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The work of the Music Service in schools involves tuition at both primary and secondary level in brass, strings, woodwind, voice, percussion, keyboard and World music, as well as class music support work. At present Oldham has approximately £1.5 invested in instruments.
The majority of students find their initial interest in music through receiving lessons from the highly qualified staff of music teachers based at the Music Centre who visit schools to teach their own particular specialisms. As soon as a student is ready for one of the junior groups at the Music Centre s/he is encouraged to enrol. S/he then moves through the groups according to personal progress and ability.
Brass and percussion are taught in both primary and secondary schools and the Music Centre provides a four-tier brass band structure including an Elementary Brass Group, a Training Brass Band, an Intermediate Brass Band and the Music Centre Youth Brass Band. There is also a Percussion Ensemble.
The Orchestral Wind Department oversees the teaching of woodwind and orchestral brass in both primary and secondary schools.
A four-tier structure of wind bands rehearse at the Music Centre ranging from an Elementary Woodwind Group through Training and Intermediate Wind Bands to the Oldham Youth Wind Band. In addition there is an Early Music Group, employing a whole range of early instruments, a number of wind and brass ensembles including a Double Reed Ensemble, a Swing Band and Saxophone, Jazz and Contemporary Music Groups.
Upper and lower strings and guitar are taught in both primary and secondary schools with violin teaching beginning in KS1 Year 2. Mini basses are used to encourage double bass playing in the primary schools. An Elementary String Group forms the basis for the orchestral work at the Centre and children progress from this, through the Training String and Intermediate Orchestras, to the Oldham Youth Orchestra. There is also a Guitar Ensemble, a String Quartet and a Chamber Orchestra.
Keyboard is taught in both primary and secondary schools and a Keyboard Orchestra has recently been introduced at the Music Centre. World Music is a recent development in the work of the Music Service and is offered at both primary and secondary level. A Steel Drum Band rehearses at the Music Centre
Curriculum support is offered to primary schools including Wider Opportunities Programmes.
Choral work is offered at both primary and secondary level and group voice tuition at secondary level. This work is further developed at the Oldham Music Centre where a choral structure includes the Oldham Boys’ Choir, the Oldham Girls’ Choirs - Junior and Senior, the Oldham Youth Choir and a Music Theatre Group.
Musical Beginnings classes for children aged 0 to 5 years and a programme of Special Projects based on Music, Arts and Health have also been developed in recent years.
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