In February, students from Year 4 to Year 12 sat their Trinity Classical exams.

Preparing for and sitting the exam can be a daunting experience, but students rose to the challenge and their results reflect this!

87% achieved Merit or Distinction, which is incredible!

Click the Trinity logo for the results.

On Thursday, Brass players from across both the Primary and Secondary phase came together to showcase what they have been working on!

It was a brilliant evening with opportunity for inspiration! You can watch it here!

Last Thursday I performed at the Brass celebration evening in the Brass ensemble. I feel that it came together really well and everyone worked together very hard to produce lots of good music. My highlight of the evening is when I played a solo piece called Lucky to be me. It was such a confidence boosting experience and I am much more comfortable playing on my own in front of an audience.  

Millie, Year 10

Big Band Evening 2024 was absolutely amazing! To have each and every musician perform at the standard they achieved was incredible.

Congratulations to our Year 2 String players who have completed their Strings Training Programme!

On Tuesday evening, our Year 2 String players showcased their achievement to parents, families and their peers with the support from Mrs Johnson and Mrs Nunn.

Strings is the very beginning of the musical journey in the Larch. Students pick to learn the Cello or the Violin, and begin working towards their Strings Training Programme!

All Year 2 players have been awarded their certificates, what an incredible achievement! We are really proud of our students!

You can watch the full celebration evening here:

A wonderful evening full of music from a variety of ensembles!

Find our videos here:

Another brilliant evening of music!

Mr Lovell's students came together for a recital evening in preparation for their upcoming exams.

We are continuously posting updates over on our Instagram - from exam success to concert videos, to photos - follow us for all things Simon Balle Music here!

We have so many upcoming events, including our spring term Rock Gig and a Celebration of Wind and Brass.

All information can be found on our What's On page!

Save the date! Our end of year celebration at Saffron is Saturday 6th July, keep an eye out for more details on the Saffron page (click the picture).

Many other events can be found on our What's on page: https://www.simonballe.herts.sch.uk/music/whats-on/

What an amazing term it has been! Full of music and celebration!

Thank you for all of the ongoing support - communicating with us, celebrating our concerts, celebrating your students, following along with us on this journey! You are a valued part of Team Music!

Merry Christmas from Team Music, and we'll see you in 2024 for much more music!

Featuring the Simon Balle Concert Band, Senior Strings, Secondary Choir, Chamber Choir and Saxidentals.

The Simon Balle Community were lucky to enjoy Carol Services featuring Secondary Musicians this week - what a way to count down to Christmas!

Secondary musicians performed fantastically, what a way to finish 2023.

On Tuesday Evening, we enjoyed our Primary Carol Service, featuring the Larch String Orchestra, Larch Wind and Brass Ensemble, Year 2-3 Choir & Year 4-6 Choir.

It was incredible to see so many Primary students involved and celebrated!

We look forward to more Larch Music Celebration in 2024!

On Wednesday, we enjoyed performances from Ms Kemp's students!

It was a brilliant evening of plenty variety from musical theatre to metal to pop!

Please enjoy the videos here -

Take Note held their annual Winter Celebration on Saturday to start off the Christmas period, it was an incredible evening with a variety of music, and of course mince pies!

To find out more about Take Note - please click here for this link.

What’s On

At Simon Balle, we are so proud of what our musicians achieve, day after day. We have had so many amazing performances and moments of celebration in recent weeks across all of our music. Increasingly across the country in many schools, music is in decline. At Simon Balle, I am continually reminded what music means to our students, families and community, both in school and in the wider area. Everyone in Team Music is part of this. The recent performances and events have been nothing short of incredible. We have much more to come.

With Christmas around the corner, so are the Carol Services. Details are below, and please put these in your diaries. They are amazing occasions and this year should be even better! I look forward to seeing many of you there, at All Saints' Church.

Finally, we are on Instagram, curating pictures and videos to celebrate our amazing musicians. Please follow us, like and share. Why should we keep everything achieved to ourselves?!!

https://www.instagram.com/simonballemusic 

Enjoy the music. Team Music!

Mark Taylor, Director of Music.

It has been fantastic to introduce performances in the Larch KS1 Singing Assembly and KS2 Celebration Assembly. Both Secondary and Larch students have been involved, playing as classes enter the hall. This is an excellent platform for the students allowing them the opportunity to showcase some of the super learning, and hard work that has been going on in their instrumental lessons.

KS1 have also been lucky enough to have a performance from the Year 2-3 choir. They heard 2 songs performed by the choir. 

As part of the Celebration Assembly, some of our Larch musicians receive a Larch Star certificate. They are nominated by their instrumental teaching or by Mrs Johnson for an excellent performance in assembly. Our Larch Stars for November are:

Felix WB, Angus M, Felix G, Harry D, Stanley H, Alba W, Emelia M, Alexa T, Jack C, Alec C, Aluna S, Lewis E, Chloe A, Isla J, Marnie W, Mimi T-B, Mason Y, Loris U, Valentina M, Dominic K, Orson B, Isabella C and Evie B! Well done to all

In November, we celebrated Piano Day! Mr Lovell worked tirelessly to ensure all of his students celebrated Piano Day in one way or another, whether this was a performance in the Library at Lunchtime, a performance as part of his Recital Evening, or a video filmed in lessons. 57 pianists took part during the day. Incredible.

It was a brilliant occasion, and we look forward to it again next year!

For now, please enjoy the videos filmed for Piano Day, along with a wonderful variety of performances from the recital evening!

On Thursday, I played the piano at the Celebration of Larch Music. I was slightly nervous as I've never played in front of a crowd on my own before, but I knew I could do it as I practised the piece enough times. My highlight was how proud I felt when I finished playing. It was a great experience and I don't think I'll be as nervous next time!

Valentina, Year 5

On Wednesday, we celebrated our Singing & Secondary Strings.

There was a variety of performances from James Bond Theme by Senior Strings, Billie Eilish by Chamber Choir and a Hairspray number by Secondary Choir!

Performing can be a daunting experience, and all the students performing here did exceptionally well! They should be really proud!

You can watch the videos from the evening here -

As a member of the cello section in the orchestra, the highlight for me was performing the iconic James Bond theme. Each musician contributed to the symphony of sound, creating an incredible atmosphere. The collective effort of everyone involved made the performance truly remarkable, leaving a lasting impression on both performers and the audience alike.

Chloe, Year 8

I was very nervous on the day. I had a solo in the secondary choir. I sang the first verse in the song ‘Somewhere Only We Know’ and I loved the song. I feel it went well and my family told me I did a great job. My favourite part was when I was handed the microphone and I knew I was ready to sing. I was terrified but when it came I was fine and I really enjoyed it and recommend an experience like this.

Hazel, Year 7

On Monday, we celebrated Wind & Brass. With performances from Junior Wind Band, Brass Ensemble, Concert Band, Saxidentals and the all new JSAX!

It was a fantastic evening of music, you can watch the videos here. Well done to everyone.

On Tuesday evening, we enjoyed performances from 14 bands! What a variety of songs! All performed to such a high standard! We are so proud of the performers and amazing audience.

Enjoy the videos here!

On Friday, the Simon Balle Big Band performed at the Hertford Christmas Gala!

It is always a brilliant performance, and this year was no different! Thank you to everyone in our community who came to watch and support.

Please click on the below image for more details.

Please click the image for more details

What’s On

The start of a school year is always one of reflection. Those who have left our immediate musical family, those who are moving up, perhaps realising a long held ambition to have 'their turn'.

It is always amazing how our musicians 'step up'. Take on new challenges, fill gaps in ensembles and adapt to still be part of Team Music. More news on this below, but how our musicians are adapting is brilliant.

I'm also over the moon with how everyone is embracing Practice Pal Music. Over time, this will make life so much easier for all, bringing together information and learning for our instrumental and vocal lessons. It is early days, but the feedback has been brilliant. Thank you. We will be using more features in the coming weeks.

I am also working on new projects and musical opportunities across our work. Details to come as I work them out with the team!

Please have a read of the rest of this newsletter and put the relevant calendar concert dates in your diaries. There is so much going on, so don't miss out!

Mark Taylor,
Director of Music

An incredible time was had by all in Ghent last July, with amazing concerts, amazing team work, an amazing Hertford and international audience and inspirational performances and music. We are booking for next year. I'll leave the pictures to do the talking. What an experience. (the last picture is of the crowd. 90 minutes before, the square was empty due to torrential rain that interrupted our concert.....)

In June and July, Team Music enjoyed 6 days of musical exams for students throughout the All-through community, from Year 2 - Year 13 with Trinity Classical, Trinity Rock & Pop and Musical Theatre exams. Well over 200 exams in 6 days.

Further to this, 8 Year 12 & Year 13 students achieved diplomas:

DipLCM - Gabriel and Ciara  (piano), Sam Portas (drums), Ada (popular vocals), Patrick and Jacob (classical saxophone),  - Daniil, (Jazz saxophone).

ALCM - Luke. Saxophone - the music of Charlie Parker. The hardest diploma we have ever had at Simon Balle. We’ve had a few! Luke’s level of musicianship was off the scale.

As part of these diplomas, our musicians have performed at the most challenging standard for their age. Charlie Parker, Bebop, Dave Weckl, Beethoven, Bach, Debussy, Philip Glass, french saxophone repertoire and much more. Eight Simon Balle musicians performing at an incredible professional standard.

It is such an achievement taking a Music Exam, and every student rose to the challenge. We are so proud of them, for some it is the beginning of the musical journey, and for others it is a fantastic way to complete their Simon Balle All-Through Journey. Well done to all.

Click the image below to see the results!

We are putting together a project for students to pick up a second instrument - one that might fill in a gap in our ensembles. In return for an instrument and some lessons getting going, musicians commit to getting involved, weekly. Particularly for pianists, drummers and so on. Music is so much about being with others, taking part. If you are interested, get in touch.

Keep an eye on our What's On page!

It has important dates for the year.

What’s On

The past few weeks have shown how amazing our musical community is. Musicians, staff and families. It is unique, it is special, it is humbling, it is amazing. The images below, one from Saffron Hall, one from Ghent, are examples. In Ghent, thousands enjoyed and celebrated our music, your musicians.

When you are part of it, you put your heart in it.

How true.

Enjoy your summer and 'thank you for the music'.
Mark Taylor,
Director of Music

I am delighted and proud to announce that eight Year 12/13 musicians have achieved a diploma in music.

DipLCM - Gabriel and Ciara  (piano), Sam Portas (drums), Ada (popular vocals), Patrick and Jacob (classical saxophone),  - Daniil, (Jazz saxophone).

ALCM - Luke. Saxophone - the music of Charlie Parker. The hardest diploma we have ever had at Simon Balle. We’ve had a few! Luke’s level of musicianship was off the scale.

As part of these diplomas, our musicians have performed at the most challenging standard for their age. Charlie Parker, Bebop, Dave Weckl, Beethoven, Bach, Debussy, Philip Glass, french saxophone repertoire and much more. Eight Simon Balle musicians performing at an incredible professional standard. I can't state enough the level of achievement for these musicians. What I do know is that they could only have achieved this at Simon Balle - the distinct ethos, the time provided for us to get it right and the inspiration created throughout our work. This is something to shout from the rooftops.

Our Concert Band, Saxidentals and Big Band have been away on Music Tour! They have performed in a variety of places. from Dunkirk to Ostend to Ghent's main stage!

This was our first return to Ghent since 2019, so it was brilliant to be back! Please enjoy the videos of our performances:

On Wednesday, staff gathered to celebrate Mrs Saunders' time at Simon Balle.

Big Band provided musical entertainment - please see the images >

It was a lovely way to finish the term and celebrate Alison.

It is time to say goodbye to our Year 13 Music Ambassadors; Jacob, Luke & Patrick.

Over the last couple of years, they have assisted many supervised practices, supported numerous Larch musicians in ensembles and set up for countless events.

They have played a crucial part in Team Music, and we couldn't have done it without them. We are very proud of them!

We wish them the best of luck in September!

Enjoy our Past Musical Events from this year below!

Past Musical Events

Keep an eye on our What's On page!

We will be updating this, ready for the new year!

What’s On

Y8 have been learning about Minimalism in Popular Culture. They have listened to a wide range of minimalist pieces, and have composed a piece for one of the following briefs:

On Tuesday, Mrs Iles' and Mr Lovell's Year 6 & 7 students came together to perform what they have been working on in their lessons.

It was an opportunity to move outside their comfort zone and perform to an audience of families and peers. All students performed brilliantly, and they should be very proud of themselves.

Watch the performances here:

On Wednesday, we enjoyed performances from Ms Fitch's students. From Year 7 all the way to Year 12, it was wonderful to see so many students along with so many families to support. The students should be really proud, their performances were stunning!

Watch the videos here:

On Tuesday, we celebrated our Year 4, 5 & 6 String players. They performed solos or in small groups to a live audience filled with familiar faces.

Performing can be a really daunting experience, but the students did a fantastic job!

On Tuesday, we enjoyed wonderful performances from our Year 8 & 9 Pianists.

There was a real variety of pieces, and it was a brilliant opportunity for students to be inspired by other students.

Performers should be very proud of themselves - well done to all!

On Thursday, our Acoustic Guitar players performed to their families.

From solos, and duets to ensembles pieces. Really fantastic work, the students should be very proud - well done!

On Tuesday, we had our final Rock Gig of the year, and it was nothing short of spectacular!

Performances from all of the bands were superb, and demonstrated a high level of musicianship.

Some of our regular attendees couldn't make it to the gig, however students from other bands stepped up and helped in place of these students. It illustrated the sense of team at Rock School, and it was really special to watch - thank you to those students!

Well done to all, it was a brilliant evening of performances, and you should all be very proud!

Rock School returns in September, on Wednesdays after school. If you haven't already signed up, please do so now via this form - https://forms.gle/d66WERNkezBhFKNw7

On Wednesday, we enjoyed performances from Mr Stevenson's drummers!

Drummers typically tend to be sat at the back of bands, so we think it is important that they are also celebrated individually. It was a brilliant opportunity for students to be able to perform but also a chance for them to see and be inspired by other drummers.

Well done to all of the performers, it was a fabulous evening!

On Thursday, we celebrated our youngest musicians at Simon Balle All-through School. It was a great opportunity for families to see what our Year 2 & 3 Strings have been working on.

From Year 2 Strings playing 'Boogie Band', to Year 3 Strings performing solos and duets, to Year 2/3 Choir singing 'Summer Holiday', it was a fantastic evening. Well done to all of our performers!

I found the performance exhilarating and exciting to play in. To be in concert band was great as we were able to play many songs. Playing the one kit piece was exciting and the overall night was fun.

Lucien, Year 10

Before the Easter holidays, some of our students sat their Trinity Classical/Jazz Exams. What an achievement - they should be so proud.

Click the image to see the results.

Year 5 have been learning about Music from the classical era, and have composed their own variations on a well known theme. They have been inspired by Mozart's version of the same piece and have produced some fantastic work, so do have a listen to these examples below composed by Zoe and Rosie, and by Ava and Millie. 

Saffron Hall – Sunday 9th July, 5pm

In the Strings and Singing concert, I was performing in Chamber Choir, Musical Theatre ensemble and a Musical Theatre trio. My favourite piece I performed was At The Ballet from Chorus Line as it's the best I think I have ever sung in front of an audience and I was able to incorporate my passion for acting as well. I also think that everyone performed incredibly well, it was great to see how many people are involved in the ensembles, especially the string group, and it was a brilliant event to showcase how talented everyone is. I didn’t have one specific highlight but it was so great to see how confident everyone was and to experience such a range of music. Every piece sounded so incredible! It was obvious how hard everyone worked to create such an amazing concert and it was really inspiring for everyone to look up to what they could achieve in the future. 

Rosie, Year 11

I was participating in the Strings and Singing event. It was amazing! The atmosphere was joyful, and every song sounded great. My favourite part about it was taking part in the Senior Strings and playing Fawkes the Phoenix.

Summer, Year 7

Videos from the Evening- click the top right hand corner to see the whole playlist

Earlier this month we took the Larch Senior Choir to perform at the Herts and Ware Music Festival in the Ware Drill Hall. The children took part in a production called Esther which was composed by the local composer Paul Burrell and they performed in a chorus of over 150 children from different primary schools in the area. The production was a roaring success and the children made us hugely proud of them from start to finish with their fantastic singing and professionalism. There were also outstanding individual performances from Zach and Archie who had major roles in the production.

In my performance of Paul Burrell’s Cantata ‘Esther’, I played the role of Mordecai with a dozen other actors around my age. We had all learnt our lines, our solo songs and our roles in the play. In my opinion, Esther was an absolutely amazing masterpiece and I am looking forward to what Mr Burrell will do next!

Archie, Year 5

The character I played is an arrogant King called Xerxes. I find that playing him was quite fun because I loved being quite royal and how much expression I had to show. I really enjoyed every single part of being Xerxes.

I think the cast were really good performers at there roles as they showed so much expression during the 2 nights. I think that they were really nice and welcoming when Archie and I came as we didn’t know anyone. They were really good actors and I think they should perform again.

Zach, Year 6

Earlier this month, some of our students sat their Trinity Rock & Pop Exams. What an achievement - they should be so proud.

Click the image to see the results.

Well done to everyone for the amazing primary music celebration earlier this month. It was a triumph, with over 100 musicians involved. The quality of music performed and celebration from the audience was amazing. Music is most certainly alive in the Larch!

Rock School is a fabulous part of our work and rehearses on a Tuesday. 55 musicians work in bands bringing together music they have selected and students learn how to work in teams - the bands, support each other and grow in confidence. It was a superb community at the gig this week where the standard of performance was an inspiration. Congratulations to everyone who performed, and thank you to everyone who came as audience. Without an audience, the gigs and concerts are nothing!!

We re getting to know our Music Ambassadors in Y6 and Y13 this year, please see our most recent posts!

Lawrence, Y12, joined the ambassador team in September. He heavily involved in music ensembles across the All-Through, and provides excellent support for our larch musicians. He is a valued member of the team!

"I really enjoyed performing in the Celebration of Brass concert as we got to showcase everything we had been working on and everyone was very supportive. It was great how it involved students from the larch all the way up to year 13 as it meant younger students could be inspired by the older ones and it shows that music is for anyone of any age. We played a variety of different genres of music including choral music,  classical, and a hip hop mash up, showing the audience that brass instruments are very versatile. The concert also showed all the brass instruments that are played at Simon Balle like the trumpet, trombone, tuba and the more unusual ones like the flugelhorn and the piccolo trumpet. I thought it was a very successful concert as everyone had worked hard in rehearsals and it definitely paid off and I heard many audience members say how much they enjoyed it. The highlight of the concert for me was performing a solo to the song tango final by Astor Piazzolla with the rest of the ensemble playing the backing. It was such an amazing experience as I had never done anything like that before and it was a lot of fun. I thought I would be nervous but I was totally absorbed in the music. It was great!"

May, Year 10

It was wonderful to celebrate our drummers! Usually they are hidden away at the back of ensembles (out of sight, but not sound!), so it is important to celebrate them individually. What musicality and skill on display!

The foundations of so much of our music now starts in the Larch. Our Year 2 Strings Training Programme. 41 musicians (from Year 2) performed with such confidence, musicality and skill. They have been learning less than two terms. With funding from the Hertfordshire Music Service, this is a unique musical programme.

I cannot express enough how proud I am of the young musicians, starting out on their musical journey - for many, their first public concert. We are truly an all through musical school.

A beautiful Guitar Platform was held this week showcasing our amazing acoustic guitar players. The technical skills on display were wonderful and it was a joy to listen to what had been rehearsed and learnt.

Well done to everyone who took part.

Please save our What's On page - everything you could possibly need to know is below:

What’s On

See some of our upcoming concerts >

It was a fabulous occasion to bring together our Year 3 beginner woodwind musicians, along with friends from Millmead Primary School. All have been learning the flute or clarinet for just over a term and this was their first ever concert!

Along with the quality of performance, I was inspired by the levels of confidence that were shown by the musicians. Performing in front of families and friends is never easy and whilst they might have been nervous, it did not show. We should remember they were Year 3, playing so fluently after such a short space of time learning.

Well done to the musicians, and Mr Caldecote and Mr Smith for their guidance and enthusiasm. Hard work really does pay off!

In a similar way, brass players in Years 4 and 5 from the Simon Balle Larch were joined by players from Millmead to show what they have achieved in just over a term. Such a happy concert with some brilliant playing.

Having these concerts brings the boost and confidence to both the musicians and the audience. We are so proud of everyone, as well as the families for the support provided at home. Thanks also to Mr Peach for his teaching. Such amazing times at Simon Balle and Millmead schools!

It was lovely to hear some of our pianists perform at the recent piano recital. They are pictured at the top of this newsletter. The piano is a difficult instrument to master and requires so much practice. Once again the confidence on display mirrored the amazing musicality. A 'packed house' appreciated and celebrated the performances. Well done to everyone!

We enjoyed brilliant performances from Zoe W, Isabel W, Edward, Amelia, Reubin, Hector, Sylvie, Ciara, Gabriel, Naomi, Zoe D, Ziva, Holly, Isabel H and Lola!

Please save our What's On page - everything you could possibly need to know is below:

What’s On

See some of our upcoming concerts >