Chetham's School of Music

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Chetham's School of Music

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Founded: 1969
Type: Specialist
Location: Manchester, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom
LEA:
Ofsted number:
School Category: Private
Headteacher: Mrs Claire Hickman
Staff:
Students: 295
Age Range: 8-18
Gender: Mixed
Website: http://www.chethams.com

Chetham's School of Music, familiarly known as "Chets", is a specialist music school in the heart of Manchester. It was established in 1969 on the site of Chetham's Hospital, an orphanage founded by Humphrey Chetham in 1653. The school now has 294 pupils, and the original 15th-century college, built in 1421, is still in use.

Chetham's is a specialist co-educational independent school at the forefront of music education in the UK and abroad.

Chetham's is open to all, irrespective of financial or social background. All UK entrants are entitled to Government funding through the Department for Education and Skills Music and Dance Scheme, and there are generous bursaries available for overseas students.

Entry to Chetham's is solely through musical audition, but the School is one of the highest-ranked independent schools for GCSE and A Level results.

1 Notable alumni
2 Ensembles
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] Ensembles

Big Band

The Chetham's Big Band was formed in 1990 and has gone from strength to strength.In the last few years the band has broadcast on Jazz FM, won the prize for professionalism in the Daily Telegraph Young Jazz Competition, won the Junior Section of the BBC Radio 2 big band competition in 1996 and 2000 and in 2001 was runner up in the senior section as well. The big band has also been awarded the gold medal at the Boosey and Hawkes National Concert Band Festival on numerous occasions in the last few years.

Until 2005 the big band was directed by Goff Richards and worked with such eminent jazz soloists as Don Lusher, Bobby Shew, Andy Scott, Mark Nightingale, Mike Mower and Frank Mantooth. , Richard Iles has directed the big band since 2005.

Brass Band

Formed around the turn of the 20th century when Chetham's was a bluecoat orphanage, Chetham's Brass Band could often be heard leading the wakes week parades in Manchester.

The brass band is seen as an excellent training ground for young brass musicians. Technique, ensemble and sound are all sought after in the performance of the traditional brass band concert and contest repertoire.

The brass band also provides numerous opportunities for our young soloists to hone their skills.

Chamber Choir

Chetham's Chamber Choir includes pupils from a variety of ages from 13 upwards. Several members sing as their first study while others have an instrument as their primary interest but also enjoy singing to a high standard. Several singers go on to study at conservatoires and other members of the choir are regularly awarded choral scholarships at Oxford and Cambridge. A wide range of music is performed, from a variety of styles from the Renaissance to the present day.

The choir has appeared on Radios 3 and 4 and featured in the recent Granada series 'Chets'. Each year the choir provides a focal point in Chetham's annual Music for Christmas, which takes place in front of a packed audience in Manchester Cathedral.

Symphony Orchestra

Chetham's Symphony Orchestra has built up an enviable and highly regarded reputation through its numerous concerts given throughout the country. The Orchestra regularly works with guest conductors from around the world. The distinguished list includes Franz Anton Krager, Vassily Sinaisky, Diego Masson, En Shao, Benjamin Zander, Garry Walker, Mark Elder and Yan Pascal Tortelier.

The CSO has performed nationwide at venues including the Bridgewater Hall, Huddersfield Town Hall, Leeds Town Hall, Sheffield Town Hall, The Hall for Cornwall, Methodist Central Hall, The Royal Academy of Music, the Royal College of Music, the Royal Northern College of Music, Chester and Durham Cathedrals and the Barbican. It has toured Holland, Spain, Germany and the USA and makes regular appearances in the Hallé Prom Series. Its many CD Recordings which include Dvorak's Symphony No.9 'From the New World', Rachmaninov's Symphony No.2, Shostakovich's Symphony No.10, Mahler's 4th and 6th symphonies and Walton's Henry V have all received outstanding praise from music-lovers and critics alike.

Click here to go to the Chetham's Symphony Orchestra website

Symphonic Wind Band

Chetham's Symphonic Wind Band was formed in 1990 to further promote the ensemble work with in the Wind, Brass and Percussion department at Chetham's, and together with the Brass Band and Big Band develop the all-round skills required for our present day pupils.

The wind band's repertoire has been extensive with standard classics and new pieces for wind band giving several performances of new works. The wind band has worked with Joseph Horivitz, Philip Wilby, Tim Ewers, David Ellis, Kenneth Hesketh, Martin Ellerby and Adam Gorb.

Performances in the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, at the Royal Northern College of Music and at Chetham's have steadily enhanced the reputation of the wind band, and it gained Gold Medals from 1995 to 1998 and 1999 to 2001 in the Open Class at the Boosey and Hawkes National Concert Festival.

Recent performances have included the world premieres of Aue! by Christopher Marshall, a New Zealand composer; Masque by Kenneth Hesketh; and the wind band version of Paul Patterson's Little Red Riding Hood; and the British premiere of Adam Gorb's Trombone Concerto with the soloist Katy Price (a former Chet's pupil).