The Year 7s are settling in so well to FHS and it was great to celebrate this at Thursday’s Year 7 Musical Breakfast. We were delighted to welcome many parents to watch the morning concert and showcase a part of what the Year 7 students have been working on in their curriculum music lessons.

We have been enjoying range of music in lessons from different styles and eras, from Baroque Purcell to modern Jazz across a 300 year span! This has been a great way to bond as a year group together and raise their voices together, as a team.

While we have been using this music to explore musicianship skills and deepen understanding of musical knowledge, there has been a strong focus on the ability to communicate and present well. They have also explored lyrical topics in the music, particularly themes around courage, creativity, community and the FHS school values.

The Year 7 students have thrived so far and are honing their skills that are so important as they grow into strong and confident young women.

The singing itself was so much fun with Year 7 students beaming and energetically enjoying singing with each other. There was a mini-band accompaniment, thanks to the talents of Miss Vickery on piano and orchestral reduction with Miss Murata providing percussion and flute interludes. We even developed the art of musical conversation when asking the parents to join in the singing for a brief call and response section, which they did so joyfully, with great aplomb. The students have worked hard on their collective sound and joined their voices together so beautifully.

The students enjoyed many of the lyrics, with a snapshot below of some of their favourites:

Be Not Afeard, the isle is full of noises. Be not afeard, the world is full of voices.

When you’re down I’m here and your friends are near, just look around and you’ll have everything.

Hold your head high, you’ve just gotta try, try to be strong! And Fly, you can be anything you want to.

When I sing out loud, I sing so proud – I’ve just got to sing. 

It was wonderful to see so many parents after the singing for a chance to meet over an excellent breakfast spread put together by our Catering Team in the Collaboration Space. It was a joyful morning for parents, form tutor and other staff to connect with one another and meet again after the half term break.

Thank you to everyone who was involved for such a cheerful morning of music and many congratulations to the Year 7s, who sounded fantastic.

Mr Mercer, Director of Co-Curricular Music