Tri-borough Secondary School Music Department Support:
Yr 10 Day - Composition and Careers, Fri 5th Feb 2016
9.30am-2.30pm @ Royal Albert Hall, Elgar Room.
The big idea:
A maximum of 150 students in Year 10 who are studying GCSE/BTEC Music will come together to
create a large-scale collaborative composition based on a ritornello structure, where a repeating
section played by the full ensemble is contrasted with smaller-group 'episodes'; and to focus on
options within music as a career.
All secondary schools in LBHF, RBKC, and WCC will be invited to attend bringing a selection of
their Yr 10 pupils who they feel would get most benefit from this event. The day is not Exam Board
specific. The day is being organised by the Tri-borough Music Hub in response to feedback from
secondary school music departments in last academic year’s network meetings, but will be led by
music teachers and with support of the TBMH’s strategic partners. Richard Lake, Director of Music
at St. Marylebone School will be leading the composition part of the day.
The aims - students will:
 get excited about composition through being part of a brand-new, collaboratively composed
piece for huge ensemble.
 develop their critical ear, helping them to evaluate their own ideas throughout their
compositional process,
 learn some techniques to develop and refine their musical ideas, and provide an expanded
tool kit with strategies for composition which will positively impact their own composition
 be part of a wider community of Yr 10 Musicians and learn from each other
 learn about the next steps with music as a potential career option.
Timings of the day:
Time
9.30-9.45
9.45-10.00
10.00-11.15
11.15-11.30
11.30-12.30
12.30-1.30
1.30-2.30
2.30
Activity
Arrive at RAH via Door 8
Massed Vocal Warm-up
Composition workshop part 1
Break (remain in Elgar Room)
Composition workshop part 2
Lunch (teachers take pupils to Hyde Park, or can stay in
room – lunch not provided). Pupils may be able to
access a tour of RAH if this can be arranged with the
show that is in that day - TBC.
Where can music take you? Interactive session
Led by
TBMH Team
Richard Lake
Richard Lake
TBMH Partners and Guests
Schools/Pupils leave
Teacher Day support:
Students who are instrumentalists should bring their instruments to RAH.
When working in pods, the students will need some musical guidance - so if possible the trip should
be staffed by music specialists.
Pre-workshop: (approx. 2 hours of lesson time, in school):
At the beginning of the spring term, all participating groups or 'pods' will receive a music pack
containing:
a) some components for the 'ritornello' section of the collaborative piece - these will be
accessible enough for all students to play/sing and simple enough to learn by ear or from
notation, tab etc.
b) some stimuli from which the group(s) can develop compositional ideas of their own
By the time students attend the workshop, students should be able to play at least some
components from the ritornello and be able to play/sing some original ideas based on the stimulus
material - these don't have to be notated.
Morning session: Composition Workshop @ RAH:
 Part 1: students work on playing the 'ritornello' material together and achieving an ensemble
sound.
 Part 2: a mini session exploring ways of 'tweaking' material and listening critically - using
examples from students' work-in-progress
 Part 3: students, arranged in their 'pod' groups, work on combining and tweaking their ideas
to create an episode which will fit into the larger structure of the piece
 Part 4: rehearsal and final performance
Afternoon session: Where can music take you?
This session will provide the opportunity for the Yr 10 pupils to listen to and question people working
in the music world, across a range of careers. The panel will be people that all studied music at
schools but have gone on to work in a variety of ways. The full line up of people will be confirmed in
January 2016 but will include performing, composing, artist management, off-stage careers,
teachers and so on. This session may become a ‘speed-dating’ format with pupils self-selecting who
they talk to/interact with.
How much is this event?
It is FREE and part of the TBMH’s support to secondary music departments. Schools need to make
arrangement to bring their pupils, their instruments, and organise break-time and lunchtime
refreshments.
How do I get involved with this FREE event?
Schools need to sign up to the event via the TBMH website at this link
http://www.triboroughmusichub.org/events/ or by emailing info@triboroughmusichub.org by Weds
16th Dec.
We need to know:
- School name
- Number of pupils you will bring and which instruments* they play
*pupils need to bring their instruments where possible. TBMH will provide some back
line instruments.
- The music teachers that will come on the day and their area of specialism
(to help with planning)
- If you would like to go on a tour during lunch (groups of 20 at a time)
Timeline:
 Weds 25th Nov: details sent to schools
 Weds 16th Dec: schools confirm by this date their interest
 Weds 20th Jan: schools attend the Secondary Network meeting and receive their music
packs for their pupils. Teachers work on this with their pupils in school.
 Fri 5th Feb: Yr 10 day at RAH