Beaumont School Music Department

I know you're not that surprised to see blog post from me before Christmas, but I know that the time will go quickly and just wanted to touch base in terms of Vocal Ensemble and Friday 13th January - our exciting workshop with the Swingle Singers and VOCES8 as part of the London A Cappella Festival! Over the holidays, please learn the music for Lady Madonna , given to you at the final rehearsal before the Carol Service. By the end of they day you will be expected to know it by heart so please have a look now. As you know, it is designed to work alongside the Swingle Singers' version. You can sing along to their version here. Have a good Christmas - don't forget to bring your letters in when we return to school!

Congratulations to the Choir and Vocal Ensemble for some truly sublime singing in Thursday's carol service. Some of you may have missed the well-deserved huge round of applause that the congregation gave you as some students wondered back into the church to find their parents. What a fabulous way to end the term! Have a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. We'll still tweet #BeaumontBedtimeListening and there will be some blog posts too. See you in January!

As you know, the writer Gavin Plumley will be visiting you on Wednesday morning to talk about Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite . An opportunity for you to put your analysis skills into practice on a non-set work and get involved with a glorious score. We are lucky that Gavin is giving up time to come and talk to you. In preparation for Wednesday, please ensure you have read the synopsis of The Nutcracker and have familiarised yourself the music (not just the famous bits from the suite!). Click here for the synopsis and click here to listen to a phenomenal recording on Spotify . You will also find that Gavin has been blogging a daily advent calendar entry about each section of the nutcracker as well as relevant features. If you haven't already, go and visit his blog here .

Here are the arrangements for Thursday: 1) Meet at 12.50pm in the Music Block (promptly please - bring a packed lunch). We will leave as soon as everyone has been registered. If you are late, you will miss the coach. 2) Rehearsals will take place in St Peter's Church from 1.15pm-3.15pm. You will have an opportunity to eat when you arrive. 3) We will return to school by coach by 3.30pm. If you would like to walk home from the church and are in years 7-11 you must have written permission to do so. Come and see me beforehand if possible. 4) Meet back at 6.30pm in St Peter's Church for a warm up. 5) The service starts at 7pm and should be finished by 8pm. Dress Code: full WINTER uniform for years 7-11. Smart ALL BLACK for 6 th form please. Usual reminder about skirt lengths and please wear smart shoes. No leggings permitted. Finally, please ensure you have returned your permission slip. No slip, no trip! Any questions (not sure if this is possible...), please see Miss Do...

Well done to everybody who took part in the concert last night. It was a fabulous evening, and you all really did step it up and put in some great performances. We've had some lovely emails today from staff and parents saying how much they enjoyed the evening! There will be no more instrumental rehearsals for the rest of term. Choir is on Friday and Vocal Ensemble is after school. Don't forget your music. Please make sure you return your reply slip asap, otherwise you will not be able to go to St Peter's next Thursday. Nearly there and keep up the good work. Miss Doan and Mr Guinane

Please read and digest: No Concert Band at 7.45am due to rehearsals during the day! Breaktime String Group (Hall) Lesson 4 Concert Band & Wind Ensemble (11.45pm) Lesson 5 Orchestra (Hall) LUNCHTIME Vocal Ensemble Lesson 6 Big Band & Year 9 Band (Hall) Lesson 7 Choir, Year 11 Choir (Hall) 1745 Consortium Orchestra (Hall) – please be finished by 6.15pm 1830 Please meet in the Music Block 1900 Concert – dress is SMART *All Black or Black and white, BLACK SHOES or school winter uniform *Girls, please wear skirts or trousers, NOT leggings or skinny jeans. See Miss Doan or Mr Guinane if you have any questions.

Write about the common features of the three following works: Trio Sonata in D, Op.3 no 2 (movement IV) - A. Corelli Sonata in B flat, K333 (movement I) - W.A. Mozart Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano: Sonatas I-III - J. Cage Comment on structure, harmony, tonality and melody and any other features of note. Due: Thursday 8 th December 2011 As promised after gawking at Baerenreiter and Henle editions, here is the video which I mentioned in the lesson. Enjoy!