There is never a dull moment in the Music Department’s calendar.

Our first big event of the year was the second annual Battle of the Bands, the brainchild of Mr Kramer. Bands of all styles and sizes took to the stage of the John Jenkins Hall to do battle and rock the crowd! The panel of judges, comprised of both teachers and students, were hugely impressed by the musical talent and showmanship on display and took quite some time to deliberate. The results were as follows:

Winners of the Junior category: AB/CD
Winners of the Senior category: Censored

The runners up in the Junior category were Shattered, the first ever Year 7 band to reach the final of a Battle of the Bands event. What’s more, Shattered performed their own original song, “Greatest Enemy”!

The runners up in the Senior category were Icemen, and special mentions went to both The Minority, a duet of Year 8 students, who performed The Beatles classic “Here Comes The Sun” and Year 13 Crew, who performed a medley of well-known hits.

The kind of large-scale pop and rock event requires a huge amount of behind-the-scenes work. The Music Department would like to thank all members of the technical crew and merchandise team for making the battle possible!

In just the last two weeks, audiences of family and friends have been treated to three wonderful recital evenings featuring GCSE musicians in Years 9 and 11 in the lovely surroundings of the Recital Room in the Britton Centre. The varied programmes included pop classics, Romantic reveries, and sparkling Classical works, and all students rose to the challenge of giving a solo performance in front of an audience with musical sensitivity and maturity. Well done to everyone who performed!

And there is more to come! On Wednesday, 29 November and Thursday, 30 November, parents, carers, friends and family will be gathering together in the John Jenkins Hall to bear witness to the first performance of our Year 7 2023-24 Wind Band. These Year 7 Showcases are not only a sight to behold, with nearly 100 students playing and singing together each night, but the impressive level of musicianship after less than three months playing their instruments or honing their vocal cords is astounding. If you’d like to support our newest members of Wilson’s musical community, please come along at 7pm on both dates.

On Wednesday, 13 December, we will return to the John Jenkins Hall for the Winter Concert, one of the biggest concerts of the school year. Raising money for the school’s chosen charity, this concert features almost all of our ensembles, including two of our newest: Karnatic Society, which is run by three dedicated Year 12 musicians, and Percussion Ensemble. From the intimate chamber music of the Cello Ensemble to infectious energy of Skiaull, from the rich tones of Chamber Wind to the grandeur of Wilson’s School Symphony Orchestra—this concert has something for everyone! Tickets will be available on ParentPay from Monday, 27 November. We hope to see you there.

To help get everyone in the mood for a spectacular evening of musical talent, why not check out our Winter Concert video. We recorded this in December 2020, when social distancing was in place and many school halls around the country were severely lacking in music-making. To access the video, please use the password SugarPlumFairy.

To round off the term, please join us at Croydon Minster for our annual Carol Service on Monday 18th December. This is a very special event, which showcases our wonderful choir and inclusive readings delivered by some of our best student speakers. It’s a great way to start the festive season.

You can find out more about events past and future in the Wilson’s Music Department, as well as peripatetic music tuition and all sorts of other musical things here.