Welcome to the latest edition of Gracenotes, the newsletter of Adams Grammar School Music Department. Read on to find out what has been happening recently and to discover what we have planned for the rest of the term. For information about lesson times, peripatetic teaching staff, rehearsals, groups and ensembles please see the notice boards in the foyer of the Coach House or speak to one of us. Malcolm Brown Head of Music malcolm.brown@adamsgs.uk Amanda Coomer Music Department Coordinator amanda.coomer@adamsgs.uk Music Department new number: 01952 953838 Don t forget to stay up-to-date with musical events in Newport by visiting the Newport Music Club website for future concerts at Cosy Hall in Newport. www.newportmusicclub.org
We were delighted to welcome the Band of the Rifles to Adams Grammar School. They played for the whole school in Assembly, before conducting workshops with over 40 students. Year 7 were treated to a concert in the afternoon, when our students played alongside the musicians from the Band. Music as varied as Ed Sheeran and Pirates of the Caribbean kept Year 7 entertained, as did the excellent drum display from our Corps of Drums. We are most grateful to the Master of the Haberdashers, Mr Joff Hamilton, who has given us a grant to purchase more instruments. This will enable talented Year 9 pupils to continue what they have learned in the Year 7 and Year 8 class instrumental lessons as we are now able to offer selected individuals group lessons in Year 9. This is a fantastic endorsement of the lower school Music Project, which is going from strength to strength.
New Pupils Concert We always look forward to the New Pupils Concert as it is an opportunity for us to find out a little bit more about pupils who joined the school at the start of the year. This year was no exception and we were privileged to hear some superb performances from pupils in both Year 7 and Sixth Form. It was a rare treat to hear some different instruments a baritone and two oboes! These instruments are what we refer to as endangered species and we are delighted to welcome them into our ensembles. Our A Level Music students and Clive House Music Captain also played for us and we hope that they inspired the younger members of the audience and gave them a taste of what they could achieve by the time they are in the Sixth Form. 7.30pm Sports Hall European Music Tour 2018 Plans are underway for our next Music Tour in October 2018, visiting Prague, Vienna and Salzburg. These three beautiful and historic cities offer a wealth of cultural attractions, and the aim of the tour is to give students an opportunity to explore the sights as well as to perform in three of the greatest musical cities in Europe. Over 40 students have expressed an interest in joining the tour, and after half-term, Mr Brown and Mr Wynn will be putting together the musical programme which we will be performing on tour. A warm welcome to Mr Matthew Frost, who joined us in September to teach brass. Mr Frost, who recently graduated from Birmingham Conservatoire, will also run the CCF Marching Band and the Junior Brass Ensemble, as well as teaching the class instrumental brass lessons to Year 7 and Year 8.
Looking back on the summer term Every week is busy in the Music Department and the last few weeks of the Summer Term were no exception! After a fantastic production of Guys and Dolls, which received rave reviews, the last week of term flew by in a flurry of activity. The inaugural Hamilton Concert took place in the Hamilton Hall, in the presence of Mr Joff Hamilton himself. Mr Hamilton, current Master of the Haberdashers, was the inspiration behind the building of the Coach House and the Hamilton Hall when he was Chair of Governors at AGS. Current Chair of Governors, Mr Anthony Cann, and former Headmaster, Mr Michael Barratt, also joined us for what we hope will be the first of an annual concert to celebrate music at Adams Grammar School. We were delighted to welcome back several Old Novaportans, who joined the Orchestra for the evening. It seemed just like old times! We rounded the year off with a visit from an Old Novaportan, of whom we are very proud. Ben Gernon came to present the prizes at the end of term Prizegiving, and he very kindly agreed to come here the evening before to talk about his life. Still only 29, Ben is an internationally acclaimed conductor, who has worked with some of the most prestigious orchestras in the world. He shed some light on his journey from conducting the school orchestra at AGS to his current life, where he is booked for several years ahead to conduct all around the world. We shall be looking out for his next visit to Symphony Hall to conduct the CBSO. It was our pleasure to welcome back Mr Nick Moor, Director of Music at AGS during Ben s time here as a pupil.
Tickets go on sale after half-term for Supper and a Show, which takes place on Thursday 7 th and Friday 8 th December 2017 at 7.30pm in the Hamilton Hall. The cast of next year s production will entertain you with songs and dances from a variety of musical shows, including some highlights from previous AGS productions. And there may even be a taster of what is to come with next summer s production of Jekyll & Hyde A hot supper will be served during the interval and Adams FM have kindly agreed to run a bar. Tickets cost 15.00, which includes food, and they will be available from the Coach House. There will be a limit on the number of tickets available because of space restrictions, so don t delay if you would like to come along! Profits from the two evenings will go towards the cost of staging next summer s production. Thursday 7 th & Friday 8 th December Dates for your diary 19.30 Hamilton Hall Supper and a Show Monday 11 th December 17.30 Hamilton Hall Monday 11 th December 19.00 Hamilton Hall Year 7 Project Group A Performance Year 8 Project Performance (Performances by the groups who have been having instrumental class lessons this term - Group B will have lessons and perform next term) Thursday 14 th December 18.00 St Nicholas Church Family Carol Service, followed by mulled wine and mince pies (More information about tickets for the Family Carol Service will be sent out after half-term) Wednesday 7 th February from 16.30 Coach House Music Parents Evening for pupils receiving instrumental lessons at AGS Thursday 15 th February 17.30 Sports Hall House Music Competition 2018 (Tickets for House Music will be sold on a strictly first come, first served basis. Every year the event sells out, so we would encourage you to purchase your tickets as soon as they go on sale. Look out for more information after Christmas about how to purchase tickets)