Music
Aiglon has a tradition of encouraging all students to be involved in the arts. In terms of self expression, self awareness, attainment and interpersonal skills, music is central to the College’s holistic ideals. Music provides the life and body for the health and vitality of the whole community. Concerts are staged in various locations but performances are also presented by houses, year groups or smaller units. The emphasis is on team work, personal development and quality.
Many students at Aiglon are actively involved in music making of many kinds. Whether learning an instrument, studying music formally in the curriculum or performing music in one of the College’s bands, ensembles and choirs, all students are actively encouraged and supported in the development of technical skill, musical knowledge and more fundamentally in discovering a love of music for life. The Music Department believes passionately that music should be totally engaging, enjoyable, and at is best life changing. This is the mission statement upon which it is taught at Aiglon.
The home of the Music Department on the ground floor of the JCB building. Curriculum lessons are taught in the Oudang Room, a large and highly functional space for both teaching and rehearsing music. The room is capable of rehearsing up to 60 musicians and also provides a lovely chamber concert space for our regular performance clinics, examination recordings and evening and lunchtime concerts. Adjacent to the Oudang Room is our Keyboard Lab housing a network of 16 music-specialist computers. These allow students to develop their compositional skills using the latest digital music composition software. Students , particularly those studying music at GCSE and GCE A Level, are encourage to exploit and extend their technological interests and abilities in the Music Department's digital recording studio.
The Music Department staff comprises 16 full and part-time teachers. They deliver curricular and instrumental lessons in many instruments and styles. In a typical week at Aiglon approximately 300 individual instrumental music lessons are taught across all College year groups. Students can study:
- Traditional orchestral instruments
- Jazz and rock instruments
- Drum kit and percussion
- Piano and keyboard
- Singing
- Bagpipes
A comprehensive programme of weekly ensemble activities complements individual study. These include:
- Girls’ Choir
- School Choir
- Junior School Choir
- Junior School Wind Band
- BPF Choir
- Jazz Band
- Numerous tutored rock bands
- Percussion ensemble
- String chamber orchestra
- Theory classes
- Wind and brass chamber groups
In addition to performing at Aiglon and in our local community, students are also encouraged through a programme of concert visits both in Switzerland and in the UK to listen and discover music in its many forms. Recent visits have included local classical concerts, classical and rock concerts in Geneva and an annual concert trip to London. Please contact Mr N Gaston, the Director of Music, for further information relating to any aspect of music provision at Aiglon
“Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative success” F. Roosevelt
