Music

As an academic subject, Music seeks to engage students in instrumental and vocal performance, composition, and listening and appraising skills.

A broad and comprehensive programme of musical experience is offered and class lessons in Years 7-9 include a wide range of activity-based projects featuring both traditional musical study and skill-based training in score writing and sequencing using Garageband, Sibelius Ultimate and Logic Pro X. In Years 10-13 boys may take Edexcel GCSE and A level courses and these provide the opportunity for advanced study, acting as a preparation for higher education.  Edexcel set works, which encompass a wide variety of musical styles, enable boys to discover who wrote what, for whom, and why.  In support of these courses there are regular academic seminars given by eminent musicologists and use is made of the College’s unique archive of books and eighteenth-century music manuscripts.  In addition, there are opera trips and concert visits during the academic year.  Performance skills are nurtured by a wide range of co-curricular ensembles and by masterclasses with professional players.

The extensive academic teaching programme is supported by our Visiting Composer Cecilia McDowall, who is able to provide one-to-one supervision for our GCSE and A level students. The Department’s Music Technician and Studio Engineer, Isa Khan, provides expert teaching in all aspects of music technology and studio techniques. There is also an annual Composition Competition, which is open to all boys in Years 7-13.

Pupils often continue their musical studies beyond Dulwich, with a significant number of Oxbridge organ and choral awards in recent years, and places to read Music at universities and conservatoires.