Instrumental Music

Having just done a two-day workshop on how music helps the brain, our instrumental program here at Newington College Lindfield is really important. Boys in Years 2 and 3 are learning a string instrument and in Years 4 and 5 a wind instrument (woodwind or brass). Playing these instruments just at school, once a week, is not going to be doing much. Boys should be playing them for at least 10 minutes each day at home also. It is not just going to improve the playing of the instrument, but the benefit will stretch potentially across all areas of learning.

Year 3 played at assembly last week and one of the Year 5 bands will be playing at assembly on 10 September. These performances are an important part of playing – not just having a goal to work towards but also working out how to deal with performance nerves.

The School Band is playing at the Swain Gardens Open Day on Sunday 8 September at 11:30am. Swain Gardens is a beautiful garden next door to us and is open to the public. The Band will be playing all the pieces that they have learnt this year, which is quite a number and a wonderful achievement. Please come and support them if you want a lovely morning out.

Year 6 Music

At the beginning of this term, boys were completing their compositions based on 4 chords. In the song “Wake Me Up” that was sung by the boys in Stage 3 at the Lindfield Concert, there were only 4 chords repeatedly used. Using this as a base to learn from, boys were asked to compose their own song, this required them to play a guitar and create lyrics, then record it. A good challenge.

Building on from that, they are now creating a piece that they will be presenting at the opening of their Exhibition.

Vanessa South – Music Teacher