Latymer Upper School Music Scholar's Open Morning

Latymer Upper School will be holding an Open Day for potential Music Scholars for entry at 11+ in September 2025 on Saturday 21 September 2024 between 10am - 1pm

You will find details of the exciting programme that we have planned. Applying for a music scholarship can be a daunting prospect and the purpose of the morning is to make your child feel more comfortable when they come to Latymer Upper for their audition. They will have the opportunity to meet the music staff and current music scholars, and they will also be able to familiarise themselves with the department. There will not be any tour avaialble of the school outside of the music department on this day.

Your child will also have an opportunity to explore the splendid facilities in our Latymer Performing Arts Centre: as well as spacious teaching, practice and rehearsal rooms we have a 100 seater Recital Hall boasting outstanding acoustics. We are also the proud owners of a Steinway grand piano, a two manual pipe organ, and a beautiful harpsichord.

Pupils do not need to have passed any music exams in order to be successful for a music scholarship but as a rough guide applicants should be at least Grade 5 standard (merit or distinction) on their main instrument when they come to audition, and we would expect most to be making good progress on a second too. We are looking to discover musical aptitude and promise as well as making an assessment of an applicant’s current standard. Some, but not all, music scholars play more than one instrument; many offer singing. Music auditions take place after the 11+ exams, for those who have been successful in the exams and are being interviewed.

The occasion is designed for pupils rather than parents and we suggest that you bring your child to the school for registration at 9.45am and then collect them again at the close of proceedings at 1pm (see attached Programme) or parents are also invited to attend the concert at 12pm. During the morning there will be an opportunity for your child to play their instrument (or sing) and I would encourage them to bring a short piece to perform to us at the ‘What should I play?’ session at 10.15am. However, this is optional rather than compulsory.

The event is only for children who will be in year 6 in September 2024 and are considering a music scholarship audition for 2025 entry.

Please contact me if you would like further details ([email protected]); I look forward to meeting your son/daughter .

Yours sincerely

Tony Henwood

Director of Music ([email protected])

Latymer Upper School Open Morning for potential Music Scholars

Saturday 21 September 2024 between 10am - 1pm

Programme for the morning

9.45am

Arrival and Registration - children only (parents are invited back to watch the concert at 12pm)

10.00am

Welcome by Mr T Henwood (Director of Music)

10.05am

What musical activities are on offer at Latymer Upper? by Mr J Geoghegan (Assistant Director of Music)

10.10am

What else does Latymer Upper have to offer? by Ms L Cole (Deputy Head)

10.15am

What should I play?

There will be advice from the Director of Music on the sort of piece that you should choose to perform at your audition. We will then divide into small groups and there will be an opportunity for you to play or sing a short piece to one of the music staff at Latymer Upper who will be able to provide you with some feedback. The choice of piece is yours, and it does not necessarily need to be the same as the one that you intend to perform at your scholarship audition. As a rough guide applicants should be at least Grade 5 standard (merit or distinction) on their main instrument when they come to audition and making good progress on their second instrument.

11.15am

Refreshments

11.30am

What happens at the audition?

A mock Latymer Upper music scholarship audition as one of our current scholars acts as a guinea pig!

11.45am

Tour of the music facilities at Latymer Upper given by current music scholars (School tours will not be provided on this day, please book to attend an Open Day for a full tour)

12.00pm

There is a concert by current music scholars in the Recital Hall to which parents are invited to or they can collect their children at 1pm after the concert

12.15pm

Concert given by current music scholars

12.45pm

Question and Answer session for parents – Latymer Upper music staff and music scholars will be able to answer your questions

1.00pm

Event ends

Host or Publisher Latymer Upper School