Music Across the Curriculum

Repton’s outstanding International Quartet in Residence, the Navarra Quartet, have once again been in School. This charismatic group have now been associated with Repton for almost 3 years and are making an impact across different sectors of the School community.

As part of their 2 day visit, they spent a morning working with string players at Foremarke. This included rehearsing together and giving the students inspiring guidance, preparing for a joint lunchtime concert which was presented as the culmination of the visit to Repton’s prep school. The morning also included an assembly performance to the entire school, where the quartet played the exciting and unusual music of leading British composer Thomas Ades.

In the evening the Navarra’s gave a wonderful recital for the Repton School Subscription Concerts Society. Although still in their 20’s, it is clear to regular concert goers that this quartet continues to develop in maturity and musical depth at quite a rate. Head of Strings Graham Oppenheimer commented “This is a group that is establishing an outstanding reputation and we are delighted to have built this ongoing relationship with them”.

Senior string players from Repton also received an energy packed workshop on quartet music by Haydn, with both individual lessons and as a group. As they prepare for their own chamber concert, Upper Sixth music scholar Owen Winter (U6L) found this “a really invaluable opportunity, where we got so much from just one session”.

Finally the History Society hosted a workshop lecture “Stalin and Shostakovich” with illustrations of music from the great Russian composer played by the Navarra’s and a lively discussion led by Graham Oppenheimer. Head of History Dr Nathaniel Pitts said “what an amazing opportunity for our Sixth Form history students. This was a really different and hugely enjoyable experience”. Similar sessions with other departments are to follow.

Standards of string playing continue to rise across both Schools, with an excellent team of committed teachers now able to develop younger players at Foremarke and then continue working with them at Repton. Navarra 1st violin Xander Van Vliet says “we can see this teaching starting to make a real difference in the level of the pupils and it’s nice for us as a quartet to help build things in this way. We always look forward to coming here”.