can (see it here and compare with Bon Jovi's original video here) produced by Music Technician Dan Almond, below) as his most uplifting lockdown tune, for example. And this week Tom Howe, eminent film music composer and Harrodian parent chipped in by generously providing our 14s and 15s Music students with a fascinating on-line talk and discussion that explored his craft. 

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Dan Miller, Harrodian singing teacher and staff choirmaster (shown below with A Level Music student, Sean) believes a ‘Keep-Playing-and-Carry-on’ musical spirit is flourishing among Harrodian pupils as well as staff and parents.’ ‘Pupils are really rising to the challenge. They’re embarking on  performances and projects and collaborating on productions and putting out songs despite being separated which shows real creative and technological inventiveness,’ says Mr Miller who has found time  to launch his own singing website VocalTapas.com as well as keeping all his teaching going.  ‘I’m thrilled that so many pupils continue to turn up online, week after week, smiling and singing and keeping their optimism and love for singing and communicating going.’

I’m thrilled that that so many pupils continue to turn up online, week after week, smiling and singing and keeping their optimism and love for singing and communicating going.’

Dan Miller, Singing Teacher

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