Music

Music at Shrewsbury

Music is a flagship for Shrewsbury International School. The school is renowned for staging musical concerts and recitals of the highest quality.

We attract specialist music teachers from around the world who instill a love of music making within our students. Some students progress to world-class conservatory programmes and careers as professional musicians; others develop a lifelong love of singing and playing. Many simply enjoy making music on a more casual basis; an appreciation which we hope to develop through the regular, timetabled curriculum music lessons for all students from EY1 to Y9.

Building from the Curriculum

All students from EY1 to Y9 enjoy lessons as part of their timetabled curriculum learning, with a number of students going on to study the subject at GCSE and A-Level. In Key Stage 2 & 3, students have three class lessons per cycle, including general-making and singing.

Our Facilities

The School enjoys a space overlooking the river. It is progressive in design with teaching rooms, multiple practice rooms, specialized rehearsal space, centred around an outstanding Recital Hall with Concert Grand Piano. Major performances are staged in the 600 seat Memorial Hall Auditorium, complete with its own Grand Piano.

Our Ensembles

Throughout the school, students have the opportunity to express their talent and develop their skills as part of an ensemble. In addition to the many student led rock, pop and jazz groups that the students form themselves, our current formal school ensembles include:

Pre Prep Choir; Prep Choir; Prep Chamber Choir; Senior Choir; Senior Chamber Choir; Year 7/8 Choir; Harmonix (a capella group); Junior Strings; Intermediate Strings; Senior Strings; Chamber Groups; Senior Orchestra; Big Band; Jazz Band.

Some of these ensembles are by invitation or audition, requiring a minimum standard and ongoing commitment to regular rehearsals and performances.

Performance Opportunities

Shrewsbury’s Symphony Orchestra, Choirs, Ensembles and other groups perform regularly throughout the year as part of the school’s own extensive series of Recitals, Concerts and other performances, as well as within the wider community.

Our students also enjoy opportunities to perform internationally, and will rejoin FOBISIA events this year.
Students often take the initiative in organizing ad hoc performances as part of their own rock and pop ensembles, accompanying community events. In recent years we have also been very pleased to welcome back some of our alumni, currently studying or graduated from some of the world’s leading conservatoires, to perform on Shrewsbury’s stages once more.

The popular bi-annual House Competition gives students from across the Senior School to take the lead and to prepare high quality, entertaining performances that they hope will earn the coveted competition trophy for their House.

Individual Tuition

Shrewsbury offers all students the opportunity to have individual instrumental or voice lessons at school. Standards of individual are high and our students regularly enjoy success in international solo competitions. The instruments we currently offer are:

Piano (Classical/Jazz); Violin; Viola; Cello; Double Bass; Flute; Oboe; Clarinet; Trumpet; French Horn; Trombone; Tuba; Orchestral percussion; Drum Kit; Saxophone; Guitar (Acoustic/Electric); Voice (Classical/Pop); Thai Instruments. Theory lessons are also offered.

The majority of lessons take place during the school day with students coming out of curriculum time on rotation to attend their lessons; with some lessons for students are timetabled outside of curriculum time. Lessons are 30 minutes in length and are taught by full time and visiting teachers who are all practising professional.

Many of the orchestral instrument teachers work with the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, The Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra and other professional ensembles in Bangkok. Lessons are billed separately.

Our Performance

Scholarships

Our Scholars are the backbone of the Excellence Programme. They are expected to represent the very highest standards in terms of ability and commitment, and demonstrate genuine enthusiasm for what they do, setting an excellent example both within school and in the wider community.

In addition to their varied contributions within the school, many of our scholars also challenge themselves and demonstrate their caliber in international competitions. Over the years, several have continued their passion at university, conservatoire and professional level.

Applications are welcome from of any age, providing that the entry criteria are met. Scholars must be the equivalent ABRSM Grade 8 standard in their first instrument.