Small group instrumental Lessons

Instrumental teaching is a very important part of our music provision at Springbank, with over 100 children from Years 2 to 6 accessing small group instrumental lessons every week.

Learning a musical instrument helps children build focus, confidence, and creativity. It strengthens memory, encourages perseverance, and gives them a fun, positive way to express themselves. Most of all, it’s an enjoyable skill that can stay with them for life.

Our visiting tutors come from Leeds ArtForms, and lessons are taught in small groups of between 2 and 5 students, lasting for 20-30 minutes weekly. Children can learn to play:

Woodwind (flute, clarinet, saxophone, oboe) with Mrs Kenwood - Herriot

Brass (cornet, tenor horn, trombone) with Mr Marchesi

Strings (violin or 'cello) with Ms Briscoe

Guitar with Mr Elvin

Keyboard with Mrs Fabri

Drums with Mr Bowes

The children gain many exciting opportunities from these lessons:

• Gain Leeds ArtForms awards and certificates for their progress.
• Perform in Assemblies and Concerts
• Join our school Orchestra when they are ready to play with others.
• Enter graded music exams when they are ready.
• Join City of Leeds ensembles to further develop their skills and meet other young musicians from across the city.

Our instrumentalists in action:

ArtForms offer a wide range of ensembles and opportunities for our children. Please click the links below to visit their website for further information, and to find out more about the ensembles that are open to our young musicians:

Springbank Rock Orchestra

Our Rock Orchestra goes from strength to strength, and children are invited to join once they have been playing their instrument for around a year. The ensemble is currently made up for students from across Year 3 to Year 6, and we perform regularly during the year, for parents and other students. In the last two years we have expanded our group to include more drummers, guitarists and keyboard players, under our new name "Rock Orchestra"! Recent concerts have included performances of Seven Nation Army, Counting Stars and Cool Blues.

Springbank Singers

Our choir is open to all children in Years 3 to 6 with weekly rehearsals to prepare for our numerous performances every year. Recent events have included:

• Performing at Sheffield Arena and Manchester Co-op Live Arena for the amazing "Young Voices".
• Singing in the community at the "Farsley Live at Home" luncheons for some of the older members of our local area.
• Performing at the school Summer Concert and Summer Fayre.
• Joining with 200 other primary school children to perform on the pitch at Headingley Stadium for the Leeds Rhinos Sing Spectacular, before a Leeds Rhinos match.

After-School Music Clubs

Our aim at Springbank is to be inclusive, so that as many children as possible enjoy the positive experiences that making music can bring. Springbank Orchestra and Singers rehearse through out the school year, but we also run a different after-school club every term, to broaden our musical offer, and allow children to have a taste of a range of musical activity. Recent clubs have included:

• Drumming - the children explored  djembes, bucket drumming and chair drumming.
• Making Music Club - all the children worked together to write lyrics, compose and record their own song as a group.
• Key Stage 1 Singing Club - a chance for Year 1 and 2 children to form their own choir and perform the songs they enjoy.

Year 6 Music Ambassadors

We have introduced the role of Music Ambassador in Year 6, to give students a chance to contribute to the musical organisation in school, and act as role models for the younger children. The children chosen were those who have shown commitment to our music groups and a real passion for the subject. Their role was to support and inspire other children through music. This included:

• Helping to run Singing Assemblies, encouraging positive attitudes, handing out team points and choosing children to sit on the "bench of brilliance".
• Leading activities in Singing Assembly, such as demonstrating BSL to accompany our songs, and running the technical aspect of the sessions.
• Visiting Reception classes once a week to run singing playground games during their lunchbreak.
• Running the Christmas and Summer concerts, by introducing acts, managing technical requirements and helping to organise the younger children.
• Supporting younger pupils during Orchestra and Choir rehearsals.

They have been a vital part of music in school, and hand over their role to the new ambassadors every year, by training them up in the summer term!

Key Stage Two - "Springbank's Got Talent" Show.

Our annual talent show is always a popular event with auditions held during music lessons in January, and then acts were chosen to be finalists for the end of term show. The children really display their talents and skills, and the final show has featured acts from singing, dancing and instruments to gymnastics, magic, comedy, poetry and even a unicyle! The children work incredibly hard in rehearsals, developing and improving their acts ready for a live audience. Many of our Year 6 students also volunteer to present the acts and run all the backstage and technical support. Have a look at some of the photos and videos below to get a taste of how fantastic they are!