The Clarendon Muse
70 Rickmansworth Road
Watford
WD18 7JA
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watfordmusicenquiries@hertfordshire.gov.uk
01923 225531
Regional Manager (West Herts): Nyree O'Brien
Regional Development Lead (West Herts): Kelly Simpson
Regional Development Lead (West Herts): Mark Taylor
Regional Business & Administration Manager (West Herts): Monica Mills
Regional Business & Administration Manager (West Herts): Robert Clarke
Reception Administrator: Amanda Robson
Reception Administrator: Roukshana Zaman
We are a centre for all things musical in Watford - Here you will find all the information you need about learning a musical instrument and joining an ensemble.
Young people can begin and continue their musical journey in any discipline with us.
You can register for individual lessons and ensembles by clicking on the links below. You will then be added to our waiting list and contacted once space becomes available.
String opportunities
String Starters
- Saturday, 8.50 – 9.30am.
- 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 – 11.00am.
- 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).
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).
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.
- Children in Key Stage 2 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).
Orchestral opportunites
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.
- Opportunities for orchestral percussionists
- Confident position shifting and some vibrato required.
- £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.
- Opportunities for orchestral percussionists
- 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).
Guitar opportunities
Junior Guitar ensemble
- Monday, 5.00 - 5.40pm
- Open to all primary school classical and acoustic guitarists who are Initial standard and above.
- A fun opportunity for guitarists to explore different styles of music together in an ensemble setting.
- £59 per term (term time only).
Senior Guitar ensemble
- Wednesday, 6.15 - 6.55pm
- Open to all secondary school classical guitarists who are Grade 2 and above.
- An exciting opportunity for classical guitarists to develop their ensemble skills while exploring different genres of music.
- £59 per term (term time only).
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 – 9.00pm.
- 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, 9.30 – 11.30am
- 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 Ensembles 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 respective organisers if you have any questions.