A reminder to the A Level Music class (12 to 13) of the listening homework they are to complete by Thursday period 1.

Enjoy!!!!

Year 12

The first Swing Band rehearsal will be on Friday 7th Sept in the Main Hall from 3.30-4.45pm. If anyone cannot attend please let me know. New pieces for this year include:

I Want You Back by The Jackson 5

Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing by Stevie Wonder

I Wish  by Stevie Wonder

If they get a chance, please could all players have a listen to the originals so that the head and hooks are not too much of a shock?

The first Wind Band rehearsal will be on Monday 10th September from 3.30-5.00pm – again, full attendance is expected. New pieces include:

Symphonic Animation arranged by the Royal Marines

The Greatest Showman arranged by Paul Murtha (grade 3)

Both of these can be found on youtube (there is a video of us playing Symph An with the Marines somewhere!)

Huge, huge congratulations to those students who have received their A Level and GCSE results in the last two weeks.

Year 13 came up with a 100% A-C pass-rate which is brilliant considering the demands of the new course and the lack of supporting resources from the exam board. They achieved:

A-B    83%    (nationally 47%)

A-C    100%  (nationally 83%)

Best of luck to all of them in their chosen pathways, but especially to David (performance @ Royal Birmingham Conservatoire of Music), Beth (film composition @ Leeds College of Music) and Leah (hopefully, 2019 entry to either the Royal Marines or the Army Corps of Music). Please keep in touch!

At GCSE, despite worries about the new course in terms of both breadth of content and overall demand, UVHS has maintained its superb record of achievement:

Grade 9      38% (nationally 8%)

Grade 9-7   88%  (nationally 32%)

Grade 9-5   100% (nationally 72%)

A huge WELL DONE to all of them and GOOD LUCK with A Levels/Apprenticeships/BTECs etc. Please keep us informed of your progress and good news!

Well … another new year is approaching. Hope you’ve all had a good summer and that the students are raring to return to school!!!!!  … or not!

Just a reminder that WIND BAND rehearsals are moving to a MONDAY evening (3.30-5pm) in order for me to attend SLT meetings on a Tuesday. Students have known about this since Easter so it should not be a shock to them. ALL students going on the tour to Italy next July need to be able to commit to Monday evenings consistently.

Please let me know if there are any issues with this … if students are going to miss a rehearsal they must come and see me in advance and make sure their music is in school.

After-School Rehearsals – Autumn Term

MONDAY          Wind Band (3.30-5pm)

TUESDAY          Primary Tuition (3.30-5.30pm)

WEDNESDAY    Little Big Band (3.30-4.45pm)

THURSDAY       Primary Tuition (3.30-5.30pm)

FRIDAY              Swing Band (3.30-4.45pm)

Here’s to a great 2018/2019.

Mr B.

Well … another year comes to an end. I would just like to say the following:

• Swing Band – what can I say? An AMAZING band that went to Paris. I am SO proud of each and every student – most probably the finest large music group I have ever had the privilege of working with in my career. Stunning concerts in Paris as well as the easiest tour that myself, Mrs B. and Mrs H. have ever taken thanks to the maturity, professionalism and dedication of everyone involved (I’m welling up writing this).
• Summer Concert – another brilliant event with great performances from every group and many highlights for the audience to remember for years to come. Well-deserved winners of the Alford Cup in Maciej, Jack and Eloise, great solos from Maciej, Heather and David and a stonking set from the Wind Band!
• Year 13 (and Year 11 who are leaving)  –  again, what can I say??  Myself and Ann were very upset at the concert (and after playing with Swingers at the sponsored walk) to say goodbye to the students, and I certainly didn’t do them justice with what I said as I was feeling rather emotional. They have been absolutely brilliant throughout their time at UVHS – brilliant ambassadors for the school and amazingly committed and dedicated young adults.  All in all, true role models for both the younger UVHS students as well as our primary tuition pupils. Words cannot express my thanks to them and the debt that both myself and the school owe them. I am very proud to have been able to work with them and also that I can now class them as friends, not students.

P.S. roll on next year and the challenges it will bring in terms of the repertoire I am choosing for the Wind and Swing Bands.  Also … I still have quite a few EHIC cards from Swing Band members tat they forgot to pick up on Tuesday – they are in my office ready to collect.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, and good luck to the Year 13s and 11s.

Hopefully back at school at 11.30pm

They will also need a pack lunch tomorrow

All going well so far. Currently at Warwick services for food – will leave by 8pm then 194 miles home … All the equipment will have to be unloaded (ready for tomorrow’s concert on the field) before students can go home. Normal school times tomorrow but all players will need Sun team, water, shades and a hat (non-uniform). Yr11 & 13 in for 11.30 please

Absolutely brilliant gig at Disney today. SO proud to be their teacher!!!! They blew away the audience and Disney tech crew.

got a great  video as well!

I will be at The Coro at 11.45 for the get-in. There was a double-booking this morning so we could not do anything.

All help will be gratefully received!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!