Leonie Cronin, artist and mother of a JAGS pupil, finds out about the school’s proposed new Community Music Centre and is eager to support the fundraising campaign.
Sketch of 'Wonderbrass' by Leonie Cronin
Since last Easter I have been drawing my daughter’s brass ensemble at James Allen’s Girls’ School. I have set myself a project about goddesses and decided I should start drawing girls and women in their daily lives so they can be used within my paintings.
Their brass ensemble is called ‘Wonderbrass’ and is run by happy, enthusiastic Mr Thompson. In fact, the whole band seems to be happy and enthusiastic. I am constantly amazed not only by their ability to play their instruments, but also their knowledge of the music. The girls seem, at any moment, to be able to question and play the music given to them. This is an after-school club and often the students have had a long day, yet they still come together and play with energy and humour.
So naturally when I learned that JAGS was to have an Art Fair with artists’ stands to help raise money for a new Community Music Centre I immediately applied for a spot!
Why does JAGS need a new music centre?
'Wonderbrass' drawing 2 by Leonie Cronin
I decided to go and speak to Leigh O’Hara the Director of Music to find out a little more…..
I found Mr O’Hara in his office in the present music department – a converted sports pavilion, his office being one of the old changing rooms. There is a lovely cosy feel to the music department, the nest of rooms and portacabins create a little world between the new sports hall and the playing fields.
Mr O’ Hara is very proud of his department and loves what he does, his passion was very evident from his answer, ‘Imagine how much more we could be doing if we can already do all this from here!’
He explained to me the logistics of taking a 70-piece orchestra across to the Holst Hall, how the timpani drum needs to be taken over stopping every few steps because it is so heavy, and then trying to fit it all into the hall with an audience too. The music department currently runs around 54 different rehearsals each week. Last year there were 38 concerts. They have diverse activities such as performing in old people’s homes and in Borough Market at Christmas, a community orchestra (JACO) and a choir made up of adults from the local community (JAGS Choral Society) The music at JAGS is just as Holst said: ‘Music for all.’
A vision of the proposed JACMC by Rick Mather, architect
The proposed new building for JAGS, JAPS and the community will have a concert hall for 350, a recital room for 100, teaching, rehearsal and practice rooms, recording and music technology studios and room for music therapy.
I thought it would be easy for JAGS to raise the money they needed for the music department but I found out the income of the school only covers its running, this includes over 100 bursaries to fund students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to attend. Therefore capital projects require special funding and the Art Fair is just one of the many events being organised to raise money for the new building
Meeting Mr O’Hara changed my view from JAGS, as an independent school needing to renovate its music department, to that of a school constantly striving to modernize itself with the rapidly changing technologies so that it can offer its pupils and the community the very best and bring music to a much wider audience.
Ralph Vaughan Williams and Gustav Holst, both previous music masters at the school, would have been inspired by the new opportunities for people to enjoy the wonderful benefits that music brings.
On Friday Leonie’s daughter Florence will describe her musical activities in the present music school and say why she is excited at the prospect of a new Community Centre.
Loading ...