Music programme
Instrumental Music
All students at Musica Mundi School have two hours a week individual tuition for their main instrument. If they have two main instruments, they receive one hour for each instrument. All students for whom piano is not their main instrument also receive weekly piano tuition. In addition, masterclasses from guest artists are organised throughout the year.
To prepare for their classes, students are expected to practice for a minimum of three hours a day (one hour in the morning and two in the late afternoon/evening), practice which is supervised. The school has the infrastructure to enable any student wanting to practice for more than three hours a day to do so.
Chamber music is an important part of school life. Ensembles are organised twice a year (in the autumn and spring terms) and students in these ensembles benefit from weekly lessons and opportunities to perform.
There are five official school concerts per year, two for individual performance, two for chamber music and one, the end-of-year concert, for both. In addition to these events, there are dozens of other private events of varying sizes over the course of each school year, meaning that everyone gets opportunities to perform.
Theoretical Music
Music theory classes at Musica Mundi School are organised in levels rather than year groups. Students arrive with very different levels of theoretical knowledge of music and the school’s aim is to ensure that anyone who lacks solid foundations will first of all acquire these foundations before working their way through the extensive programme of theory, harmony, ear training, composition, music history and music literature.
A part of this musical education is to complete Cambridge IGCSE and A Level Music exams. These skills-based exams test students’ instrumental skills, composition skills as well as their knowledge of music theory, harmony and history. These exams are intended to develop strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
In their final year of study at the school (year 13), students embark on an additional, school-specific diploma, the Musica Mundi School Diploma, involving the completion of an 8-month research project on a musical topic of the student’s choosing and a full recital.
There is a dedicated music library in the school which is open to students several hours a day and which is also equipped with computers housing Sibelius composing software.
To complete their musical programme, students also have conducting lessons and two hours’ choir every week.
The accompanying table gives an indication of the typical number of hours a week spent on music.
