Music

The music department has over 38 ensembles. The college has an outstanding orchestra with over 100 musicians and a fabulous choir with over 70 singers. There is also a vast number of impressive chamber ensembles e.g. glee club, soul band, flute group, clarinet group, saxophone group, string group, brass group, trombone group, jazz band, swing band, girls' choir, chamber choir, gospel choir, barber shop quartet, percussion group, and rock bands. Students are encouraged to take an active role in these musical activities and to form and direct their own ensembles. Students will develop the ability to rehearse and direct their very own groups.

The music department boasts an impressive 100% pass rate for both AS and A2 music for over 10 years. The department was awarded a "Grade 1 Outstanding" report by Ofsted in 2008.

A–B 42% A2 Music
A–B 79.3% AS Music

There are 60 students studying A level music at Xaverian College in 4 A level music classes.

The Xaverian College Music department employs a full time accompanist, Alison Farshi, who is readily available for rehearsals, instrumental lessons and master class coaching sessions, accompanying students for concerts, recitals and examinations. This is a free resource to all musicians at Xaverian College.

Instrumental and vocal lessons are undertaken by the best young professional musigrilcians and peripatetic teachers in the North West.

The music department employs Matthew Sergeant. Matthew is a professional composer and tutor at the RNCM and Huddersfield University; recently commissioned to write a 2nd piece for the London Symphony Orchestra. Matthew also works with other orchestras like the Liverpool Philharmonic, the BBC Philharmonic, the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Concert Orchestra, to name a few. Matthew teaches both As and A2 composition.

Xaverian College also employ Michael Doherty, who is a professional film music composer; he teaches and tutors A level music students in composition⁄theory⁄analysis

Workshops⁄master classes

Master classes are undertaken by the peripatetic music teachers and Head of Music Mr Levendis on a weekly basis.

The master classes help the students towards both AS and A2 performance examinations.

The Xaverian College music department employ leading professional international musicians to put on workshops. For example jazz workshops by Mike Hall (Head of Jazz Studies RNCM) and Geth Griffiths (RNCM), composition workshops by Dr David Horne (Professor of composition RNCM), Adam Gorb (Head of Composition RNCM), and vocal workshops by Maureen Brathwaite and Ronald Samm.

The music department works in partnership with the RNCM; this work includes string quartet writing, jazz workshops, Gamelan master classes, joint concerts, musical theatre productions, a mentoring scheme, 6th form teaching experience for RNCM students, and teacher training.

RNCM composition students write commissioned works for Xaverian ensembles, premiered in concerts and recitals at the RNCM on a yearly basis.

Lower 6th students have their compositions premiered, performed and recorded by a leading RNCM String Quartets.

Other projects with the RNCM have included:

Involvement in the production of the WIZ (2010)
A concert at the Whitworth Art Gallery – "Art of Sound: Sound of Art" (2008)
Involvement in the production of West Side Story (2008)
Xaverian students having their compositions premiered at a RNCM concert at the Imperial War Museum (2007)
Helping the RNCM open their new building in front of the Duchess of Kent (2007)

The Xaverian College Music Department produce their own double disc CD box sets of live concert performances; these have included "Xaverian College The Best 6th Form Album in The World Ever!!!" and the 2nd volume entitled "Xaverian College The Best 6th Form Album in The World Ever ... Volume 2"!

Mr Levendis mentors and tutors RNCM students, who in turn come into college to mentor⁄tutor Xaverian students. The RNCM students are both 2nd year and 3rd year undergraduates.
Mr Levendis also mentors RNCM & MMU PGCE and QTS RNCM students.
They all take an active role in rehearsals, coaching, teaching, workshops, and concerts.
Support is given to all students. If you need help or you are behind in work Mr Levendis provides one-to-one catch up sessions on a daily basis. (over 500 last year)

Performances Concerts

The music department performs 4 major concerts and 7 recitals during the academic year. This includes a Xaverian College's Young Musician of the Year Competition and a Young Composer of the Year Competition. The music department also work In collaboration with the drama department to stage musical productions.

What we study and how

VLE
Theory
Aural
Listening
Singing
Intervals
Harmony
Composition
Performance
Essay writing
Analysis
Group work
Presentations
Timed essay writing
Workshops
Master classes
Set works: Jupiter Symphony: Mozart Symphony 5: Ralph Vaughan Williams
Areas of study: Musicals, Jazz, 1 to 1 sessions with Mr Levendis, Mr Sergeant and Mr Doherty

Xaverian successes 2008 – 2009

Toks Dada – viola: unconditional £16000 scholarship at the Birmingham Conservatoire and an unconditional £12000 scholarship at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. A reserve place at Trinity College of music.

Matthew Corrigan – euphonium: unconditional place at the Royal Northern College of Music, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and at the BC.

Rachel Taverner – piano: unconditional place at the RNCM.

Xaverian successes 2009 – 2010

Joseph Starbuck – trombone: unconditional scholarship at the BC and a reserved place at both the RNCM and the Royal College of Music.

Steven Cavanagh – baritone horn: unconditional place at the RNCM and at the BC.

Lucy Carr has – recorder: unconditional scholarship at both the RWCMD and the BC. She has also been offered an unconditional place at the RCM and TCM.

Leah Fogo is currently on a scholarship at the RNCM, studying composition.

Nathan Harding is studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama: saxophone.

There are also a very high number of Xaverian students going on to university to study music.

Future projects in the pipeline!

Music tour
Concert at the RNCM
New building, practice rooms, rehearsal rooms, concert hall & recording studios

All these activities help the musicians at Xaverian to develop and blossom; they are devised to also create an enjoyable musical environment and to help students in their AS and A2 examinations.