Music

Four young women in black attire sing on a stage in front of a grand piano and a seated accompanist.
A choir and orchestra perform in the nave of a grand cathedral, with rows of seated audience members in the foreground and ornate vaulted ceilings in the background.
A group of young performers stand on a wooden stage in front of a warm, wood-paneled wall, while an audience sits in the dimly lit foreground.
A young woman in a red dress sings into a microphone in the foreground, while the iconic %22007%22 logo is projected in the background.
Four young people stand in front of a brick wall with colorful posters, with a girl playing guitar and singing while the others hold framed pictures and CDs.

At Millfield a full range of academic and instrumental tuition is offered in a purpose built Music School. With a growing concert calendar featuring 50 concerts, performances range from solo recitals to large-scale ensemble concerts and chamber music concerts, to contemporary evenings, musicals and a whole school House Song. The Music School benefits from a high profile external performance calendar, participation in renowned music festivals and competitions, regular services and concerts at Wells Cathedral, tours across the globe, whilst also hosting an International Concert Series, a programme of Masterclasses and a biennial Concerto Festival, in which students perform a concerto movement with a professional conductor and orchestra. In addition, Millfield Music School has its very own recording label, utilising its professional standard recording studio.

Millfield is fortunate to have the Johnson Hall, our 350-seat Concert Hall with superb acoustics and a stage large enough to host a full orchestra and choir. The Johnson Hall Steinway D Piano was recently described by international artist Pascal Rogé as “among the ten best pianos I have ever performed on”.  The department also has 25 practice rooms, numerous rehearsal spaces and recording studios, all equipped to the highest standard.

Millfield’s large ensemble provision includes: School Choir, Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Choir (Millfield Camerata), String Orchestra, Jazz Band, Percussion Ensemble, Brass Ensemble, Wind Ensemble and a vibrant Rock and Pop group.  In addition to this there are numerous Chamber Music ensembles rehearsing every week and competing in national chamber music festivals. Our provision for contemporary music is outstanding with enormous opportunities available for both live performance and recording.

First class instrumental tuition is available to all students on all orchestral instruments, piano, guitar, drums, harp and singing. In recent years, Millfield music scholars have gone on to study at some of the finest conservatoires in the world including Curtis Institute, Royal College of Music, Royal Academy of Music, Royal Northern College of Music and Trinity Laban.

As well as being the major venue for school concerts, the Johnson Hall also hosts our International Concert Series, which has included pianist Pascal Rogé, The Tallis Scholars, Jennifer Pike and The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.

Freddie strives towards a career in the music industry

Listen to The Millfield Way Podcast with Millfield Director of Music, Kirsty Barry

A woman in a patterned dress and red scarf stands in the foreground holding papers, with a blurred wooden background behind her.