ST ALOYSIUS' COLLEGE
SCHOOL HANDBOOK

MUSIC

Instrumental Music Tuition

Instrumental music tuition is available in large number of instruments, including:

Pupils are encouraged to take up an instrument and, depending on the availability of visiting music teachers, may do so from P4 upwards.

1. Parents who wish their children to receive instrumental tuition at school should make a request using the standard music tuition form available from the General School Office. The Director of Music will match pupils' needs to visiting music teachers' availability.

2. Most instrumental tuition is provided by visiting music teachers. The visiting music teachers are not employees of the College.

3. By arranging music tuition, parents enter into a contract with the individual visiting music teachers and will be billed directly by them. There is no contract between parents and the school in regard of instrumental tuition. The school's role is simply to release pupils from class to attend the instrumental lessons. Most visiting music teachers will charge at a common rate - enquiries about this can be answered by the Director of Music.

4. While parents' and pupils' requests for particular music teachers will be given due consideration, the final decision rests with the Director of Music and the willingness of a visiting music teacher to accept a particular pupil.

5. Pupils who need instrumental tuition in order to participate in public music examinations will be charged for tuition in the usual way (by the visiting music teacher billing the parents). It may be possible in some instruments (usually guitar, percussion and voice) to arrange tuition in small groups and thereby to share the cost. The Director of Music can advise.

6. Pupils who wish to study an instrument (or who must do so in order to participate in public music examinations) and who cannot afford to pay all or part of the tuition costs should not be deterred from doing so. School policy is that no pupil should be barred from participation in school activities because of financial difficulty. The parents of such pupils should write to the Housemaster (or Head of Section in the Junior School) outlining their situation and requesting assistance.

7. Music lessons are usually 30-minutes long and are scheduled by the Arts Administrator in consultation with the visiting music teachers. Lessons will usually take place during class time. It is the pupils' responsibility to inform their class or subject teachers of arrangements and to ask to be released from class five minutes ahead of time in order to begin the instrumental lesson promptly. Pupils are responsible for making up any missed work and informing themselves of homework or other requirements.

8. If a pupil is required for a school activity and this will prevent the pupil from attending a scheduled instrumental lesson, the pupil is expected to take the initiative to bring the clash to the attention of both the teacher and the visiting music teacher concerned and to come to a sensible arrangement in deciding priorities. The pupil's Housemaster (or Head of Section in the Junior School) will be the final arbiter in situations where a compromise cannot be agreed.

9. It is solely the responsibility of parents and pupils to inform the visiting music teacher of any absence, including absence in order to meet other school commitments. Whenever possible at least a week's notice of absence should be given to the visiting music teacher. Parents are advised that it would be normal practice for lessons missed to be charged for in the usual way as the visiting music teacher has taken on a commitment over a term or longer and is unlikely to be able to substitute other paid tuition at short notice.

10. Visiting music teachers each have a mailbox in the instrumental teaching area - notes and letters from parents can be left there by pupils. Parents may also leave telephone or written messages at either the Junior or Senior School receptions. These messages will be passed on in the usual way but cannot be relayed instantly as visiting music teachers have varied schedules. Parents are asked not to involve the Director of Music (or other full-time music staff) in relaying messages to visiting music teachers as this seriously disrupts their own teaching.

11. Parents and pupils should be aware that the visiting music teachers are professional musicians who perform and teach throughout the UK and abroad. Access to such musicians is of great benefit to the school. However, because of their professional commitments, it is not always possible to ensure perfect continuity of lessons, although every effort is made to do so. Visiting music teachers do not charge for scheduled lessons from which they are absent. However, they may sometimes arrange a substitute to take the lesson - if parents do not wish this to happen, they must inform the visiting music teacher.

12. For parents' reassurance, the school will carry out the usual child protection checks on visiting music teachers as a matter of course.

13. Parents who wish their children to discontinue instrumental lessons must make arrangements with the individual visiting music teacher(s) and inform the Director of Music. It would be usual to expect at least a term's notice. It is assumed that a pupil will continue with tuition from term to term unless parents give notice.

14. Pupils receiving instrumental tuition at school are expected to participate fully and positively in the ensemble work, concerts, competitions, ABRSM examinations and other activities of the Music Department.

15. The Director of Music can advise parents on the hire and/or purchase of instruments. The school has only very limited numbers of instruments available for loan.

16. It is important that pupils are committed to making progress in their chosen instrument(s). Above all this means daily practice. The Music Department makes available an Instrument Practice Book (through the School Shop) in which pupils can log their practice and lessons, music teachers can write comments, and parents are asked to check and sign that practice is being done. Parents are asked to be fully aware and involved in the keeping of this written record which can serve as a useful incentive to pupils to make the most of the not inexpensive opportunity that is being offered to them.

17. Concerns or complaints about instrumental teaching should be referred in the first instance directly in writing to the visiting music teacher. If the matter is not resolved, parents should then contact the Director of Music.

Orchestra, Choir, Wind Band and Folk Music

Considerable numbers of pupils in the Senior School are involved in music ensembles, and there is an expectation that those who receive instrumental lessons or who are following music courses should do so. Rehearsals are held both at lunchtimes and after school and, each year, there are three residential music weekends in preparation for concerts. Public concerts are given three times a year, and musicians make significant contributions to Prizegiving, public events, and school Masses and liturgies.

An annual Music Competition, with a Concert Final, affords an opportunity for adjudicated performance. The College also participates in the West of Scotland Independent Schools' Orchestra and Band. Public performance is regarded as an important part of pupils' musical education. Parents are asked to support and encourage their children in the long-term commitment to practice and preparation that leads to the achievement of excellence in music.

There is a full-time specialist teacher of music in the Junior School. All pupils have a music lesson each week.

Instrumental tuition is available to Junior School pupils in P4 and above.

The Junior School has its own successful choir and orchestra. Rehearsals are held during lunchtime and sometimes after school in the run-up to concerts and competitions.

The Junior School produces a major musical every other year.

Informal tea time concerts are held once a year for each year group at 3.30pm. These give the children a gentle introduction to performance in public.