Musical Extracurricular Activities

Extra-curricular

There are a number of opportunities to get involved in extra-curricular activities in the Music department at One. These include attending lunchtime clubs such as Covers Band, Choir and Jazz Band. Students are encouraged to create their own bands or ensembles and to use the rehearsal spaces to rehearse with their peers and to conduct and compose their own music. Students have opportunities to perform at lunchtimes on the Bridge that is outside the Learning Resource Centre, the Winter and Spring Concerts and to be involved in the cast, band and tech crew for productions with the Performing Arts team and students. Productions over recent years have included The King and I, Chicago, Sister Act and Rent. Students can also book and use the recording studio and attend the Tech Club where students learn about sound, lighting and stage management. Students can have a performance filmed and put out on our Suffolk1 Sessions YouTube channel and opportunities, both in the college and in the community, are regularly emailed out to students so they can develop their performing, composition and networking skills. We regularly arrange trips to see concerts, musicals and visits to exhibitions so that students can experience a range of cultural activities.

Instrumental lessons

Students are able to receive instrumental or singing lessons in the college. The timetable is arranged so that students have their lessons at lunchtimes or during their free periods. Occasionally, we may ask students if they can come in before college or stay afterwards if they are able to. We currently offer lessons in piano, woodwind, voice, brass, guitar and bass guitar, upper strings. For more information about lessons please get in touch with the music department or keep at an eye out for emails about them.

Music Alumni

Our most successful music students are talented, passionate and committed to their studies and we are incredibly proud of the success of our alumni. Many of our students go on and study Music, Music Technology and Music Performance related courses after their studies at One. In recent years we have had students study at the Royal College of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Birmingham Royal Conservatoire, Royal Northern College of Music and Trinity Laban conservatoires. We also have many students studying at universities across the UK and working in the industry in roles including as an Assistant Orchestral Manager at the BBC, a West End conductor/musical director, digital marketer at the English National Opera, professional performers, army musicians, instrumental and classroom teachers, song writers and music producers to name a few. We regularly invite in HE institutions and guest speakers to talk to our students and we get our alumni to speak with our current students to inspire them and inform them of future career pathways in the music industry.