Music News
|
Teaching Staff Mr. A. J. Byers - (Director of Music) B.A. (Hons), PGCE, L.W.C.M.D. Mr. C. P. Johnston B.Mus. (Hons), PGCE. The College boasts a thriving and energetic Music Department, led by Mr. Byers and assisted by Mr. Johnston. It has a number of peripatetic teachers who teach instrumental and ensemble music to all years and levels on all instruments from the Symphonic Orchestra and Brass Band. The team consists of professional musicians, many of whom are members of the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra or other professional ensembles within the northwest and beyond. Practical Music The department places a high emphasis on performance and practical music making. The College's ensembles range from two Concert Bands, a Baroque String group, full Symphony Orchestra, three Choirs, Symphonic Brass group, Wind Quintet, two Flute groups, and a Swing Band. Each ensemble plays its part in a very busy concert schedule and enters local and national music festivals on a regular basis. Numerous concerts are given and highlights include an annual full-scale concert at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, our very own ‘Last Night of the Proms', Prize Day at the Metropolitan Cathedral and Christmas and Carol Concerts. The senior ensembles have an envious reputation throughout the region and beyond, and are frequently hired to perform at various functions and engagements. These range from wedding and birthday parties to the Lord Mayor's Ball and regular appearances at The Marriott Hotel Liverpool, Aintree Race Course and the Philharmonic Hall. The Music Department tours biennially. Overseas tours have in recent years been to Australia, Hong Kong, Canada, Italy, Austria and Switzerland taking an average of seventy students each tour. Soloists are actively encouraged and play an important role in school concerts. Informal recitals are regularly held in the College and in the local community and the College is also a centre for Associated Board examinations which are held every term. |
St. Mary's music students take to the stage at the PhilMore than 150 talented music students from St. Mary’s College in Crosby took to the stage at Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall this week. For the 15th year in a row, the St. Mary’s Festival of Music acted as a showcase for the outstanding musical skills of pupils at both its senior school and its preparatory school, The Mount. The MC for this year’s concert at the famous venue was the award-winning BBC Radio Merseyside presenter, Roger Phillips, who praised the standard of musicianship, telling the audience: “If you close your eyes you’d think you were listening to the Phil.” A wide range of St. Mary’s musical ensembles took part in the event including the Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Wind Band, Stage Band, Baroque Consort, Wind Octet, Chamber Choir, Show Choir, Training Choir and Mount Concert Choir. They were conducted by St. Mary’s Director of Music, Andrew Byers, and his colleague Colin Johnston. In addition, there was a guest appearance by the choir from Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School in Southport, conducted by Miss Jen Connaughton. The concert programme was designed to take the audience on a musical journey ‘from Vivaldi to Voldemort’ as the young musicians performed pieces from a wide range of styles and genres. Highlights included Vivaldi’s Gloria and the Double Flute Concerto in A Minor by Telemann, performed beautifully by soloists Sarah Mackay and Helen Sheehan. The students also performed the symphonic suites from the blockbuster films Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Andrew Byers commented: “Our Philharmonic concert is always one of the highlights of the school calendar and it proved to be a big success once again this year. “For our pupils it’s an exciting opportunity to play in a prestigious venue and for the families and friends who make up the appreciative audience it’s a varied evening of superb musical performances. “I would like to pay tribute to all the staff and students involved. The great musicianship they displayed reflects the huge amount of time and effort they devoted to preparing for the event. "Music is an essential part of life at St. Mary’s and when inspectors from the Independent Schools Inspectorate visited us last year, they quite rightly judged the standard of music tuition at our school to be excellent,” added Mr Byers.
MC Roger Phillips (centre) with St. Mary's Principal Mike Kennedy (left) and Director of Music Andrew Byers.
|
|
|
