LJC Performance Ages 11 - 18 / Years 7 - 13

In Keyboard Skills we explore music of all eras and genres through the keyboard. Every term the students learn and perform pieces of music, either by sight or by ear.

For example, students have learned to play themes from The Entertainer by Joplin, Somewhere Only We Know by Keane, Offenbach’s Barcarolle and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 (1^st mov), as well as learning how to improvise using the blues scale.  

Students sometimes work solo but often in pairs or groups which improves timing and crucial listening skills as well as promoting problem solving and team work. Each lesson involves showing their work to the group which develops a confident, mature approach to performing.

We also study chords, scales and modes as well as ear skills and sight reading.

Emphasis is placed not just on technical ability but on developing a sensitive, creative and insightful approach to the context and interpretation of the music. 

In Vocal Skills, students create a blended sound in a small ensemble singing arrangements of well-known songs. Every term, students learn and perform new pieces, either by sight or ear.

For example, in one of our festivals, students performed their version of Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi. They were focusing on portraying emotion through their voice, whilst featuring various students as soloists.  

Students will always work in groups in Vocal Skills, building confidence and encouraging each other when learning new vocal techniques or approaches to songs.

Different to a vocal lesson you may have at school or privately, this session is all about improving your vocal technique when singing with a group.

In guitar skills, students focus on learning specific guitar techniques and applying them to songs they can jam along to. Some technique examples include chord positions, chord patterns, sliding, finger picking and many more.

Students always work in groups in a supportive, friendly environment. Whether students are new to a technique or refreshing their playing, there will be varying degrees of ability to work through.

This session differs from a guitar lesson you may have at school or privately as it focuses on techniques you may use for performing too. The level of learning in this session is complimented by continuing your instrumental lessons outside of the session.

Music theory is the language of musicians and the foundation of all music. It helps students understand how all music styles work and why they sound a certain way.

At Leeds Junior Conservatoire we work alongside the ABRSM and London College of Music theory curricula, meaning that students will gain an understanding of intervals, scales, and keys, helping students understand why particular notes are used together, or why some keys use sharps and flats.

If students have an understanding of how written music works they will find playing in ensembles or bands much easier and are likely to progress further in their musical education. This foundational understanding will make it easier for students to learn new instruments or even compose music themselves.

Our aim at Leeds Junior Conservatoire is to make theory lessons enjoyable and fun for all involved and for students to gain the knowledge needed to become well rounded musicians.

Learning to compose is both an important part of a young performer's 'musical diet', and a rewarding endeavour in itself.

The Leeds Junior Conservatoire Composition and Arranging classes provide a relaxed, fun environment where students can cultivate an understanding of melody, harmony, rhythm, pitch, structure and experiment with unusual time signatures, unconventional scales, and unique sounds, across a number of different genres.

From year-to-year, the composition syllabus changes (enabling students who attend Leeds Junior Conservatoire Composition and Arrangement in multiple years to continue their development), but each academic year is split in to three sections, focusing on a different 'environment'. In the first of these sections, students learn to use Sibelius, which is the industry-standard notation tool. Simultaneously, they develop their composition skills and their ability to create tidy, professional-looking scores. The second section focuses on Logic, which is an extremely powerful digital audio workstation which allows students to create and manipulate synths, drum loops, and audio effects. The third section is designed to improve students' ability to compose using pencil and paper. 

Students will be learning insights into the world or Music Production by sharing their time between one of Leeds Conservatoire's 6 Mac labs and professional recording studios.

Students will be focusing on:

• Recording Techniques - how do we capture live sound
• Mixing and Mastering – the process of fine tuning recorded raw sound using industry standard software

This lesson is great for students who already have experience working with Logic Pro and want to record their own music, understand how recorded sound can be adapted during the mixing and mastering process and for anyone who is interested in potentially pursuing an element of music production work in their career.

Our Introduction lesson is great for beginners or students who haven't taken part in much Music Production before, and our Intermediate lesson will suit students who already have some experience in Music Production. 

In Musical Theatre Singing we explore the vocal repertoire of musicals from Gilbert and Sullivan to the present day. This encompasses many style and genres, and students are encouraged to gain as wide an experience as possible of the Musical Theatre genre.

Vocal technique is at the heart of this course. Students will learn about vocal health and stamina, and will gain an appreciation of how to perform challenging material in physically demanding conditions.

In addition to this, students will be encouraged to interrogate and understand the text they are singing. There is a strong emphasis on acting through song and on how to employ your vocal technique to serve the story you are telling.

Students will work on solos and in groups, learning how to hold the spotlight and how to blend with an ensemble. Each lesson involves the students showing their work, developing their confidence.

LJC Acting classes explore all the skills and creativity necessary to bring characters, words and worlds to life through live performance.

Through regular ensemble classes students will be introduced to and engage with a dynamic selection of classic and contemporary texts, learning and applying individual core acting skills including voice, movement, character, text analysis and improvisation.

Each term explores exciting performance projects including solo storytelling, ensemble devising, contemporary monologue/duologue work and performing poetic texts.

This class is a perfect introduction to Acting for performers of all disciplines wanting to enhance their stage craft, acting and performance skills, as well as develop their artistic voice and collaborative practice.

Songwriting focuses on techniques to write songs from scratch, and adapt songs you already know. Students work in a mixture of large and small groups, creating their own chord progressions, melodies, counter-melodies, structures, textures and lyrics.

This lesson is great for both students who are and aren’t used to writing their own music.

A chance for students to learn about the Digital Audio Workstation, Logic Pro. This lesson is suitable for complete beginners of Logic Pro.

Logic Pro X is a software for musicians who wish to compose, produce, record and mix music. It is very commonly used throughout the music industry and having an understanding of how it works can be a highly beneficial.

It's user-friendly interface makes it easily accessible for beginners and provides a simple workspace for students to develop their compositional skills in a wide variety of styles, from Hip Hop to Film Music.

Throughout these classes students will be introduced to a range of important steps such as recording, using sample libraries, and adding audio effects.

Having an understanding of these processes as well as receiving frequent feedback on their work will allow them to create their own music more fluently and confidently.

In addition to this, students will be encouraged to experiment with a variety of styles within a relaced environment, allowing them to step out of their comfort zone and try new genres/styles.