Beginners to Grade 3 and Open Access Clubs
Redbridge Music Service Clubs provide a wide range of ensemble activities for instrumentalists and singers. One monthly fee of £17.50 allows membership to any or all clubs. With open access groups such as Singing, Steelpan and Gamelan Clubs and multiple clubs for beginner instrumentalists, there is something for everyone!
Open Access Clubs
Singing Club, Steelpans, Gamelan, Percussion Club
Singing Club
Mondays 4:30pm – 5:30pm
Entry Standard: no previous experience necessary but advisable to belong to your school choir
Age: Yr.2+
Singing Club provides a safe space for children to develop their singing voice in a relaxed, fun atmosphere. Good vocal technique is taught through a wide variety of styles, including pop, folk, classical, musical theatre and world music. Choir members experience singing in harmony and have opportunities to develop their confidence as a soloist. Singing Club is highly beneficial for pupils already playing, or wishing to learn an instrument, as the musicianship skills developed in this class create a foundation for all future music learning.
Progression Routes: Singing Club members can progress to our auditioned choirs – Intermediate Choir and Youth Choir. Members of auditioned choirs have the opportunity to apply for individual singing lessons at Redbridge Music School.
Steelpan
PanVision Steel Orchestra – Kiskadee
Thursdays 4:30pm – 5:20pm
Entry Standard: No previous experience necessary
Age: Yr.3 -Yr.13
Playing steelpan is great fun and no previous experience is required to join. Pieces are learned by rote, so the ability to read music is not necessary. PanVision Steel Orchestra is divided into two groups: “Kiskadee” and “Ibis”. The “Kiskadee” group is more gently paced, allowing members more time to learn their part and become confident with the music. In some more complex pieces, the two groups combine, with more accessible parts being taught to the Kiskadee group. This is an inclusive ensemble, everyone from Yr.3 to Yr.13 is welcome.
Progression Routes: Ibis
PanVision Steel Orchestra – Ibis
Thursdays 5:25pm – 6:15pm
Entry Standard: Teacher recommendation
This level group is more advanced than the “Kiskadee” group. Entry to this group is on teacher recommendation, although all ages are welcome.
Gamelan
Gamelan Club
Tuesdays 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Entry Standard: No experience necessary
Age: Yr.3 -Yr.13
The gamelan is an orchestra of bronze gongs and percussion instruments from the Indonesian islands of Java and Bali. The style of music is cyclical and produces a uniquely rich and multi-layered texture. Pieces are learned aurally using numbers, and parts vary in difficulty. Gamelan performance is a communal activity in which no single musician stands out or acts as leader. Everyone works together as a team, learning to play all the different instruments in the orchestra. No previous gamelan or musical experience is required to join this inclusive ensemble. Playing in a gamelan group is fun, and helps develop deep listening, teamwork and coordination skills, as well as providing the opportunity to experience the rich legacy of this Javanese musical tradition.
Progression Routes: Gamelan Ensemble
Gamelan Ensemble
Tuesdays 6:00pm – 7:00pm
Entry Standard: No experience necessary/teacher recommendation
This group is for older students who learn at a faster pace and wish to play more advanced music on the Gamelan. This group is still inclusive and no previous musical learning is necessary to take part.
Percussion
Percussion Club
Thursdays 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Entry Standard: No previous experience
Age: Yr.3 -Yr.13
Percussion club members have the opportunity to play a wide variety of percussion instruments – big drums, small drums, African drums, South American drums, xylophones, glockenspiels and many more. All young musicians who enjoy hitting things are welcome! No previous experience is necessary, and all abilities are welcome. This club is a great opportunity for those learning drum kit, piano/keyboard or any other instrument to experience playing together as a group and develop musicianship and ensemble skills. This club performs in a variety of musical styles, learning music by ear and from notation too. Percussion Club is a great place to have fun with like-minded young people while developing musical skills.
Progression Routes: Percussion Ensemble
For players of all brass instruments – trumpet, cornet, tenor horn, French horn, baritone horn, trombone, euphonium and tuba
Mini Brass
Saturdays 9:30am – 10:30am
Entry Standard: Pupils who can play and read at least 5 notes
Age: Yr.3+
Mini Brass is the first level ensemble for all beginner brass players (trumpet, cornet, tenor horn, French horn, baritone horn, trombone, euphonium & tuba) who can play at least 5 notes. Music is arranged and adapted to suit all instruments and standards, and is a great way to experience ensemble playing for the first time. This is a fun first ensemble for brass players to experience playing alongside their peers.
Progression Routes: Brass Club
Brass Club
Tuesdays 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Entry Standard: Grade 1+ (not necessary to have taken exam)
Age: Yr.4+
Brass Club is for young players of any brass instrument (trumpet, cornet, tenor Horn, French horn, baritone horn, trombone, euphonium & tuba) at approximately Grade 1 standard or comfortable playing roughly a whole octave range. This ensemble plays in a wide variety of musical styles, from TV and movie themes through to classical and jazz. The focus is always on teamwork, developing musical self-confidence, sight-reading and ensemble skills, leading to performing more complex arrangements with greater independence between parts.
Progression Routes: Junior Wind Band
Strings & Woodwind
For players of violin, viola, cello and double bass
Mini Strings
Fridays 4:15pm – 5:00pm
Entry Standard: Beginners – from their first lesson!
Age: Yr.2+
Mini Strings is for all beginner string players who are having lessons in school or privately. Pupils can join Mini Strings right from their very first string lesson and enjoy playing alongside others in an ensemble. This group helps beginner string players to develop ensemble skills while reinforcing and complex technical aspects of playing their instrument. This group enables young string players to make faster progress on their instrument in a supportive learning environment. We welcome violins, violas and cellos and double basses to this group.
Progression Routes: Midi Strings
Midi Strings
Fridays 4:15pm – 5:00pm
Entry Standard: Pre-Grade 1
Age: Yr.3+
Midi Strings is for all string players who are having lessons in school or privately who can play using their 1st and 2nd fingers (1st and 3rd on the cello) and read the music for these notes. We welcome violins, violas and cellos and double basses to this group.
Progression Routes: Maxi Strings
Maxi Strings
Tuesdays 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Entry Standard: Grade 1+ /RMS Elementary
Age: Yr.3+
Maxi Strings is for all string players who have reached Grade 1 standard (RMS Elementary Exam) although it is not necessary to have taken the exam. We welcome violins, violas and cellos and double basses to this group.
Progression Routes: String Club, Fiddles & Co.
String Club
Mondays 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Entry Standard: Standard: Grade 2+ (RMS Stage 1+)
Age: Yr.3+
In String Club, young musicians gain their first experience of the String Orchestra formation with each section playing independent parts. They play a variety of genres including classical, film and popular music. When pupils reach Grade 3 standard they can audition for Junior String Orchestra.
Progression Routes: Junior String Orchestra, Fiddles &Co.
Fiddles & Co.
Thursdays 5:30pm – 6:30pm
Entry Standard: Grade 2+
Age: Yr.5+
This ensemble is for all string players at Grade 2 upwards and plays mostly folk-based music. Repertoire is learned by ear and from notation, and young musicians have lots of fun collaborating and supporting each other to perform an exciting range of music from folk traditions. String players in this ensemble are often also members of String Club, Junior String Orchestra, Intermediate Orchestra or Symphony Orchestra.
For players of clarinet, flute, oboe, bassoon and saxophone
Mini Winds
Tuesdays 5:00pm – 5:45pm
Entry Standard: Beginners who can play and read at least 5 notes
Age:Yr.3+
This group is for beginner players of all woodwind instruments (flute, clarinet, oboe, saxophone, bassoon) who can play at least 5 notes. Music is arranged and adapted to suit all instruments and standards, and is a great way to experience ensemble playing for the first time. This is a fun first ensemble for woodwind players to enjoy playing music alongside their peers.
Progression Routes: Flute Club, Oboe Club, Clarinet Club
Clarinet Club
Tuesdays 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Entry Standard: Grade 1+ (not necessary to have taken exam)
Clarinet Club bridges the gap between Mini Winds and Junior Wind Band and is a lively and fun ensemble for young clarinettists to learn alongside each other. The ensemble plays in a variety of styles, helps pupils make faster progress on their instrument and enhances their sight-reading, ensemble and musicianship skills.
Progression Routes: Junior Wind Band
Flute Club
Tuesdays 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Entry Standard: Grade 1+ (ability to play 2 octaves)
Flute Club is a lively and enriching group for young flutists and bridges the gap between Mini Winds and Junior Wind Band. The ensemble plays in a variety of styles, helps pupils make faster progress on their instrument and enhances their sight-reading, ensemble and musicianship skills.
Progression Routes: Junior Wind Band
Oboe Club
Tuesdays 5:30pm – 6:15pm
Entry Standard: Pupils who can play 8 notes from low D to high D
Pupils can join Oboe Club at any point in the year, either on teacher recommendation or as soon as they are able to play notes within the range of one octave, from low D to the D eight notes above. Parts range in difficulty to accommodate a variety of standards within the group. Help is available with reeds from the teacher, an invaluable resource for double reed players. This group is a friendly and supportive group for oboists, enabling young musicians to make faster progress on their instrument and learn vital ensemble and musicianship skills.
Progression Routes: Junior Wind Band
Recorder & Guitar
From beginners to advanced
Recorder Club Beginners
Thursdays 4:00pm – 4:30pm
Entry Standard: Complete beginners, no previous experience necessary.
Age: Yr.2+
This class introduces pupils to the recorder and covers the first 5 notes and how to read music. There are performance opportunities at the ends of term and at the Recorder Festival. Pupils completing this class can move on to more advanced recorder classes as they make progress. Learning the recorder is an excellent basis for future instrumental learning and a fun way to learn to read music too.
Progression Routes: Recorder Club Intermediate
Recorder Club Intermediate
Thursdays 4:30pm – 5:00pm
Entry Standard: Players who can confidently play 5 notes and read them on the stave
Age: Yr.3+
This class follows on from the beginner class. It is suitable for children who have started to learn the recorder either in Recorder Club Beginners, or at school and are confident playing and reading 5 notes. In this class, pupils expand the range of notes they can play and continue to develop their music reading skills.
Progression Routes: Recorder Club Advanced
Recorder Club Advanced
Thursdays 5:00pm – 5:30pm
Entry Standard: Players who can confidently play at least an octave on the descant recorder
Age: Yr.3+
In this class pupils learn the upper notes of the recorder (over the break) and begin learning the treble recorder, building on music reading skills. At this point, pupils often chose to take RMS Stage Exams and become more independent musicians.
Progression Routes: Recorder Consort
For all styles of guitar playing and ukulele
Guitar Club
Mondays 5:30pm – 6:30pm
Entry Standard: Approx. Grade 1
Age: Yr.3+
RMS Guitar Club is open to guitar pupils of all styles and types, whether you read staff notation or TAB. Whether you play acoustic, classical, electric, bass or even ukulele, you will learn to perform effectively as a part of a group in a friendly and supportive environment. The repertoire is diverse and includes all major styles from classical through to jazz and rock.
Progression Routes: Guitar Ensemble
Music School: Grade 3 to Grade 8+
Redbridge Music School provides a wide range of high standard ensemble activities for young instrumentalists and singers in Redbridge. Music School membership allows students to experience quality musical coaching and positive social interactions with likeminded peers, culminating in high standard performances at venues such at the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Barbican, St John’s Smith Square and Sadler’s Wells. Students who attend Music School have access to theory and aural classes, enjoy masterclasses and workshops with world- class performers and have opportunities to experience residential courses and international tours.
Access to the Redbridge Music School is open to any young person of school age who is approximately Grade 3 standard and above. Individual 30 minute lessons are also available to students who show particular flair and commitment. Entry to the Music School is gained through audition.