We are committed as a Foundation to increasing accessibility to outstanding opportunities, and that ethos is evident in our music provision; we encourage all pupils to develop their musical talents and passion, no matter their experience level when they join us. Outstanding music-making is something that is rooted in each of our schools, and our passion for facilitating transformational music opportunities for pupils naturally extends to the local community.

Orchestra of the Swan 

Our partnership with Orchestra of the Swan is truly groundbreaking. Through the work we carry out with our orchestra in residence, we enable young people across Warwickshire to access both the outstanding musical facilities at the Foundation but also the talent and passion of the Swan’s musicians as they visit schools around the town. These visits feature workshops tailored to the school in question aimed at inspiring the children about music-making, and developing a pathway to creating a new generation of musicians.

The Swan’s partnership with the Foundation is unique – they are embedded in our music provision, and provide opportunities for our pupils that are rarely seen in education between the ages 3-18. These opportunities include conducting workshops with renowned conductor Rebecca Miller, experience that would be difficult to get even at Music College; the opportunity to play side-by-side with the professional Swan orchestra at one of their three concerts at Warwick Hall each season; and the chance to watch the Swan’s open rehearsals before these concerts.

Swan Youth Orchestra

The Swan Youth Orchestra was launched in February 2024 to empower school-age musicians across the region to take their orchestral playing to the next level. Swan Youth Orchestra is for students aged 11-18 at Grade VI level or above, with ensemble experience. 

Students will be tutored and play side-by-side with our professional musicians and Music Hub tutors, developing students ensemble and performance skills.

The weekend course consists of sectionals, workshops and full rehearsals, concluding with a concert on the Sunday evening.

The next weekend course takes place on 5-6 October 2024.

 

 

 

Westgate String Project 

Our Westgate String Project is the epitome of Warwick Enables, Warwick Empowers. Children from Warwick Prep School work with Year 3 children at Westgate to teach violin sessions – empowering our pupils to become good citizens while enabling music making in a new location – with an end of term concert supported by our staff. 

 

 

Warwick - A Singing Town 

Warwick – A Singing Town enables outstanding musical opportunities to be extended to people across our local community. These opportunities are not restricted to one age group either -  the project enables people of all ages to benefit. From weekly singing tuition for children at local primary schools to Sing for Joy community choirs based at local community centres, this project aims to bring the joy of singing to as many people in Warwick as possible.

 

 

 

Working with Warwickshire Music and Supporting Local Music

We work closely with Warwickshire Music, as we host the Warwickshire County Youth Wind Band and Warwickshire County Youth String Orchestra weekly.

We also host the Warwickshire Youth choirs weekly rehearsals and regular workshops.

We also proudly:

• Act as the regular weekly rehearsal venue for The Contemporary Choir Warwickshire;

• Host the regional finals and the national Final of the National Concert Band Festival;

• Act as the performance venue for the Royal Leamington Spa Bach Choir;

• Provide a string scheme for Year 3 pupils at Westgate Primary School

• Provide trumpet/buglers for remembrance parades in schools and for churches across the town 

• Host regional finals of the Pro Corda Chamber Music Competition, and;

• Provide a number of choristers for the choirs at St Mary’s Church Warwick. 

This culture of support is enabled by our Venues and Events team, who liaise with schools and organisations in order to determine how we can best support their needs. In recent times, this has included:

• Warwickshire Youth Choir 
• Warwickshire Symphony Orchestra
• Canticum
• Singing For Pleasure
• GSA Choir of the Year Competition
• Leamington Spa Competitive Festival
• Warwickshire Sings
• Cello Dynamo
• Big Local Night Out
• Contemporary Choir
• Midlands Praise Day Concert