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The Clarendon Muse
70 Rickmansworth Road
Watford
WD18 7JA
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watfordmusicenquiries@hertfordshire.gov.uk
01923 225531

Regional Manager: Wendy Topping

Business Manager: Elaine Raison

Whole Class and Community Development Lead: Tansy Agnew

 

Office hours (term time only)

  • Mon–Fri, 3pm–9pm
  • Saturday: 8.30am–1.30pm

Available lessons at WSM

Here at Watford School of Music, we have lesson spaces for the following instruments.

Brass - Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday

Cello - Thursday

Clarinet -Tuesday

Classical Guitar - Monday

Bassoon -Tuesdays

Drums - Mondays

Electric Guitar - Tuesday, Thursday

Flute - Tuesday

French Horn - Saturday

Oboe – Friday - Saturday

Saxophone – Tuesday, Friday

Voice – Thursday

We welcome adults and children over the age of 8 for individual lessons.

If you would like lessons in any of the above, please register at: https://ukhertfordshire.speedadmin.dk/registration#/   and select the Music centre - Watford

Then drop us an email to Watford Music Enquiries watfordmusicenquiries@hertfordshire.gov.uk or give us a call after 2pm Monday to Friday on 01923 225531 and we will have a chat about availability of times and days for lessons. 

What's on

Monday

  • 4.00 – 4.40pm – Dalcroze Eurhythmics(Nursery, Reception, Years 1 & 2)                                                                      

Tuesday

  • 5.20 – 6.00pm – Junior Wind Band
  • 6.00 – 7.00pm – Concert Band

Wednesday

  • No Ensmbles on Wednesdays currently

Thursday

  • 5.30 – 6.10pm – Rock Up
  • 6.45 – 8.00pm – Adult Recorder Ensemble (hosted by WSM)
  • 7.30 – 9.15pm – One Voice Watford Community Choir (adult ensemble)

Friday

  • 6.00 - 7.00pm - Senior Strings Ensemble
  • 6.00 - 7.00pm - Senior Wind Ensemble
  • 6.00 - 7.00pm - Senior Brass & Percussion Ensemble
  • 7.00 - 8.30pm - Youth Orchestra

Saturday

Orchestras

  • 9.00 – 9.40am –  String Starters 
  • 10.00 – 10.40am – Junior Strings
  • 11.00am – 12 noon – String Works
  • 12 noon – 1.00pm – WSM Sinfonia
  • 10.00am - 11.00am  - String Chamber Ensemble or
  • 11.00am - 12 noon - String Chamber Ensemble

Saturday Music

  • 9.00 – 11.00am – Sing, Make, Play (Years 3–6)
  • 9.00 – 9.40am – Explore Music (Reception)
  • 10.00 – 11.40am – Explore Music (Year 1)
  • 10.50 – 11.30am - Explore Music (Year 2)

 

Calendar of events

All concerts will take place in Clarendon Muse Concert Hall unless another venue is stated.

Spring term 2024

January

 DateDay Event Time 

4th

Thursday

 

WSM Teaching starts

6th

Saturday

Saturday morning music school starts – all activities and lessons start

12th

Friday

Youth Orchestra first rehearsal

February

 DateDay Event Time 

6th

Tuesday

Junior Singing day

9.30am 

7th

Wednesday

Beginners First concert recital

6.30pm

17th - 25th

 

Half term

No Saturday morning music school or Saturday morning orchestras on either Saturday

  

March

Date DayEventTime

5th

Tuesday

Brass Music Making day

9.30am 

6th

Wednesday

Brass concert

7.30pm

13th

Wednesday 

Student concert (pianists, guitarists and percussionists)

7.30pm

19th

Tuesday 

Student concert (instrumentalists and singers)

7.30pm

22nd 

Friday

Youth Orchestra, Senior Ensembles concert

7.30pm

w/c

25th

Monday 

Associated board exams

 

27th* 

Wednesday 

Beginners First concert  *amened date.

6.30pm

28th

Thursday 

LAST DAY OF TERM

 

 

Summer term 2024

April

DateDayEvent Time 

15th

Monday

WSM Teaching begins

20th

Saturday

Saturday morning music school starts – all activities and lessons start

May

DateDayEventTime 

6th

Monday 

Bank Holiday Monday - closed 

21th

Tuesday

Beginners string day 

9.30am

25th May to 2nd June

School closed for half term

No Saturday morning music school or Saturday morning orchestras on either Saturday

June

DateDayEvent Time 

7th

Friday

Junior String Day

9.30am

11th

Tuesday 

Junior Wind Band Day 

9.30am

18th

Tuesday 

KS1 Singing Festival 

All day

19th

Wednesday

Student summer celebration concert (pianists, guitarists and percussionists)

7.30pm

20th

Thursday  

One voice choir concert

7.30pm

25th

Tuesday 

Concert: junior Wind Ensemble and concert band

6.30pm

26th

Wednesday 

Student summer celebration concert (instrumentalists and singers) (this may be two concerts depending on demand)

 7.30pm

July

DateDay Event Time 

2nd

Tuesday

Beginners first concert summer celebration concert 

6.30pm

5th

Friday 

Youth Orchestra concert 

7.30pm

6th

Saturday 

Sing Make Play and concert 

 

11.00am

8th

Monday 

Last teaching day

13th

Saturday 

String starters and junior string concert  

  10.00am

   

Sinfonia and String Works concert 

12.45pm

From 9th 

Tuesday 

                                                     Associated Board Exams        

23rd

Tuesday 

WSM OFFICE CLOSED 


Lessons

Individual lessons for children and adults are available on:

  • Strings: violin, viola, cello, double bass and harp
  • Woodwind: flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone and recorder
  • Brass: cornet, trumpet, horn, trombone, euphonium and tuba
  • Percussion: orchestral and drums
  • Singing: classical and pop
  • Piano
  • Guitar: classical and electric
  • Suzuki: piano and violin

I Play Endandured Instruments - (Currently suspended)

‘I Play’ is an introduction/taster to playing an endandured instrument.

Your child will learn to play as part of a class either Oboe, Bassoon ,Viola, Tuba or Double Bass.

The lessons will be every week for 30 mins and the course will run for 5 weeks and will reqire a minium of 3 pupils to take place. 

We will supply instruments for the lessons each week and these will remain at the music school. All the basics will be covered and there will be lots of music making from the very start. 

After the 5 week course it will then be time to decided if you wish to take up the instrument permenantly.. 

£ 60.00 per 5 week course (term time only).

Please contact the centre for more information.

About our groups

String opportunities

String Starters

  • Saturday, 9.00 – 9.40am.
  • For new players
  • Come along to String Starters for your first orchestral experience. 
  • String Starters is an initial ensemble for string players up to grade 1. 
  • £59 per term (term time only).

Junior Strings

  • Saturday, 10.00 – 10.40am.
  • This orchestra follows on from String Starters and is for players at grade 1–3 standard or equivalent.
  • A wide range of repertoire is rehearsed and performed.
  • As well as practising the strings skills you have already learned, students will learn the elements of ensemble playing.
  • £59 per term (term time only).

String Works

  • Saturday, 11.00am – 12 noon.
  • Minimum grade 3.
  • Requires good sight-reading skills and some position shifting.
  • As well as practising all the string skills that they have learned, the players learn formal aspects of orchestral playing and have a lot of fun.
  • £59 per term (term time only).

WSM Sinfonia

  • Saturday, 12 noon – 1.00pm.
  • Minimum grade 5.
  • For string, woodwind and brass players with good sight-reading skills who wish to gain orchestral experience. 
  • Confident position shifting and some vibrato required.
  • £59 per term (term time only).

 Senior strings

  • Friday, 6.00 – 7.00pm.
  • Minimum standard of grade 7.
  • For experienced orchestral players who wish to tackle string orchestra repertoire and perform to a high level. 
  • A well rounded technique with confident shifting into all positions is needed and well developed vibrato skills.
  • £59 per term (term time only).

Watford School of Music Youth Orchestra

  • Friday, 7.00 – 8.30pm
  • Grade 7 and above.
  • Entry by teacher recommendation or by informal audition.
  • Standard full symphony orchestra repertoire is studied in full and in sectional rehearsals.
  • This orchestra is for all students from the Watford, Three Rivers, Bushey and Radlett and surrounding areas. You don't need to study at Watford School of Music to join.
  • £79 per term (term time only).

Wind Brass and Percussion opportunities

Junior Wind Ensemble

  • Tuesday, 5.20 – 6.00pm.
  • For beginner to grade 3, children in Key Stage 2 and above.
  • This is a great first experience for playing in a wind band.
  • £59 per term (term time only).

Concert Band

  • Tuesday, 6.00 – 7.00pm.
  • For players who are grade 3 standard and above.
  • We play a range of music from television and film music to traditional wind band repertoire.
  • £59 per term (term time only).

Senior Wind Ensemble

  • Friday, 6.00 – 7.00pm.
  • Grade 7 and above.
  • For advanced wind players who would like to enhance their ensemble playing skills.
  • £59 per term (term time only).

 Senior Brass & Percussion Ensemble

  • Friday, 6.00 – 7.00pm.
  • Grade 7 and above.
  • For advanced brass players who would like to enhance their ensemble playing skills.
  • £59 per term (term time only).

Watford School of Music Youth Orchestra

  • Friday, 7.00 – 8.30pm
  • Grade 7 and above.
  • Entry by teacher recommendation or by informal audition.
  • Standard full symphony orchestra repertoire is studied in full and in sectional rehearsals.
  • This orchestra is for all students from the Watford, Three Rivers, Bushey and Radlett and surrounding area. You don't need to study at Watford School of Music to join.
  • £79 per term (term time only)

WSM Sinfonia and WSM Youth Orchestra

  • There are opportunities for orchestral percussionists in both these orchestras.

Guitar opportunities

Junior and Senior Guitar Ensemble Courses

Over the accademic year we will be running Junior and Senior Guitar ensemble courses. 

Dates will be puplished once confirmed 

Rock Up

  • Thursday, 5.30 - 6.10pm.
  • Students work as a whole class, in groups and by themselves to create their own music and work out how to perform pop and rock standards.
  • This will be open to all instrumentalists and vocalists in Year 5 and above.
  • £59 per term (term time only).

Singing

One Voice Watford Community Choir 

  • Thursday, 7.30 – 9.15pm.
  • This is a community choir for adults.
  • This choir is organised and facilitated by members of the One Voice Choir
  • Please visit the website onevoicewatford.com     
  • email info@onevoicewatford.com for more information. 

Music for babies, toddlers, Nursery, Foundation and Key Stage 1

Dalcroze Eurhythmics

Eurhythmics offers a very good basis for children preparing to take up an instrument and complementing what they learn in music lessons and at Key Stage 1.

It's a method of learning about music by using the whole body: listening, starting and stopping, rhythm, pitch, dynamics, beat, pulse, phrasing, notation and composition.

These classes are designed to introduce children to the world of music through movement, singing, rhythms, untuned percussion, aural training and quick response games.

The benefits of these classes include improved listening and co-ordination skills, simple notation to help children prepare for reading music, and group / solo activities to build confidence. 

Nursery/Reception

  • Monday, 4.00 – 4.40pm.
  • The children must be accompanied by an adult.
  • All classes are in term time only and consist of 10 x 40 minute sessions.
  • £59 per term (term time only).

Year 1 and 2

  • Monday, 4.00 – 4.40pm.
  • All classes are in term time only and consist of 10 x 40 minute sessions.
  • £59 per term (term time only).

Explore Music Reception

  • Saturday, 9.00 – 9.40am.
  • Our music programme for Reception.
  • Children sing, dance and play simple percussion instruments, as well as creating their own music.
  • £59 per term (term time only)

Explore Music Year 1

  • Saturday, 10.00 – 10.40am.
  • Our music programme for Year 1.
  • Children sing, dance and play simple percussion instruments, as well as creating their own music.
  • £59 per term (term time only)

Explore Music Year 2

  • Saturday: 10.50 – 11.30am 
  • Our music programme for Year 2
  • Children do all the activities from Explore Music Reception/year 1, and begin to play the recorder.
  • £59 per term (term time only)

Opportunities for Key Stage 2

Sing, Make, Play

  • Saturday, 9.00 – 11.00am
  • For children aged 7 and above.
  • SING! – warm up session for all KS2 children.
  • MAKE! – children create and perform their own music in their year groups.
  • PLAY!
  • Children will play an instrument in their year group. e.g recorder Ukulele, tabla.
  • £99 per term (term time only).

Ensemble Membership

The HMS Ensemble Membership includes two or more ensembles for an individual pupil. Cost £109.00 per term.

To learn more about the HMS Ensemble Membership, please visit the HMS Ensemles and music Groups.

Other ensembles previously run as part of Watford School of music.

These ensembles are not affiliated with Watford School of Music and are run independently from Hertfordshire Music Service. We value music making and are signposting you to other opportunities in your area. 

Hertfordshire Music Service does not take any responsibility for the quality and content of these groups. Please contact the repective organisers if you have any questions.

Recorder Group  

  • The Recorder Group is a small consort
  • Thursday evenings, 8.00pm - 9.00pm, during term time
  • We would welcome players who can play more than one size of recorder (C and F fingerings) and are reasonable fluent sight-readers
  • More details from Hilary Worsfold, email hilary.recorders@gmail.com

Hertfordshire Guitar Orchestra

  • Open to all ages from intermediate standard upwards
  • All styles from classical to world music to rock are covered
  • All guitar types are welcome: acoustic, classical, electric, bass
  • Music notation is used, but tab is available if required
  • Rehearsals are held at Rickmansworth School
  • Wednesdays starting at 7.30pm
  • Information can be found at the Hertfordshire Guitar Orchestra website;  www.hertfordshireguitarorchestra.com or by contacting thomas_parsons@talk21.com