The College’s Contemporary Voices is an enrichment group for all students and staff across the College.  Repertoire includes pop, rock and musical theatre.  No audition is required.

A newly-formed choir for September 2021, the group’s first performance will be at the Christmas Carol Service at the Cathedral Church of St. Michael and St. George, Aldershot.

The Music Department offers tuition on musical instruments for all students of the College. Instruments offered are subject to demand, but we currently provide tuition from expert, professional musicians in: Trumpet, Trombone, Horn, Tuba, Voice, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Saxophone, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Violin, Viola, ‘Cello, Piano, Drums, Bassoon and Percussion.

Lessons are provided free of charge with a member of College staff for all students studying A-level or BTEC Music on their principal instrument/voice. Lessons on a further instrument can be studied at a cost of approximately £200 a term.

Instrumental lessons for non-music students can be taken for approximately £200 a term. This includes a minimum of 10 lessons per term, but lessons may not be equally distributed between the three terms.

If you have any enquiries about instrumental lessons, please write to music@farnborough.ac.uk.

Big Band is the College’s premier large-scale jazz ensemble, performing traditional jazz standards and contemporary works, including film scores.

Consisting of around 50 musicians, it boasts principal members of NYJO, county youth jazz ensembles and junior conservatoire jazz bands, but has no minimum standard and is open to all college students who play wind and brass instruments, piano, kit and guitar.

Chamber Orchestra is the College’s premier orchestral ensemble, performing an eclectic and dynamic range of classical and popular repertoire from the Baroque through to the 21st century.  The Immigrant by Ben Model, film soundtracks including ET and Schindler’s List and current repertoire includes Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony and Mozart’s Overture to the Marriage of Figaro.

Comprising around 50 musicians it boasts principal members of NYO, county youth orchestras and junior conservatoires, but has no minimum standard and is open to all college students who play string, wind, brass and percussion instruments and piano.

Chamber Choir is the College’s elite classical vocal ensemble, established to give more experienced vocalists the opportunity to perform challenging, smaller-scale vocal repertoire. It is open to all college students and admission is by audition.

Chamber Choir gives regular evensong performances at sacred venues across the country, including the cathedrals of Salisbury, Christ Church Oxford, Southwark, Salisbury and Winchester. It was also the first state-education vocal ensemble to give choral evensong at St Paul’s Cathedral. Chamber Choir tours regularly and has performed in some of Europe's finest venues, most recently singing Mass at the Basilico St Marco, Venice and a programme of Bach Cantatas at Leipzig's Thomaskirche and Nikolaikirche.

More recent performances have included singing more ambient compositions by composers such as Kerry Andrews, Ola Gjeilo and Rihards Dubra at the Wind Tunnels Project, Farnborough.

‘Sixth Sense’ is the College’s elite small-scale jazz ensemble. Open to all college students, it was established to give more experienced jazz musicians the opportunity to perform challenging, intimate repertoire, from traditional jazz through bebop to more contemporary numbers.

‘Sixth Sense’ performs regularly both within and outside of College, and recent tours include performances at the renowned Marciac Jazz Festival in France.

The College’s string ensemble provides an opportunity for string players of all abilities to get together and focus on repertoire for strings only.

Open to all college students and with no minimum standard, the string ensemble perform regularly within college and enjoy tackling exciting ensemble repertoire such as that by Dvorak, Sibelius, Elgar and Holst.

The College’s flute choir provides an opportunity for flautists of all abilities to get together and focus on repertoire for flutes only.

Open to all college students and with no minimum standard, the flute choir performs regularly within college and enjoy performing arrangements of musical works in a fun and informal context.

Consisting of music students from across the College, the Performing Arts production for Autumn 2021 is 'The Wedding Singer'.  Students gain valuable experience of being in a West End style pit band.  Musicians selected by invitation.

Grade V Theory workshops provide an opportunity for all college students to receive tuition and examination entry for the ABRSM Grade V Theory qualification.

Workshops are held on a weekday lunchtime and students may enter for the examination following the successful completion of a mock sample paper.

Here at Farnborough, we offer a Music programme designed to develop students' abilities in performance and composition.  The programme is especially designed for students who are strongly considering a career in music or the music industry.  Events are available for students to register interest for and/or to audition.

• Study support for 1st instrument/voice: In addition to weekly free 30 minute lessons (for all A level students), students receive ongoing support to develop stage presence and artistic expression.  They will also receive regular lessons on musical appreciation and music listening and benefit from visits from Alexander Technique teachers and other guest speakers. 
• Performance: Opportunities to perform chamber music and, as a soloist, include three high-profile (ticketed) concerts, as well as events in the local community. Planning Summer Tour 2022 (restrictions permitting).
• Collaboration: Masterclass with leading musicians and workshop opportunities with students from the RAM (Royal Academy of Music). 
• Leadership: Students have the chance to lead sectionals and occasionally conduct rehearsals for the College orchestra and big band, as well as choirs and other ensembles.  They are also ambassadors for the music department at College events and throughout the faculty.
• Community: Involvement in community-based events, for example performing and organising performances and workshops for vulnerable members of the local community.  The College’s outreach programme, in collaboration with our Partner Schools, enables students to gain valuable teaching experience whilst working with younger students in workshops. 
• Leading Music Conservatoires/Universities: The College has well-established partnerships with leading conservatoires and universities with specialised performance programmes.  These connections offer students the chance to participate in workshops and joint concerts and gain networking contacts for consultation lessons.

Further information is available from music@farnborough.ac.uk .