Hans Werner Henze died on 27th October.  He was 86 and a major musical figure in Germany and the rest of Europe throughout his lifetime.

Wikipedia is a reasonable place to start exploring his life and music.  However, Tom Service's blog in the Guardian provides a really readable, and knowledgeable, account.

Explore, listen and look for musical inspiration.

Musical variety is really important - something we provide at CGS.

Two quotes heard this week sum this up nicely:

"Great music in assembly this week" from a member of staff after hearing a recording of Adele singing Skyfall, part of our 'Genre of the Week' feature of James Bond theme tunes.

"I think I'm addicted to Vaughan-Williams" from a Y10 GCSE Music student who was doing some independent listening during a lesson.  I didn't enquire but I hope she might have been referring to the Fantasia on a theme of Thomas Tallis, or perhaps The Lark Ascending - so beautifully played by former student Clare Mostyn a couple of years ago.

Half-term is fast approaching.
Thank you to all the staff and students in the CGS Music Department for an exciting 'music-filled' start to the 2012-13 academic year.  Much more music to come . . .

A few reminders before the holiday:
1 Please take instruments home
2 Senior Choir tour deposits due on ParentPay by Wed. 31st October
3 St. Cecilia's Day Concert coming up on Friday 23rd November

The theme is title songs ... Bond title songs.


In a change from the regular 'Composer of the Week' feature we are focussing on a genre.
All this week playing in the foyer to the Music Centre, the main themes from all the James Bond films.  In anticipation of the release of SKYFALL on Friday 26th October.

Prepare to be shaken and stirred!  

If you missed the VI form production of 'Oh, What a lovely War' shame on you!
Congratulations to the cast and crew - from my seat in the band it was a terrific show.  Hope from your seats the band were terrific too.

Y13 - thank you for your initiative, enthusiasm and energy over the last couple of years.
Y12 & Y11 - I really hope you will take this idea on next year.

If you are feeling a little deflated in the next few days - don't worry, the Music Department has plenty more going on for you to be involved in.

Final performance on Friday 19th.  This is a great production - get along and see it.

Clearly the preferred mode of transport for our Composer of the Week, and a hint at a future one.

More music this week from CGS musicians:

Wed. 17th - Fri. 19th VI form production of 'Oh, What a Lovely War'
7pm each evening in the Cottrill Hall

Thurs. 18th Lunchtime Concert given by String students of Mrs. Chapman
Axminster 12.30pm  Open to all.

TW3
. . . that was the week, that was.

Some great music-making by CGS musicians this week.  Students from throughout the school were involved in taking their music into the community.
String players gave an entertainment to residents at Elmwood in Colyford.  A VI form Jazz Quintet played for the Colyton Link group and the Junior Choir gave an enthusiastic lunchtime concert in Axminster as part of their series of concerts.

Well done to all the students involved, and thank you to them for their hard work.

Messiah - Handel
to be performed by CGS Senior Choir in Exeter Cathedral at 7.30pm on Saturday 20th April 2013
Put this date in your diaries now!

Looking forward to a week of Musical Outreach
CGS musicians will be performing in the local community on three occasions this coming week.

1. Monday 8th October - Mrs. Lester will be taking some string players to provide some entertainment at the Elmwood Residential Home in Colyford
2. Wednesday 10th October - a group of Y13 Jazz musicians will be playing for the Colyton Link group meeting
3. Thursday 11th October - the Junior Choir will be giving a lunchtime concert in the Minster church of St. Mary's in Axminster at 12:30pm.  This is open to all and it would be great to see parents and friends if you are able to come.

These are the first of many events planned for this year when performers from the school will be bringing music to the wider community.

VI form production - please come and support.

Go on . . . you all know it makes sense.

Music, the mind, and medicine: A Q&A with Robert Gupta

Music, the mind, and medicine: A Q&A with Robert Gupta
Musical? Applying for Medicine?
Interested in how we understand and respond to music? Follow link and read.

Welcome to the brand new blog of the CGS Music Department.  It's one of the many exciting new initiatives we are planning to introduce in the 2012-13 academic year to make the Music experience at CGS even better.

What's in a name?
With the huge variety of interweaving strands of music-making at CGS [curriculum classes at KS3, 4 &5 / individual lessons from the Visiting Music Teachers / daily extra-curricular opportunities / practice rooms available for booking / Composer of the week / concerts / Outreach projects / etc. etc.] it seemed high time that a regular and easily accessible 'newsletter' was put in place to highlight everything.  So, to define:
POLYPHONY "a rich musical texture with independent melodic lines combining to produce an effective whole" - that sums up what we do very nicely.

Polyphony is also the name of a stunning chamber choir conducted by Stephen Layton .  Do watch out for, and follow up, links like this as time goes by.

What will be included here?
You can expect regular posts with details of almost everything that goes on in the Music Department, some reflection on previous music-making [reports on the Chamber Choir visit to Salisbury Cathedral and Y9 GCSE group's performance of Miles Davis coming soon], and reminders of forthcoming events [rehearsals, concerts and the like].

Website viewing is still recommended, letters and details of events will appear there.  And, of course, those important timetables for individual lessons will still be sent out on ParentMail.

Looking forward very much to your company here over the coming weeks and months.