Welcome to some of our musical highlights from an incredible year.
So much has happened. Here are some of our stories. Here are some of our musicians.
30% of all students at Simon Balle learn an instrument or to sing.
Next year, 33% of all students will be learning an instrument.
This is 36% of everyone in Years 2 - 13.
We have an increase of 15% of hours taught next year, with more staff joining us. We are developing induction, mentoring and support for our amazing team.
Managing and supporting over 700 lessons is an enormous challenge! We are once again having to relook at our facilities and performance spaces.
25% of the school take part in at least one ensemble or choir each week. 12% are in a choir.
Concert Band has 50 musicians. Junior Wind Band 70. Secondary choir 60. Larch Strings 40. Larch Wind and Brass 50. 100 children are in a choir in our primary phase. We have 30 saxophonists. These statistics are incredible.
We had at least 37 separate performances, gigs and recitals. To be honest, we've lost count!
Saffron Hall was full to its 800 seat capacity. An absolute triumph of musicality, ethos and community.
This year, 65% of Years 2 - 6 are learning an instrument, using our bespoke programmes.
On average, they have reached Grade 3 by the end of Year 6.
Last year we had 217 instrumental exams across the school, plus dozens of music medals in the Larch.
1 in 5 of these exams were Grade 6 or above. 11% of all students learning have achieved Grade 6 or above.
The national figure is 1%.
We are introducing our own assessments next year so more can receive a certificate for the standard they achieve. These separate assessments will support those for whom a full exam is too much.
These five senior musicians have all achieved a DipLCM - a diploma in performance from the London College of Music. They are conservatoire standard recitals. This includes the first ever DipLCM in Electric Guitar. We worked with LCM to pilot this diploma.
For one school, this is utterly unique and the result of incredible support, team work and challenge.
When we asked families what we do well:
Inspiring the children; creating a family and safe space; brilliant ensembles and a huge variety of opportunities for all musicians to get involved. Amazing music tour. Encouraging and motivating; excellent range of lessons and instruments. Fantastic team of staff. Always welcoming and supporting parents.
Rock School has 13 bands rehearsing each week.
The termly gigs moved back to the Corn Exchange in Hertford. This was an incredible success.
We had a fantastic visit from the Popular Music team and students at the Royal Northern College of Music, working with some of our most advanced musicians. We work to build links with music conservatoires wherever possible.
Next year we will be introducing open mic nights for solo performances and beginner bands. We will also be re-evaluating how we support our Popular Music musicians and lead this team.
Our Year 2 Strings Training Programme continues to be a ground-breaking start to instrumental music making.
We introduced the Simon Balle Concert Orchestra and Chorus - a unique collaboration across the secondary phase.
They performed arrangements of disco numbers that had been performed at the BBC Proms in July 24 - the actual charts.
At Saffron Hall, the Larch choir joined them, to create an incredible all-through experience involving over 180 musicians.
We continue to work ensuring we have a full suite of instruments.
Our tour to Belgium continues to be a highlight at the end of an incredible month of July.
We are an institution at the Festival on the stage at St Baafs and so many locals come to specifically watch our performance, accompanied by thousands of others and a large community from Hertford. The town crier from one of our other concerts came to gate crash Ghent!
Albert - Team Music's friend!
The tour is a unique and amazing experience that means so much to our wider community - our families and friends. It has taken 15 years to become such an important part of the festival.
We continue to seek opportunities for other musicians to have a similar residential music experience. Easier said than done!
We are so proud of the individual support we give to every musician.
Ethan, here, has achieved Grade 8 Electric Guitar.
An incredible achievement for him and the support he receives.
This is just one of hundreds of individual stories of challenge, success and inspiration.
Our use of Music Therapy to support specific students is quite unique in a school such as Simon Balle with our own in-house therapist. Some have music lessons to help their wellbeing. More examples of how we use music to support individuals.
Simon Balle Music "creates opportunity" - opportunity to try things, opportunity to learn, constant opportunities to perform, to learn, to inspire, to be inspired.
Our Concert of Wind and Brass that visited countries around the world with stunning performances, visuals and lighting.
The music dept and staff all care a great deal about their musicians and this is felt by all the children at every stage. They challenge the bands and orchestras at a high level and are very supportive to each child's needs and aspirations. They continually provide fantastic opportunities for growth and performance in lots of concerts for all musicians. The music tour to Ghent is amazing and we are looking forward to going again this year!
For us personally as a family, the impact if hugely positive and beneficial. My son feels like he is part of a music community that is uplifting and rewarding. The enjoyment that he gets out of performing has a very positive impact on his mental wellbeing. As a parent, this support is really important and lovely to see. The music department brings together students from all year groups who are united in doing the same thing which no other department in the school is able to do. It also brings parents together in way that I don't think any other activity does in the same way.
A solo guitar performance of Canción del mariachi with the Guitar Ensemble at Saffron Hall.
Energy, drive and can do attitudes are key and are promoted to the children. Opportunities to perform in so many different ways. Nurturing talent and encouraging creativity, providing a sense of belonging and community.
Locals, alumni, students, families and supporters all together enjoying our music. Simply incredible.
The music department's ambition is second to none - aiming for the stars is such a valuable and important trait.
We are developing how we support our most able musicians, through music enrichment and individual opportunities. This will include recitals, accompaniment sessions and Jazz and songwriting workshops. We have Early Morning Practice as well.
We are re-evaluating how we teach composition to make it more relevant for the modern musician.
Well done Simon Balle and to each and every teacher involved with the Music Department. You truly ROCK!
Alex performed at the Awards Ceremony. He achieved Grade 7 cello with Distinction this year, having been in the first Year 2 group of the Strings Training Programme.
Our primary brass musicians in concert.
We have also had a new curriculum teacher, music manager and music assistant join us - all in one year!
The new curriculum lead will continual to develop our brilliant spiral curriculum from Reception to Year 13. We are so proud of how ground-breaking our curriculum is. We have introduced music admissions.
We will be renewing our ethos with all stakeholders, so our families and musicians understand what is required to be part of Team Music.
Every unique element of how we work is part of our success. Our distinct ethos. Our unique team.
We are truly all-through. Impacting on all aspects of school life.
Team Music is an incredible team who go above and beyond. Developing the pedagogy of the team is a continued priority.
From September we will be be delivering music across the Laurel Education Trust. We will be aligned with the Trust rather than individual schools, to bring everyone together as one community. We will retain the name Simon Balle Music but adopt Trust colours.
As part of this, we will be leading on all musical aspects at Mill Mead. Creating a musical community, bringing all that is great about Simon Balle Music to our Mill Mead family.
This is a significant expansion of our work.
This picture sums up Team Music. Team work, inspiration, high standards, all-through and fun. Music has made these students who they are.
We should never take for granted what everyone in Team Music achieves. We are world class. Beyond the realms of most schools. Numbers learning that are off the scale. Life changing memories. Friends for life. An amazing, unique musical family.
To keep raising the game year after year after year is beyond anything anyone could dream of.
Just because we achieve this each year does not mean there are not challenges and frustrations! We have to do what is right for us and our musicians, our way.
Music is most certainly an incredible USP of Simon Balle All-through School.
It is an absolute honour to be Director of Music for Simon Balle Music and soon, the Laurel Education Trust. The support from school leaders, finance, premises and the whole community is inspirational.
Our way works.
Lets be honest. You don't get this anywhere else.
Simon Balle Music is the variety of incredible opportunities available to you when you put in the time and commitment. I have already achieved things that I didn’t think were possible at my age...
...so much fun and laughter. It is such a welcoming, close community.
Thank you to everyone. This is what we do.
Simon Balle Music.
It's personal.