St Mary's Music School

🎄🎄Are you as excited about the St Mary's Music School Christmas Concert as we are? We cannot WAIT to welcome you to The Parish Church of St. Cuthbert, Edinburgh City Centre on 18 December for a night of festive music...just in time to get you in the spirit for the big day. 🎼

Our pupils will be performing music by:
🎹𝐂.𝐏.𝐄 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐡, 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐬, 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐚𝐬, 𝐎𝐥𝐚 𝐆𝐣𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐨, 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐧, 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐫, 𝐉𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐮𝐬 and we will be welcoming Special Guest, 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐚𝐦☃️❄️

We hope to see you there! Click on the link below for tickets:
https://bit.ly/SMMSChristmas_2023

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦!

🎨✨𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐨𝐧-𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐚𝐧 - 𝐀𝐫𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 🌈

🌈 A proud Glasgow School of Art alumna from the painting and printmaking realm, Kate is more than an artist—she's a force of creativity. 🐾🥊 With five furry companions by her side and a passion for boxing, Kate's zest for life extends to exploring various art disciplines, broadening her skills. 🧶📸 Her love for crochet and photography adds vibrant hues to her palette.

Beyond the canvas, Kate is a community builder, generously sharing her artistic magic as a volunteer at a local primary school, inspiring young minds and guiding staff. 📚✏️ Currently, she's co-authoring and illustrating a whimsical children's book with her sister—a testament to her boundless imagination and collaborative spirit.

Join us in celebrating Kate—our devoted art teacher, creative powerhouse, and the heart of our artistic community! 🌟🎨

🎻 Did you know?

St Mary's Music School boasts vibrant Junior and Senior Orchestras, providing a harmonious platform for our talented musicians to showcase their skills! 🎶 From classical masterpieces to contemporary compositions, our orchestras bring music to life. 🌟

Our Pupils also play regularly in youth orchestras such as Edinburgh Youth Orchestra,
National Children's Orchestras of Great Britain and National Youth Orchestras of Scotland - NYOS.

🎼

🎵🌟 Calling all parents with musically inclined kids aged 4 to 12! 🌟🎵

Discover the joy of a musical education with our Saturday Music Classes!🎶🎉

Does your child have an interest in music? Here at St Mary's Music School we offer an opportunity for any child aged 4 - 12 to explore the world of music, guided by our team of dedicated and highly qualified staff.

For every child who’d like to start learning an instrument at SMC, we’ve launched an exciting new combined-class programme: a morning of musical activities including an instrument lesson plus ensemble, choir and Kodály musicianship classes, all at a great value price. The programme develops a wide range of musical skills, providing an outstanding and well-rounded musical education for young learners, and is a great opportunity for children who love music to learn and grow as musicians together in a fun, friendly and nurturing environment.

Places are available now for pupils who’d like to learn viola, cello, clarinet, accordion or flute.

Ready to embark on a musical journey with us? 🎼🤩 Visit our website to find out more about our Saturday Music Classes:

https://www.stmarysmusicschool.co.uk/music-for-all/saturday-music-classes/year-by-year-instrumental-programmes/

Let the melodies begin! 🎻🎷🎺🎶

🎹𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍🎹
𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥: 𝐏𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐎

Applications for our ever popular International Summer School for Piano are now open.
Running from 4 - 9 August 2024, you will be mentored by acclaimed pianists and St Mary's Music School teachers Helena Buckmayer, Anna Michels and Philip Sharp.

The programme will include:
One-to-one lessons
Collaborative work
Daily workshops including an introduction to Alexander Technique
Daily yoga and more!

For info and to apply, follow the link below:
https://bit.ly/InternationalPianoSummerSchool2024

🎄✨ 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝟏𝟖 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫! 🎶

Join us for an enchanting evening of music at the St Mary's Music School annual Christmas Concert at The Parish Church of St. Cuthbert, Edinburgh City Centre . 🌟🎻

Be captivated by the magic of the season and enjoy some beautiful music as our pupils give performances including works from CPE Bach, Weelkes, Farkas and Wagner.

With a special appearance from celebrated Cellist, Philip Higham, it's an evening that promises to be nothing short of extraordinary. Don't miss this chance to immerse yourself in the spirit of the holidays with St Mary's Music School. 🎄🎵

Mark your calendars and join us for a night of musical brilliance that will leave you in awe! 🌠

Tickets from the School website, or click on the link below:
https://bit.ly/SMMSChristmas_2023

𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠!

St Mary's Music School is currently looking to appoint a houseparent to work on a supply/ bank basis.

Along with the wider boarding house team, you will be responsible for boarders' welfare and pastoral care. You will be required to work primarily at weekends. This could be a day or overnight shift.

You should be should be energetic, adaptable and sympathetic to the needs of young musicians and ideally should have a background or training in pastoral care.

You will find further information on the school website www.stmarysmusicschool.co.uk/about/vacancies/

Applications will be considered as they are received and starting date is to be agreed.

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦!
🎻𝐃𝐫 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧, 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐲'𝐬 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥

Valerie's musical journey began at King's College London and the Royal Academy of Music, where she studied the violin under the guidance of Diana Cummings. This transformative experience not only deepened her understanding of the physiology of playing but also laid the foundation for her dedication to teaching. She also studied composition with Sir Harrison Birtwistle.🎓

Her passion for modern music led her to pursue a doctoral degree at the University of York. There, she explored innovative ways to blend performance, composition and improvisation, showcasing her commitment to experimentation. 🎻🌈

With a wealth of teaching experience, she has nurtured young talents, fostering a network of confident players through chamber music, concerts, and successful competition and orchestra auditions. 🏆🌟

A maestro of strings and a mentor deeply devoted to her pupils, Valerie is a key player in our musical family. Join us in celebrating her dedication to music, teaching, and inspiring the next generation of talented musicians! 🎶💖

Thank you for celebrating Giving Tuesday with us today!

We hope you've enjoyed hearing more about what we do here at St Mary's Music School and the impact the generosity of our Friends, donors and supporters has on the music education we offer our talented young pupils. We would like to say a huge thank you to all of you.

If you'd like to join our wonderful School community of supporters, why not head to our website to find out more about becoming a Friend of St Mary's Music School. Thank you!

https://www.stmarysmusicschool.co.uk/support-us/friends/

To celebrate Giving Tuesday, St Mary's Music School Alumnus Ian Sankey reflects on his journey from the School to becoming a professional musician:

This Giving Tuesday we'd like to showcase what makes a music education at St Mary's Music School so special. Find out more from School Music Department Manager, Kate Aitken:

Today, on Giving Tuesday, we're delighted to hear a word from professional pianist and teacher Anna Michels on her experience as a pupil of St Mary's Music School.

🌟Today is Giving Tuesday!🌟

Giving Tuesday is an annual global celebration of the wonderful work charities do and the generous supporters who help to make it all happen. Today, we would like to thank and celebrate the School's fantastic donors, corporate partners, our Trust and Foundation funders and the Friends of St Mary's Music School - it is thanks to your support that we are able to provide such a unique and inspiring learning environment for our talented young musicians.

Keep an eye out throughout today for posts across our socials thanking our supporters, telling you more about what we do at St Mary's Music School and the impact a specialist music education has on our Alumni.

And if you'd like to lend your support and become part of our thriving School community, why not head to our website to find out more about becoming a Friend of St Mary's Music School.

https://www.stmarysmusicschool.co.uk/support-us/friends/

🎉𝐁𝐈𝐆 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒!! 🎼𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄!

To all those that love Lower Brass! 🎵 Something exciting is coming your way in February, and you're invited! 🌟 St Mary's Music School is hosting not one, but TWO Lower Brass Day events in 𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐁𝐔𝐑𝐆𝐇 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐄𝐋𝐆𝐈𝐍 in February.

We are delighted to have some of the world's best Lower Brass players and teachers joining us to lead on the day's activities:

Jonathan Gawn
John Kenny
Arlene Macfarlane
Oren Marshall
Danielle Price
Martin Thomson
Emily White

📅 Date: 24/02/2024
🕒 Time: 9am
📍 Location: The Parish Church of St Cuthbert, Edinburgh

📅 Date: 25/02/2024
🕒 Time: 9am
📍 Location: Elgin Academy, Elgin

We will also be joined by Buffet Crampon, one of the leaders in wind instrument manufacturing, for taster sessions.

Spread the word, tag your friends, and join us for a fun day of activities ! 🌈🎉
Link below for your free Lower Brass resource pack
https://linktr.ee/smmslowerbrass

🤩𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬!🎹🎼

Does your child show an interest in music? We would love to welcome them to our long established and ever popular Saturday Music Classes for children, held at our School during term time.

For every child who’d like to start learning an instrument, we’ve launched a new combined class programme: a morning of musical activities including an instrument lesson, ensemble, choir and musicianship classes, all at a great value price. Places are available for viola, cello, clarinet, accordion and flute.

For more information, follow the link:
https://www.stmarysmusicschool.co.uk/music-for-all/saturday-music-classes/year-by-year-instrumental-...

St Mary's Music School is looking for a part time evening cleaner (Term-Time only) to join our facilities team.
15 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 5pm to 8pm.

More details can be found on our website or contact [email protected].
https://www.stmarysmusicschool.co.uk/about/vacancies/

🎷 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 🎶

𝐑𝐨𝐛 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥 - 𝐒𝐚𝐱𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞/𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐭/ 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐥𝐮𝐬/ 𝐏𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐨/ 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐲/ 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧🎷🎼

Step into the musical world of Mr. Rob Hall! From Manchester University to the Royal Northern College of Music, Rob's passion for clarinet, saxophone, and composition has taken him across continents. With a degree, two diplomas, and a trail of awards, he enriched his skills at Berklee College of Music, USA, not just as a student but also as a harmony teacher.

Back on home soil, Rob's musical journey has woven through stages and recordings with Kenny Wheeler, Jim Mullen, and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. His saxophone and clarinet melodies have graced international festivals and iconic stages, leaving an indelible mark on the musical landscape. As a leader and co-leader, Rob has crafted nine albums of original and improvised music, showcasing his dynamic collaborations, notably with pianist Chick Lyall. His compositions, published worldwide, reflect a creative brilliance that extends to nurturing the next generation of musicians at St Mary's Music School. 🌎🎵🎓

Rob has just recently published his latest Sonatina for Saxophone & Piano and the performers were former pupils John Hall (saxophone) and Carlo Massimo (piano) with current pupil Viktor Seifert acting as recording engineer. Link below!

https://fortonmusic.co.uk/product/sonatina-for-alto-saxophone-and-piano/

Stay tuned for more glimpses into the lives of our incredible teaching team! 🎶✨

🎶 Friends of St Mary's Music School 🎶

After our recent Annual Friends Event, we caught up with one of our Friends to talk about the event, and what it's like being a Friend of St Mary's Music School:

"We really enjoyed our evening at the Friends event and look forward to many more such events. It feels good to be able to renew our connection with the school in this way. St Mary's Music School provided a wonderful education in a particularly caring environment for our son and daughter, and it’s gratifying to see the school is continuing to develop and prosper."

Do you share our passion for music? Join our School community today by becoming a Friend of St Mary's Music School! For a donation of £10 per month, you can support the future of music and enjoy some fantastic musical experiences too! 🎵

🤝 Why become a Friend?

✨ You'll support our pupils to realise their musical potential.

✨ You'll be part of a passionate community that shares your love for music.

✨ Exclusive experiences: You'll receive invitations to School performances throughout the year, as well as access to unique School events and the chance to get to know the School and our staff.

Click the link below to become a Friend today

👉 https://www.stmarysmusicschool.co.uk/support-us/friends/

A big shoutout and thank you to Mrs. Elliot from Nationwide Building Society for visiting our Primary Class yesterday! 🏦💰 Her insightful talk about money was not only informative but also very engaging. We all had a blast learning about the fascinating world of finances! 💡📚

Thanks to Mrs. Elliot's expertise, our pupils are now equipped with valuable knowledge about money. Thank you for taking the time to share your insights and making learning so much fun! 🙌🎉

𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐁𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐨!

🌟 Dive into Linguistic Brilliance! 🌐

Yesterday, our modern languages teachers sparked excitement with German, French, and Italian word games! House-divided teams, spanning all ages, collaborated passionately to match words with picture cards.

Prizes and house points were handed out to all those teams who managed to finish the challenge.

🏆 Congratulations to Natalie, Emily, and Lily of Team Grosvenor for seizing first place! 🎉

At St. Mary's Music School, our mission to nurture talented young musicians is only made possible through the generosity of the School’s community of parents, Friends, donors, corporate partners, Trusts and Foundations and the support of the Scottish Government’s Aided Places Scheme. Each contribution, whether large or small, plays a crucial role in helping us continue to provide a world-class music and academic education to our pupils.

Charitable Trusts and Foundations have a rich history of supporting St Mary's Music School, particularly in pivotal areas such as our Instrument Fund and the provision of Bursaries. Whether through single donations for specific projects or multi-year funding, each grant plays an invaluable part in helping us to nurture the next generation of professional musicians.

Huge thanks to all of the School’s supporters and funders for your generosity.

As Anti-Bullying Week 2023 comes to a close, our Primary class has dedicated their efforts to craft a meaningful display centred around the theme, 'Listen Up!'. Reflecting on this week, here are some key takeaways:

🌟 ‘My feelings are important’
🌟 ‘Adults should listen and keep us SAFE’
🌟 ‘We have the right to feel safe’
🌟 ‘Adults should take Bullying SERIOUSLY’
🌟 ‘We look after each other’

At St Mary’s Music School, we practice what we've learned—everyone's feelings are valued, adults are attentive guardians ensuring our safety, and the right to feel secure is a shared commitment. Bullying is tackled head-on, with adults treating it seriously. But it doesn't stop there—our mantra is simple: we look out for each other. It's this collective spirit that forms the basis of a bully-free environment. Together, we stand strong against bullying, creating a space where kindness reigns, and every voice is heard. 🌈

🌟🎉 A crescendo of applause echoed through the chapel as the final notes of our Buddy Concert series filled the air yesterday! 🎶 Bravo to all the incredible performers who graced the stage; your passion and talent is nothing short of inspiring!

The bond formed through these performances goes beyond the notes played; it's a testament to the sense of community we hold dear at St. Mary's Music School.

The Buddy Concerts, demonstrate our commitment to fostering inclusivity, not only showcase the musical prowess of our pupils but also exemplify the support and encouragement that permeate our school community. 📚🎶

Well done to Head of School India and her team for organising all the concerts!

Stay tuned to our socials for the next Buddy activities! 📸🎉

Yesterday, the Primary class embarked on an interesting rainy field trip to the The Scottish Parliament! 🌧️ Exploring the intricacies of the building, they were especially excited to see the Debating Chamber. From learning about the workings of the Scottish Parliament to admiring the architecture, the pupils absorbed it all- this was evident from the impressive scores achieved in the fun quiz at the end of the visit! A special shoutout to Susan for the fantastic tour and Miles Briggs MSP for taking the time to answer our questions!

The adventure continued with a scenic route back to school, walking up the Royal Mile and passing by the UK Government and Edinburgh Council offices, learning more about how our country and city are governed.

It was an eye-opening day, filled with laughter, learning, and a bit of tiredness as we finally made it back to the School!🌟

🌍🌿🔬👩‍🏫 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 🎶✏

Kerstin Holm, Biology and Eco-Schools Co-ordinator! 🌟

Hailing from the Netherlands, Kerstin's journey to Edinburgh has been nothing short of an adventure. She's lived in various corners of the globe, gathering experiences that are as diverse as they are fascinating. 🌎

From her early days studying Zoology to a stint as a dog groomer, guide dog trainer, and more, Kerstin's path led her to become our Biology teacher and the guiding force behind St Mary's Music School's EcoCommittee. 🧫🐶

When Ms. Holm is in action, it's anything but ordinary. Whether it's peering through microscopes, delving into botany projects, or embarking on expeditions along the Water of Leith to explore biodiversity, she infuses her teaching days with a vibrant touch of curiosity and discovery. There's never a dull moment when Ms. Holm is at the helm of our Biology classes! 🔍🌿🔬🌱

🎒This week is 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝!📗📘📕
Book Week Scotland is an annual celebration of books and reading that takes place across the country.

Why not share some of your favourite music related books (fiction or non fiction) for all the budding readers out there...

This week we are supporting Anti-Bullying Week, and throughout the week our pupils will be taking part in lessons to raise awareness about the impact of bullying. At St Mary’s Music School we strive to always create a space where everyone feels heard, valued, and free to be themselves. ✨🎵

Let’s stand together against bullying, and foster a culture of kindness and respect!

🎶 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐲'𝐬 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 £𝟏𝟎!!🎶

Share your passion for music and support our talented young musicians at the same time. Your monthly donation helps us to fund everything from Masterclasses with international musicians to extensive performance opportunities, from tuning our fleet of pianos to ensuring we attract the very best teachers across all subject areas.

🌈 Benefits:

🎵Our Friends are right at the heart of our School community - we will keep you in the loop with what's happening with regular emails
🎵An exclusive Annual Friends event and invitations to School events throughout the year

Ready to make a difference? Sign up now! 🎵❤️

https://www.stmarysmusicschool.co.uk/support-us/friends/

❗𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐒!❗
🎶𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬!✏️

Young people across Scotland (age10 - 18) are invited to compose a 3-minute fanfare for tenor horn, baritone horn, euphonium, trombone, bass trombone, and tuba.

The new fanfare should celebrate, or bring to attention some aspect of the composer’s local environment – a landmark, person or group that holds significance.

Click on the link for your free resource pack
https://linktr.ee/smmslowerbrass

Calling all music enthusiasts and business leaders!🎶

At St Mary's Music School, we're on a mission to empower talented young people, foster creativity, and promote the values of excellence and inclusion through the magic of music. 🎵 And we're looking to forge partnerships with businesses that share our passion!

🌟 CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES 🌟

There are a number of ways in which your business could partner with the School:

🎶 Empowering the musicians of tomorrow through Scholarships

🎶 Showcasing your brand through concert and programme sponsorship

🎶 Advertising your business in our concert programmes

🎶 Promoting your business via in-kind support

So, whether you're a local business, a national company, or anything in between, we'd love to chat about how we can work together. 🌠 Get in touch with Caroline Libberton, the School's Development Manager, at [email protected] or by calling the School on 0131 583 7766.

And for more information on what a Corporate Partnership with the School could look like, take a look at our website:

https://www.stmarysmusicschool.co.uk/support-us/corporate-partnership/