Music and Drama are a core part of the ethos of Myddelton with the vast majority of students taking part in some type of drama or musical activity throughout the year. Every half term there is a drama or music event for students to be involved. Some of these are large scale productions, such as our enormously successful first ever, full-scale production of Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s “School of Rock” musical and the annual Carol Service held in our very own St. David’s Church. Others are more informal events, such as lunchtime concerts in the dining hall.
We celebrate a rich variety of special occasions in support of our students from a vast range of cultures and countries. We enjoy recreating the authentic music and drama from these cultural celebrations. For example, we run our own annual Eisteddfod, complete with our own Eisteddfod Chair, and we celebrate Chinese New Year with a Dragon Dance and authentic music performed live.
More than 1,600 minutes of peripatetic instrument lessons are taught at Myddelton each week, led by the award winning Denbighshire Music Cooperative, who also hold their annual performing arts summer school “Music Mania” at the college during the summer holidays.
College music lessons are well equipped with eight electric pianos, seven upright pianos and two grand pianos at the disposal of students, along with a huge range of both western and world instruments. There is a music studio, seven practice rooms, a drama and dance studio and a full-size theatre.
Students use their touch-screen devices not only to complete the written side of music and drama lessons, but to record themselves and each other performing, review performances and compose pieces of work. For music composition students use score writing software, such as MuseScore, and digital audio workstations, such as Music Maker Jam. This develops their knowledge of score writing, instrumentation and music technology.
In Drama students can access videos of live theatre productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company, along with reviews and discussions by actors, directors, playwrights and designers.
Myddelton supports Music and Drama students at all levels, whether they are absolute beginners or looking to progress from Grade 8 onto Music or Acting Diplomas. The aim for all students, regardless of ability, is to develop their knowledge, skills and self-confidence whilst enjoying the subjects.