Music Hub
Music Lessons from Music Hub
All pupils in Years 4 and 5 learn to play the trumpet or clarinet during weekly music lessons taught by the Nottingham Music Service. Music lessons, planned and delivered by Nottingham Music Hub staff and supported by Seely staff, cover key objectives from the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum for Music, which states:
Pupils should be taught to:
- play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression
- improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the inter-related dimensions of music
- listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory
- use and understand staff and other musical notations
- appreciate and understand a wide range of high-quality live and recorded music drawn from different traditions and from great composers and musicians
Pupils in Year 6 have the choice of whether to continue playing their chosen instrument. Those who continue have weekly lessons delivered by the Nottingham Music Hub staff. Pupils who do not wish to continue playing their instrument take part in music lessons with their class teacher. For more information, please see the Music page on the Curriculum section of our website.
Area Band
Pupils in Years 5 and 6 have the opportunity to attend Area Band, which takes place every Tuesday after school from 4pm - 5pm.
Area Band rehearsals include a combination of full rehearsals, small group activities, performances, singing, movement and improvisation. Seely pupils play the trumpet or clarinet but join pupils in other schools who play instruments including: violin, viola, cello, guitar, flute, saxophone, trombone and more! This gives pupils their first chance of being part of an orchestra.
Live sessions are led by a member of the Nottingham Music Service staff. To develop a sense of community across bands, and to promote fun and inspiring rehearsals, the school-based bands link up with the online rehearsal at the start and end of all rehearsals and this way get to practice with even more pupils from across the city.
Music Camp at Ilam Hall, Derbyshire
In September 2023, a group of Seely's Year 5 pupils joined other schools to attend Music Hub's Camp at Ilam Hall in Derbyshire.
Music Camp is a partnership with Nottingham City Schools and is open to all pupils who are currently part of the Nottingham Music Hub First Access programmes, which involve children learning to play an instrument as a whole class.
The purpose of Music Camp is to help pupils carry on to the next stage of their musical learning. It gives children the skills and confidence to continue making music and to take part in our Area Bands, which are beginner orchestral ensembles.
During the camp, pupils have instrumental lessons, explore the countryside of the Peak District, take part in team challenges, learn to read music and perform as part of the 'monster' band. They can even brave the night walk and seek out the phantom trumpeter of Ilam Hall!
Music Enrichment
Christmas in the City: Seely's Area Band takes part in Christmas in the City each year. In 2022, this event was held at St. Mary's Church in the Lace Market. In 2023, this event will be held at the Albert Hall in Nottingham. Seely pupils will join with pupils from other schools across the city to play their instruments for an audience.
The Great Orchestra Experiment: Each year, Year 4 pupils at Seely take part in the Great Orchestra Experiment at the Albert Hall. They are joined by Year 4 pupils from other Music Hub schools to play their instruments as part of their first experience of being in a live orchestra. In 2023, this event happened on Wednesday 22nd March.
Music Hub Area Bands Perform at the Albert Hall: In March 2023, pupils attending Area Band performed in an after school concert for a live audience at the Albert Hall. Area Band pupils are used to working collaboratively with other schools via Microsoft Teams during their Tuesday evening sessions but this was a great opportunity to form a live orchestra with other schools across Nottingham City.
