Music Specialism

Our History

Twyford CE High School became a Specialist Music College in 2005 and, since then, has established a local and national reputation for high quality music. In 2009, the Twyford Gospel Choir were crowned winners of BBC Songs of Praise Senior Choir of the Year Competition. In 2010, the school was recognised for its services to music education at the Education Business Awards. In 2011, Twyford was invited to become a Lead Associate in the newly-formed Ealing Music Hub and has twice hosted the Ealing Youth Music Prom which featured over 700 students from 35 different schools in 2013. Since 2012, Twyford has been the Ealing centre for the Music for Youth Regional Festival Series and, in September 2013, began an innovative music curriculum at its sister school based on the celebrated Venezuelan El Sistema model and drawing on an exclusive partnership with Trinity Music College, London.

Ensembles and Performances

Students have access to over twenty-five musical ensembles each week, including three choirs; Jazz and Classical orchestras; a Concert Band and countless small groups and chamber ensembles ranging from Music Tech through to the Clarinet Choir and String Quartets. The school enjoys a busy and varied performance programme, including the annual Christmas, Spring and Summer Concerts; the Acoustic Café series; Popular Music Competition, House and Classical Music Competitions as well as invitations to perform in such prestigious venues as St Paul’s Cathedral, the Royal Albert Hall, Southwark Cathedral and the Royal Festival Hall, as well as more local events and venues such as St. Mary's Church Ealing, Ealing Abbey, and the Ealing Music and Film Festival. In recent years, musical ensembles have also performed for the BBC World Service, BBC Songs of Praise, Boris Johnson, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and with celebrated musicians such as Kathryn Jenkins, the All Souls Orchestra, the English Chamber Orchestra and Tomorrow’s Warriors. Live student performances are a feature of assemblies each morning and every student is expected to sing as part of Collective Worship.

Tuition and Facilities

Music is central to the school ethos and we believe that every child can perform. Over 300 students receive individual or small group instrumental and vocal tuition through the Music College’s peripatetic tuition programme and large numbers enrol onto our academic and vocational curriculum programmes at Key Stage Four and Five each year. As such, our music programmes are designed to nurture your child’s talent whether it is in the field of music production, composition or performance in a Pop, Jazz, World Music or Classical field. Our curriculum is designed to be broad, deep, and varied. Your child has the opportunity to sit music exams in GCSE, A-Level, ABRSM, RockSchool, Trinity, and LCM. All students are supported, stretched and challenged to achieve their best irrespective of their starting point. The school offers outstanding facilities through its two Music Technology suites; specialist music teaching room; the recording studio; suite of practice rooms; and the Performance Centre. There are 19 specialist music places offered per year to students identified as having a natural aptitude for music. Please see our Admissions page for further details.

Instrumental Tuition

Twyford offers a wide range of instrumental lessons taught by experienced tutors in each instrument.

If students and prospective students would like to apply for a tuition space, please complete the following application form below:

Music College Instrumental & Vocal Tuition 2023-24: WAITING LIST APPLICATION FORM

 

Twyford Music Tuition Terms and Conditions

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As a school, we prepare for face to face practical ABRSM exams. Any students doing another exam board must be entered by parents/carers. Please note that we are unable to recommend accompanists for any exams entered privately by parents/carers.

ABRSM Instrumental and Vocal exams

Twyford is able to organise face to face ABRSM exams for instrumental and vocal exams. Our exams run alongside the three National ABRSM exam sessions – one session each in Autumn, Spring and Summer.

ABRSM exams are either booked publicly, at a local venue (usually Ealing Green Church Halls), or privately, using Twyford to host private exams.

Once we have been able to confirm an exam date and venue, we are able to put candidates in contact with an accompanist who is available on our exam day. Please note that accompanists for the exam are not arranged by the Music College and candidates must arrange their own private accompanist.

Due to the quick turnaround to meet ABRSM’s deadlines, all candidates who are not currently having music lessons at Twyford, must email the details for their ABRSM exam on the first day of the term they wish to take the exam.

All exam entries and queries should be emailed to [email protected]

ABRSM Digital Performance exams

Twyford is unable to organise ABRSM digital instrumental and singing exams.

Candidates for these exams must record their performance and submit the video for assessment. The video can be submitted at any time within 28 days of booking exams.

Please refer to ABRSM for more information, including a step-by-step guide to booking online instrumental and singing exams.

ABRSM Theory exams

Twyford is unable to organise ABRSM theory exams.

Grade 1 to 5 Music Theory exams are now online. These exams can be taken at any time within 28 days of booking exams.

Please refer to ABRSM for more information, including a step-by-step guide to booking online Music Theory exams.

Trinity and Rockschool exams

Twyford is unable to organise Trinity or Rock School exams.

These exams can be booked online through the Trinity or Rock School websites.

 

Extra-Curricular Music

As a Music College, we encourage all our students to engage in our extra-curricular activities. This includes singing in choirs, playing in jazz bands, or joining the school orchestras. All our clubs are free to join!

Music Wider Learning Timetable

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We are very pleased to be the Associate Lead for the Ealing Music Partnership and are keen to share some of their work with you. Please visit their website for more information about the ensembles and events currently running within Ealing Music Service.

Please see link to view the latest EMS Pulse Newsletters.

Assisted Instrument Purchase Scheme

There is a national government scheme to help with the cost of purchasing instruments. The Assisted Instrument Purchase Scheme enables pupils of local authority and academy schools to purchase instruments through their school net of VAT, provided the instrument is used as part of their musical tuition. More information about the scheme can be found here.

Please email [email protected] for more information.

Awards and Scholarships

Please see below links to information about some local and national Awards/Scholarships for supporting music and music tuition in school for your child.

Ealing Music Service

Awards for Young Musicians

London Music Fund

 

Music Events

Each year, the Music College hold a variety of events and performances such as the A Level Music Showcase, Music Scholars Showcase, Popular Music Competition, Junior Popular Music Competition, Christmas Concert, Carol Service at St Martin's Church, Classical Music Competitions, Twyford Voices Concert, the Ensembles Concert and much more. Each morning at the start of our assemblies we have performances by soloists or small groups and pupils have the opportunity to sign up!

"Thank you so much for fanning the flame of musicality in the school, for including as many children as possible and for inviting us to share in the joy of it" - Parent of Year 7 Twyford Voices Performer.

For details of upcoming music events, please visit the school's News and Events page.