Latymer Upper School has a thriving music scene which produces many accomplished musicians who study an instrument to GCSE and A Level.
There really is something here for everyone, no matter where their interests and talents lie. With over 800 pupils taking individual lessons in their instrument of choice, music is integral to school life with all students encouraged to take part in concerts and shows either as performers or as an enthusiastic audience.
The Latymer Performing Arts Centre houses the Music School complete with acoustically designed teaching and practice rooms and a music technology studio. The LPAC, as it is known, includes a 100 seat Recital Hall (complete with a pipe organ), a dance/drama studio, a large music room with space for an entire orchestra to rehearse and a number of smaller practice rooms. Concerts also take place in the Main Hall.
The orchestras, choirs and ensembles perform in a wide variety of public concerts each year. Informal concerts are held in the Recital Hall throughout the year to showcase individual talent across all year groups and a number of musicians go on tour to Europe in the summer.
Alongside classical music, jazz is a strong and vibrant part of the Latymer musical community with pupils playing in the Big Band, the Jazz Band and Latin Band. Instrumentalists are involved in school musicals such as recent performances of Crazy for You and Grease and an annual Jazz Night showcases the talent of our pupils and staff. We even have our own record label – 32 Bit Recording, in which pupils work on both the creative and business side of the music industry.
Rehearsals are usually at lunchtime or after school and clubs include:
