St Mary's Music School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Music School |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Address | |
|
25 Grosvenor Crescent
, EH12 5EL
Scotland
|
|
| Information | |
| Type | Independent day and boarding Specialist music school |
| Established | 1880 |
| Headteacher | Kenneth Taylor |
| Acting Director of Music | John Cameron |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Age | 9 to 19 |
| Enrolment | 80 (2017) |
| Website | https://www.stmarysmusicschool.co.uk/ |
St Mary's Music School is a special place in Edinburgh, Scotland. It's a music school for young people aged 9 to 19. It's also the Choir School for St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral. This school welcomes students from all backgrounds. It's the only full-time independent music school in Scotland. In 2023, about 64 students attended, coming from Scotland, the rest of the UK, and other countries.
Contents
How to Join the School
To get into St Mary's Music School, students need to audition. This means they show their musical skills and potential. The school looks for talent, no matter what a student's family situation is.
The Scottish Government helps families with school costs. They offer funding up to 100% through a special program. This helps with tuition and boarding fees. The school and St Mary's Cathedral also offer their own financial help, called bursaries.
Performing Music
Students at the school get many chances to perform. The school has a large chamber orchestra. There's also a junior string sinfonia and a senior string ensemble.
They also explore different music styles. You can find jazz and traditional Scottish music here. Students learn instruments like the clàrsach (a type of harp) and bagpipes. They have special groups and days for these music types.
Students perform often in Edinburgh and other places. They have concerts at lunchtime within the school. They've also played at famous venues like the Queen's Hall, Edinburgh and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow. Sometimes, they're asked to play at important events. This includes events for royalty, the Scottish Parliament, and even a NATO visit to Edinburgh.
School Life and Learning
The school day usually starts at 8:30 AM and finishes at 5:00 PM. On Wednesdays, it ends at 3:30 PM, and on Fridays, it's 4:30 PM.
St Mary's Music School is known for its strong academics. In 2007, it was named the Scottish Independent Secondary School of the Year. In 2016, students achieved excellent exam results. They had a 100% pass rate for National 4, Higher, and A-level exams. The pass rate was 94% for National 5 and 95% for Advanced Highers.
A former music director, Nigel Murray, once said something important. He believed that working hard to master music helps students in all parts of their lives. He quoted a famous pianist, Ferruccio Busoni, saying: "He who is only a musician is no musician." This means being a good musician also helps you be a well-rounded person.
School History
St Mary's Music School started a long time ago, in 1880. It was first called the Song School of St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral. Its main job was to teach choristers for the new Cathedral. Back then, the school was located near the Cathedral.
In the 1970s, people wanted to make the school even better. They aimed to turn it into a specialist music school. This idea was inspired by the Yehudi Menuhin School. Lord Menuhin himself became a supporter of the school. He even called it "my younger sister-school in Scotland." The school began teaching young people who played instruments, composed music, and sang.
In 1976, girls were allowed to join the Cathedral choir for the first time. Later, in 1995, the music school moved to its current home. This new location is Coates Hall, on Grosvenor Crescent in Edinburgh.
St Mary's Music School is part of a group called UK Music and Dance Schools (MDS). It's similar to other special music schools in Europe. The current president is John Wallace, a famous trumpet player.
In 2019, the school received a new Steinway piano. This was a gift from a charity that raised money for it.
Where the School Is Located
The school is in a building called Coates Hall. It was first designed in 1850 as a large house. Later, in 1891, the Scottish Episcopal Church bought it. They used it as a college and added a chapel. More changes were made to the building in 1913.
In 1995, Coates Hall became the home of St Mary's Music School. The old chapel is now used for concerts. It has beautiful stained glass windows. These windows show Scotland's first saints, St Columba and St Ninian. The school also has two libraries, offices, bedrooms for students who live there, and 25 music practice rooms. Most academic classes are taught in other buildings on the school grounds.
The school is surrounded by gardens in the heart of Edinburgh's West End. It's easy to get to because it's close to Haymarket railway station. There are also good bus and tram connections nearby.
The Song School, which is still near the Cathedral, is used by the choristers every day. This building has amazing murals by Phoebe Anna Traquair. These murals, painted between 1888 and 1892, made her famous. They show the Cathedral choir, famous artists, and even birds singing with choristers.
Future Plans for the School
In 2016, the school suggested a big plan. They wanted to move to the old Royal High School building in Edinburgh. This plan would cost £25 million and was fully funded. It would allow the school to have more students.
The Edinburgh Council planning committee approved the school's plans in 2016. However, the council had an earlier agreement from 2012 to turn the Royal High into a hotel. Two hotel plans were rejected by the council in 2015 and 2017. In January 2021, the council ended its agreement with the hotel developers. This allowed St Mary's Music School to get a 125-year lease for £1.5 million, so their plans could move forward.
Famous Former Students
Many talented people have studied at St Mary's Music School. Here are a few:
- Alexander Armstrong – a comedian, actor, and TV presenter.
- Alan Benzie – a pianist who won the BBC Scotland Young Jazz Musician of the Year in 2007.
- Monica Brett-Crowther – a mezzo-soprano singer.
- Brìghde Chaimbeul – a bagpiper.
- Daisy Chute – a singer and member of the group All Angels.
- Paul Galbraith – a guitarist.
- Helen Grime – an oboist and composer.
- Susan Hamilton – a soprano singer.
- David Horne – a composer.
- Ethan Loch – a pianist and composer, who was the first blind person to attend the school.
- Helen MacLeod – a harpist.
- Steven Osborne – a pianist.
- Mike Peden – a record producer.
- Andrew Robb – a double bass player who won the BBC Scotland Young Jazz Musician of the Year in 2009.
- Garry Walker – a conductor.
See also
In Spanish: Escuela de Música St Mary para niños
- Music schools
- Music schools in Scotland
