Ensembles

There are five large ensembles at Godolphin and a large number of chamber ensembles.

Orchestra

First Year – Upper Sixth pupils who are grade 5 or above. Some instruments are more popular than others and it is sometimes necessary to hold auditions. If we know you are over Grade 5 we will usually invite you to join.

Concert Band

First Year - Upper Sixth pupils who are grade 5 or above on a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument. If we know you are over grade 5 we will usually invite you to join.

Senior Strings

For any talented string players. Membership is by invitation/audition.

Junior Orchestra

This is our junior orchestra and is conducted by our Head, Jenny Price. We expect any pupil in the First and Second Year and who is Grade 1 and above, or plays an orchestral instrument, to join this orchestra which meets on a Tuesday at lunchtime.

Chamber Music

Godolphin is recognised as a centre of excellence for chamber music and received an award recognising this in 2018. Chamber Music is very strong at Godolphin and there are a large number of ensembles providing opportunities for many instrumentalists. The majority of our chamber ensembles enter the Pro Corda Chamber Music Festival, regularly making it through to the semi-finals and national finals.

We have a flexible approach towards our ensembles, forming groups depending on the talents of particular cohorts of pupils. However the following ensembles tend to run every year:

• Two Saxophone Quartets (Intermediate and Senior)
• Intermediate Clarinet Ensemble
• Clarinet Consort
• Wind Quartet
• Tutti Flutti (Intermediate flute ensemble)
• Senior Flute Consort
• Wind Quartet
• Senior String Ensemble
• String Quartets (Intermediate and Senior)
• Scholars’ Trios, Quartets and Quintets
• Scholars’ Brass Ensemble
• Jazz Ensemble