Excellence Through Opportunity
The Transformative Power of Music
Wrekin is nationally renowned for the standard of its Music with four platinum awards from the National Concert Band Festival (NCBF) in the last five years under its belt. Platinum is the highest honour you can be given at the event which attracts some of the best bands from across the UK. In 2025 the Jazz Band also received a gold award.
2025 saw our Chapel Choir make the finals of the Barnardo's Youth Choir of the Year once again. The Music Department is also proud to have been shortlisted for the Performing Arts School of the Year Award (Music and Drama) in 2019, 2020 and 2022. Our Jazz Band were also crowned Best School Jazz Band at the Great North Jazz Band Festival in 2024.
Performance for All
Performance opportunities range from large-scale formal events such as our summer and Christmas concerts, to our informal Soirées at Six, which in some cases give our musicians their first experience at performing in front of an audience. In addition to this the school has an enviable reputation at both performing in and hosting musical competitions and festivals. These festivals provide a tangible and exciting performance goal, whilst also being excellent preparation for those pupils who have career ambitions within the music industry. Every year Wrekin hosts and enters pupils in our own Young Musician of the Year Competition and for numerous national awards.
Groups
The music department, led by our Director of Music, Simon Platford MBE, along with an expert team of staff and an extensive team of visiting peripatetic staff, offers a plethora of ensembles and bands. These enable the young musicians at Wrekin to perform not only in many different musical genres but also at a level that challenges, motivates and stimulates them. Whilst we also offer ensembles aimed at our younger Lancaster House pupils, the senior ensembles are open to any age group if the required standard for joining that ensemble has been reached.
There are also numerous instrumental ensembles. The Orchestra, Concert Band and Jazz Band provide our advanced players with opportunities to perform a wide range of music from masterpieces of the classical repertoire right through to Jazz standards and Broadway selections. A string group and a Lancaster training band, both of which have their own programme of concerts and events, support our three senior ensembles. There are also a variety of small chamber groups such as the Brass Group and Saxophone Group which are run by specialist peripatetic staff. These focus on honing particular instrumental skills associated with the pupil’s instrument of choice. The number of ensembles however, is never finite. New groups spring up and in fact are actively encouraged, as musicians develop friendships, new musical interests and wish to work together.
Choir
Wrekin has long had a tradition of fine singing and this continues to flourish, as any visitor to our annual House Singing competition, held in October, will gladly verify. Weekly congregational singing practice is often a highlight of the school week and involves every pupil. However, for those who wish to further their vocal talents, opportunities range from our Chapel Choir who rehearse twice a week, to our Community Choir of parents, friends, staff and pupils, who meet to rehearse and perform works from the choral repertoire in the Lent term. There is also a Lancaster Choir for our Year 7 and 8 pupils. This provides an excellent vocal grounding for pupils and gives them many opportunities to perform repertoire that they have a role in choosing.
Endless Opportunities
Our music calendar provides a huge number of opportunities for our pupils. Master classes with musicians of international repute, performances with other schools, outreach to junior schools and local community groups and performances in concerts and services are an absolutely integral part of the school calendar. There are also fantastic experiences available for those who have an interest in musical theatre.There are also regular concert tours taken with the Choir; in summer 2025 a fantastic trip to New York was enjoyed by numerous pupils. This is all in addition to a thriving and exciting music curriculum. This involves the study of a wide range of musical styles from around the world and the use of state of the art music software packages. The school is also a thriving examination centre for Trinity College Music Exams which are held termly. Pupils are also entered for examinations with other boards including Rock School, Trinity Rock & Pop and the London College of Music musical theatre exams.