Music Department

The Music department is a vibrant part of life at Slemish College. There are two members of staff – Miss L Murray and Mrs J Armstrong.

All students in the College take music from years 8-10 with the option of progressing to GCSE and A-Level in later years. Students will have the opportunity to study various aspects of Music throughout their time in the junior school, such as different styles of music, practical skills (in particular, keyboard work), Irish music, and film and stage music to name a few. Students are encouraged to develop their own interest in music through instrumental lessons and enhancement activities.

We have five instrumental tutors who provide lessons within the College – Mr Carley (guitar), Mrs Burnside (singing), Mrs Reid (strings), Mr Cobain (percussion) and Mr Murray (brass and woodwind). The College also provides students with the opportunity to take part in various enhancement activities such as Junior Choir, Senior Choir and Orchestra as well as the chance to perform in a range of College events like our recent musical productions My Fair Lady (2007), Grease (2005) and Oliver! (2003). Music is also provided for our Annual Christmas Celebrations, Musical Evenings and also assemblies throughout the year. Students from the Music department often take part in community activities or provide music for corporate events. This year the Junior Choir took part in Radio Cracker, some students were invited to provide music for the Allianz conference (held in Tullyglass Hotel) and one of our A-Level students, Chantelle Taggart, took part in the Credit Union organised competition (CU Factor). This competition, which held heats in different towns throughout the province, auditioned hundreds of students to who were then put forward to the final held in Ballymena on Saturday 25th October 2008.  We were delighted that Chantelle was awarded first place in this competition.

It is important for the department that students develop as musicians as well as students of music.