Chetham's School of Music
Encyclopedia
Chetham's School of Music , familiarly known as "Chets", is a specialist independent co-educational music school
, situated in Manchester city centre
, in North West England
. It was established in 1969, incorporating Chetham's Hospital School, founded as a charity school
by Humphrey Chetham
in 1653. After becoming a boys' grammar school
in 1952, the school turned to music as its specialism, and became an independent school. There are approximately 290 pupils on roll, making it the largest music school in the United Kingdom. The oldest parts of the school date to the 1420s, when the building was constructed as a residence for priests of the church now Manchester Cathedral
; these parts are listed buildings, along with other parts of the complex. The site houses Chetham's Library
, the oldest free public reference library in the United Kingdom. A new building to replace the Victorian
Palatine building and allow easier access for visitors is due to be completed in 2012.
Chetham's educates students between the ages of 8 and 18. Although admission is based solely on an audition to demonstrate musical potential and talent, the school regularly obtains good exam results. It maintains links to the cathedral by educating its choristers and holding regular concerts, and many Chetham's students have become professional musicians. Its ensembles, such as the Big Band and Symphony Orchestra, and many students have won awards for their music.
, a fortified manor house
owned by the Grelleys after the Norman Conquest, at the confluence of the River Irwell
and the River Irk
. Medieval Manchester
grew around the manor house and the parish church
, which eventually became Manchester Cathedral
.
In the early 14th century, the de la Warre family acquired the land through marriage. Thomas de la Warre
refounded the church as a collegiate church
in 1421. De la Warre gave the site of his manor house for the construction of a college, where eight priests, four clerks and six lay choristers lived in the care of a warden. It is likely that building began between 1424 and 1429, and the main hall and cloister rooms finished by 1458. It remains the most complete building of its kind in the country, and at the time of its construction, was the second largest building in Manchester, surpassed only by the church.
The college was dissolved during the English Reformation
in 1547, and purchased by Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby
. It was re-founded by Queen Mary
, before Elizabeth I
refounded it as "Christ's College" in 1578. This arrangement lasted until the foundation of Manchester Cathedral in 1847. The college buildings remained the property of the Stanleys, and wardens (including the Elizabethan astronomer and mathematician John Dee
) lived on the premises with their families and servants. During the English Civil War
, the college was used as a gunpowder factory and a prison. Lord James Stanley
, a Royalist
, was executed in 1651, and Parliament confiscated his property, including the college.
Humphrey Chetham
(1580–1653) was an unmarried and childless financier, philanthropist
and cloth merchant from Manchester. In the 1640s, he provided money for the maintenance and education of fourteen poor boys from Manchester, six from Salford, and two from Droylsden
. In March 1649 he wrote to the Earl of Derby about his intention to establish a school. He attempted unsuccessfully to acquire the buildings of the Manchester College, which were "spoyld and ruin'd and become like a dunghill", to provide a hospital, school and library. In his will, Chetham left over £8,000 from his estate (which was worth about £14,000 in total) to establish a hospital school for 40 poor local boys, between the ages of six and ten from "honest" families, who should be taught and cared for until they were 14. His executors obtained the lease of the college where Chetham wished to house the school and library in 1654.
boys were not admitted, and all boys had to be able to read to a certain standard that meant they were not hard to teach. In 1878, a new schoolroom designed by architect Alfred Waterhouse
(who designed Manchester Town Hall
) was built in a Tudor style
. The number of boys admitted was reduced to 75 in 1908 to save money, though three years later admissions increased to 99. In 1916, no boys were admitted due to lack of funding caused by World War I, and in 1918 the number was limited to 70. Successful public appeals resulted in the numbers rising to 97 in 1929. In 1926 a scheme was set up which allowed boys to apply for scholarships to join a grammar school, which meant that while they lived at Chetham's, they were educated elsewhere during the day. Further, they would stay at grammar school until at least the age of 16 and sometimes 18.
, Lancashire, where they shared accommodation with a primary school. Chetham's was damaged by an explosion in December 1940, when most of the windows were shattered and the roof was set alight. The boys relocated to Chapel-en-le-Frith
, Derbyshire, in 1943 where all 41 boys were together. Thirteen boys attending grammar school moved to Buxton College
. By 1944 the governors believed that it would not be appropriate for the school to return to Manchester, and it was proposed the site become a religious education centre. However, after years of discussion, it was decided to return the school to Manchester. The Education Act 1944
, which stipulated that schools should be classified as primary or secondary, complicated matters, since Chetham's went across the middle. It was decided in 1950 that Chetham's should become a grammar school, and this change took place two years later. In 1950, Chetham's amalgamated with Nicholls' Hospital School, a similar school based in Ardwick
which had been established in 1863. While it could take up to 100 boys, by the end of the war there were only 22 and it was considered beneficial for the schools to merge.
Before becoming a specialist school, Chetham's had a good reputation for music, and on this basis the decision was made to become a co-educational music school in 1969. The former Palatine Hotel, which housed offices and shops, was converted into extra teaching space and practice rooms. In 1969, 50 students were admitted based on musical potential and by 1972 this had risen to 150, more than half of the entire school. In 1977 the school changed to its present name. In 1978 the Long Millgate building, the original home of Manchester Grammar School
, was purchased to provide additional space.
There are plans to build teaching space and a 400-seat concert hall on land next to the school. Classrooms will be converted to other uses, and the Palatine building will be demolished to reveal the currently hidden medieval buildings and allow easier access to the library. The work is due to be completed by 2012.
); as musical potential is considered most important. Students between the ages of 8 and 18 can apply for a place studying any instrument except electronic and non-Western types.
. All students study at least two instruments and choir practice is compulsory. Voice is available as an area of study only in the sixth form. Despite entry being solely through musical audition, the school regularly obtains good exam results, in comparison to other local schools and nationally.
Chetham's educates choristers from the cathedral who follow a similar curriculum to other students and study an instrument. However, they do not apply in an audition. When a chorister reaches Year 8 (age 12 or 13), or their voice breaks, they can apply to join Chetham's via the usual audition process.
Ensembles
form an important part of the musical curriculum, with all students taking part in at least one. The ensembles include the Symphony Orchestra, which has performed all over the world, including Germany, Spain and the United States, and on BBC Radio 3
. The award-winning Big Band, was an integral part in the creation of a Jazz Studies programme, and has won many prizes, including The Daily Telegraph
Young Jazz Competition, and the junior section of the BBC Radio 2
Big Band of the Year Competition three times. The Chamber Choir has performed on Songs of Praise
and the BBC Proms and the Symphonic Wind Band and Orchestra have won prizes at the Boosey and Hawkes National Concert Festival.
: Victoria House, a mixed-gender house for students aged 8–12; Boys' House, for boys over the age of 12; and Girls' House for girls over the age of 12. In senior houses, boarding students share rooms for four people, and in the sixth form students either have single rooms or share with one other person. Students have a personal tutor to discuss their progress, and boarding students have a house parent who communicates with parents at home.
The school offers extra-curricular activities during free time. It has a swimming pool, and offers trampolining, aerobics and fencing, as well as computer games, board games and Scalextric
. Weekend trips are sometimes organised for climbing and mountain biking, or to the cinema or theatre.
Chetham's is situated in Manchester City Centre
, close to Manchester Victoria railway station, Urbis
and Manchester Cathedral. There are several buildings on the site, many of which are listed. They surround a large open space, the north part is a car park and courtyard, and the south part is a playground.
and contains the original timbers. The upper storey is accessed by an external staircase. Baronial Hall, once the Great Hall, contains many of its original features, such as its timber roof, dais
and canopy. There is a large fireplace dating from the 19th century, and three windows likely to date from the 16th century. The Audit Room, originally a common room, contains a panelled ceiling with decorations suggesting it was installed by the Stanley family. The upper room, originally the warden's chamber, is now the library reading room, and contains a large bay window within an elaborate Tudor arch, as well as original 17th-century doors. The west part of the building surrounding the cloister courtyard contained accommodation known as sets, for people who lived in college. There were two rooms in each set on two floors, the lower floor being used as a study. Historian, Clare Hartwell, describes the cobbled courtyard which has a restored well as "one of the most atmospheric spaces in the building". It is surrounded by many windows, which were probably originally unglazed. Inside there are several corridors and passages containing open beams and original stonework. To the east is the kitchen and associated rooms, and further east are rooms used for administration offices, most of which have been substantially altered.
, is a Grade II listed building designed by Alfred Waterhouse
in the 1870s. Attached to it is Nicholl's building. They contain the school hall, gym, swimming pool, classrooms, dining room, kitchen, and Boys' House. Vallins Arts Centre, containing the art department and performance space designed by Alfred Waterhouse in 1878, is Grade II listed. Waterhouse was responsible for much of the alterations made to College House in the 19th century. Palatine Building contains the music department and Victoria House. New College House contains Girls' House, and the sixth form common room is attached.
Music school
The term music school refers to an educational institution specialized in the study, training and research of music.Different terms refer to this concept such as school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department or conservatory.Music instruction can be provided...
, situated in Manchester city centre
Manchester City Centre
Manchester city centre is the central business district of Manchester, England. It lies within the Manchester Inner Ring Road, next to the River Irwell...
, in North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
. It was established in 1969, incorporating Chetham's Hospital School, founded as a charity school
Charity school
A charity school, also called Blue Coat School, was significant in the History of education in England. They were erected and maintained in various parishes, by the voluntary contributions of the inhabitants, for teaching poor children to read, write, and other necessary parts of education...
by Humphrey Chetham
Humphrey Chetham
Sir Humphrey Chetham was an English merchant, responsible for the creation of Chetham's Hospital and Chetham's Library, the oldest public library in the English-speaking world.- Life :...
in 1653. After becoming a boys' grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
in 1952, the school turned to music as its specialism, and became an independent school. There are approximately 290 pupils on roll, making it the largest music school in the United Kingdom. The oldest parts of the school date to the 1420s, when the building was constructed as a residence for priests of the church now Manchester Cathedral
Manchester Cathedral
Manchester Cathedral is a medieval church on Victoria Street in central Manchester and is the seat of the Bishop of Manchester. The cathedral's official name is The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Mary, St Denys and St George in Manchester...
; these parts are listed buildings, along with other parts of the complex. The site houses Chetham's Library
Chetham's Library
Chetham's Library in Manchester, England is the oldest free public reference library in the United Kingdom. Chetham's Hospital, which contains both the library and Chetham's School of Music, was established in 1653 under the will of Humphrey Chetham , for the education of "the sons of honest,...
, the oldest free public reference library in the United Kingdom. A new building to replace the Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
Palatine building and allow easier access for visitors is due to be completed in 2012.
Chetham's educates students between the ages of 8 and 18. Although admission is based solely on an audition to demonstrate musical potential and talent, the school regularly obtains good exam results. It maintains links to the cathedral by educating its choristers and holding regular concerts, and many Chetham's students have become professional musicians. Its ensembles, such as the Big Band and Symphony Orchestra, and many students have won awards for their music.
Beginnings
The school is built on the site of Manchester CastleManchester Castle
Manchester Castle was a medieval fortified manor house, probably located on a bluff where the rivers Irk and Irwell meet, near to Manchester Cathedral, underneath where Chetham's School of Music now is, putting it near the edge of the medieval township of Manchester .-History:Manchester Castle was...
, a fortified manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
owned by the Grelleys after the Norman Conquest, at the confluence of the River Irwell
River Irwell
The River Irwell is a long river which flows through the Irwell Valley in the counties of Lancashire and Greater Manchester in North West England. The river's source is at Irwell Springs on Deerplay Moor, approximately north of Bacup, in the parish of Cliviger, Lancashire...
and the River Irk
River Irk
The River Irk is a river in Greater Manchester in North West England that flows through the northern suburbs of Manchester before merging with the River Irwell in Manchester city centre....
. Medieval Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
grew around the manor house and the parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
, which eventually became Manchester Cathedral
Manchester Cathedral
Manchester Cathedral is a medieval church on Victoria Street in central Manchester and is the seat of the Bishop of Manchester. The cathedral's official name is The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Mary, St Denys and St George in Manchester...
.
In the early 14th century, the de la Warre family acquired the land through marriage. Thomas de la Warre
Thomas la Warr, 5th Baron De La Warr
Thomas la Warr, 5th Baron De La Warr was the second son of Roger la Warr, 3rd Baron De La Warr and Elizabeth de Welle, daughter of Adam, 3rd Baron Welles, and was intended for the church. In 1363, he received a dispensation, permitting him to be ordained at the age of twenty, and was made a canon...
refounded the church as a collegiate church
Collegiate church
In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons; a non-monastic, or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, which may be presided over by a dean or provost...
in 1421. De la Warre gave the site of his manor house for the construction of a college, where eight priests, four clerks and six lay choristers lived in the care of a warden. It is likely that building began between 1424 and 1429, and the main hall and cloister rooms finished by 1458. It remains the most complete building of its kind in the country, and at the time of its construction, was the second largest building in Manchester, surpassed only by the church.
The college was dissolved during the English Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
in 1547, and purchased by Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby
Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby
Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby was an English nobleman.At the age of thirteen, Edward received the titles and estates of his father, the 2nd Earl of Derby, and King Henry VIII took responsibility for bringing him up until he was of age...
. It was re-founded by Queen Mary
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
, before Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
refounded it as "Christ's College" in 1578. This arrangement lasted until the foundation of Manchester Cathedral in 1847. The college buildings remained the property of the Stanleys, and wardens (including the Elizabethan astronomer and mathematician John Dee
John Dee
John Dee was a Welsh mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, occultist, navigator, imperialist, and consultant to Queen Elizabeth I.John Dee may also refer to:* John Dee , Basketball coach...
) lived on the premises with their families and servants. During the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, the college was used as a gunpowder factory and a prison. Lord James Stanley
James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby
James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby KG was a supporter of the Royalist cause in the English Civil War.Born at Knowsley, he is sometimes styled the Great Earl of Derby, eldest son of William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby and Lady Elizabeth de Vere. During his father's life he was known as Lord Strange...
, a Royalist
Royalist
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of government, but not necessarily a particular monarch...
, was executed in 1651, and Parliament confiscated his property, including the college.
Humphrey Chetham
Humphrey Chetham
Sir Humphrey Chetham was an English merchant, responsible for the creation of Chetham's Hospital and Chetham's Library, the oldest public library in the English-speaking world.- Life :...
(1580–1653) was an unmarried and childless financier, philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
and cloth merchant from Manchester. In the 1640s, he provided money for the maintenance and education of fourteen poor boys from Manchester, six from Salford, and two from Droylsden
Droylsden
Droylsden is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, in Greater Manchester, England. It is to the east of Manchester city centre, and west-southwest of Ashton-under-Lyne, it has a population of 23,172....
. In March 1649 he wrote to the Earl of Derby about his intention to establish a school. He attempted unsuccessfully to acquire the buildings of the Manchester College, which were "spoyld and ruin'd and become like a dunghill", to provide a hospital, school and library. In his will, Chetham left over £8,000 from his estate (which was worth about £14,000 in total) to establish a hospital school for 40 poor local boys, between the ages of six and ten from "honest" families, who should be taught and cared for until they were 14. His executors obtained the lease of the college where Chetham wished to house the school and library in 1654.
Charity school
After repairs to the college were completed in mid-1656, the first admissions were made. The first headmaster, Richard Dutton, was appointed in 1655, and in 1665 the institution became an incorporated charity. The number of pupils grew, with admissions rising to 100 by the 1870s. Boys were admitted based on the parish they lived in, and on need, health and background of the family. IllegitimateLegitimacy (law)
At common law, legitimacy is the status of a child who is born to parents who are legally married to one another; and of a child who is born shortly after the parents' divorce. In canon and in civil law, the offspring of putative marriages have been considered legitimate children...
boys were not admitted, and all boys had to be able to read to a certain standard that meant they were not hard to teach. In 1878, a new schoolroom designed by architect Alfred Waterhouse
Alfred Waterhouse
Alfred Waterhouse was a British architect, particularly associated with the Victorian Gothic Revival architecture. He is perhaps best known for his design for the Natural History Museum in London, and Manchester Town Hall, although he also built a wide variety of other buildings throughout the...
(who designed Manchester Town Hall
Manchester Town Hall
Manchester Town Hall is a Victorian-era, Neo-gothic municipal building in Manchester, England. The building functions as the ceremonial headquarters of Manchester City Council and houses a number of local government departments....
) was built in a Tudor style
Tudor architecture
The Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons...
. The number of boys admitted was reduced to 75 in 1908 to save money, though three years later admissions increased to 99. In 1916, no boys were admitted due to lack of funding caused by World War I, and in 1918 the number was limited to 70. Successful public appeals resulted in the numbers rising to 97 in 1929. In 1926 a scheme was set up which allowed boys to apply for scholarships to join a grammar school, which meant that while they lived at Chetham's, they were educated elsewhere during the day. Further, they would stay at grammar school until at least the age of 16 and sometimes 18.
World War II and aftermath: 1939 to 1952
During World War II, the boys were evacuated to the seaside town of CleveleysCleveleys
Cleveleys is a town on the Fylde Coast of Lancashire, England, about 4 miles north of Blackpool and 2 miles south of Fleetwood...
, Lancashire, where they shared accommodation with a primary school. Chetham's was damaged by an explosion in December 1940, when most of the windows were shattered and the roof was set alight. The boys relocated to Chapel-en-le-Frith
Chapel-en-le-Frith
Chapel-en-le-Frith is a small town in Derbyshire, England, on the edge of the Peak District near the border with Cheshire, from Manchester. Dubbed "The Capital of the Peak District", the settlement was established by the Normans in the 12th century, originally as a hunting lodge within the Forest...
, Derbyshire, in 1943 where all 41 boys were together. Thirteen boys attending grammar school moved to Buxton College
Buxton College
Buxton College was a boys' school in Buxton, Derbyshire.-History:It was founded in the 16th century and moved to a new building in 1881. The new building was by William Pollard of Manchester. It became a County Grammar school in 1923/4...
. By 1944 the governors believed that it would not be appropriate for the school to return to Manchester, and it was proposed the site become a religious education centre. However, after years of discussion, it was decided to return the school to Manchester. The Education Act 1944
Education Act 1944
The Education Act 1944 changed the education system for secondary schools in England and Wales. This Act, commonly named after the Conservative politician R.A...
, which stipulated that schools should be classified as primary or secondary, complicated matters, since Chetham's went across the middle. It was decided in 1950 that Chetham's should become a grammar school, and this change took place two years later. In 1950, Chetham's amalgamated with Nicholls' Hospital School, a similar school based in Ardwick
Ardwick
Ardwick is a district of the City of Manchester, in North West England, about one mile east of Manchester City Centre.By the mid-19th century Ardwick had grown from being a village into a pleasant and wealthy suburb of Manchester, but by the end of that century it had become heavily industrialised...
which had been established in 1863. While it could take up to 100 boys, by the end of the war there were only 22 and it was considered beneficial for the schools to merge.
Later history: since 1952
After the change in organisation, Chetham's could no longer afford to provide education based on scholarships and other allowances, and charged fees. In 1952, the school buildings were considered insufficient so a new block was built, which opened in 1955. Numbers of boys admitted increased significantly while the number of boarders remained about the same, day pupils increasing the number on roll in 1960 to 230, 64 of which were boarders.Before becoming a specialist school, Chetham's had a good reputation for music, and on this basis the decision was made to become a co-educational music school in 1969. The former Palatine Hotel, which housed offices and shops, was converted into extra teaching space and practice rooms. In 1969, 50 students were admitted based on musical potential and by 1972 this had risen to 150, more than half of the entire school. In 1977 the school changed to its present name. In 1978 the Long Millgate building, the original home of Manchester Grammar School
Manchester Grammar School
The Manchester Grammar School is the largest independent day school for boys in the UK . It is based in Manchester, England...
, was purchased to provide additional space.
There are plans to build teaching space and a 400-seat concert hall on land next to the school. Classrooms will be converted to other uses, and the Palatine building will be demolished to reveal the currently hidden medieval buildings and allow easier access to the library. The work is due to be completed by 2012.
Academics and pastoral care
Admissions
Students are admitted to the school on musical ability and talent. The application process involves an audition. In addition to competency in playing an instrument, qualities such as aural awareness, creativity and ability to sight-read are sought. Grades and exam results are not required (with the exception of Grade 5 theory for sixth formSixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
); as musical potential is considered most important. Students between the ages of 8 and 18 can apply for a place studying any instrument except electronic and non-Western types.
Curriculum
As a specialist music school, Chetham's requires all students to study a curriculum that concentrates on music and other subjects in accordance with the National Curriculum. Students taking GCSEs and A-levels study music and music technologyMusic technology
Music technology is a term that refers to all forms of technology involved with the musical arts, particularly the use of electronic devices and computer software to facilitate playback, recording, composition, storage and performance. This subject is taught at many different educational levels,...
. All students study at least two instruments and choir practice is compulsory. Voice is available as an area of study only in the sixth form. Despite entry being solely through musical audition, the school regularly obtains good exam results, in comparison to other local schools and nationally.
Chetham's educates choristers from the cathedral who follow a similar curriculum to other students and study an instrument. However, they do not apply in an audition. When a chorister reaches Year 8 (age 12 or 13), or their voice breaks, they can apply to join Chetham's via the usual audition process.
Ensembles
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
form an important part of the musical curriculum, with all students taking part in at least one. The ensembles include the Symphony Orchestra, which has performed all over the world, including Germany, Spain and the United States, and on BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
. The award-winning Big Band, was an integral part in the creation of a Jazz Studies programme, and has won many prizes, including The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
Young Jazz Competition, and the junior section of the BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
Big Band of the Year Competition three times. The Chamber Choir has performed on Songs of Praise
Songs of Praise
Songs of Praise is a BBC Television programme based around traditional Christian hymns. It is a widely watched and long-running religious television programme, one of the few peak-time free-to-air religious programmes in Europe Songs of Praise is a BBC Television programme based around traditional...
and the BBC Proms and the Symphonic Wind Band and Orchestra have won prizes at the Boosey and Hawkes National Concert Festival.
School life
Chetham's admits boarding and day students to one of three housesHouse system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
: Victoria House, a mixed-gender house for students aged 8–12; Boys' House, for boys over the age of 12; and Girls' House for girls over the age of 12. In senior houses, boarding students share rooms for four people, and in the sixth form students either have single rooms or share with one other person. Students have a personal tutor to discuss their progress, and boarding students have a house parent who communicates with parents at home.
The school offers extra-curricular activities during free time. It has a swimming pool, and offers trampolining, aerobics and fencing, as well as computer games, board games and Scalextric
Scalextric
Scalextric is a toy brand for a range of slot car racing sets which first appeared in the late 1950s, as a creation of British firm Minimodels. The brand is currently owned and distributed by Hornby.-History:...
. Weekend trips are sometimes organised for climbing and mountain biking, or to the cinema or theatre.
Campus
Manchester City Centre
Manchester city centre is the central business district of Manchester, England. It lies within the Manchester Inner Ring Road, next to the River Irwell...
, close to Manchester Victoria railway station, Urbis
Urbis
Urbis is an exhibition centre located in Manchester, England. From 2002 to 2010, the centre hosted changing exhibits on popular culture topics including urban living, art, music, fashion, photography and videogames alongside talks, gigs and special events....
and Manchester Cathedral. There are several buildings on the site, many of which are listed. They surround a large open space, the north part is a car park and courtyard, and the south part is a playground.
College House
College House, the original 15th-century college, is a Grade I listed building built of sandstone in the shape of a lowercase 'b' with a slate roof. It is accessed by the original gatehouse; which was constructed on a plinthPlinth
In architecture, a plinth is the base or platform upon which a column, pedestal, statue, monument or structure rests. Gottfried Semper's The Four Elements of Architecture posited that the plinth, the hearth, the roof, and the wall make up all of architectural theory. The plinth usually rests...
and contains the original timbers. The upper storey is accessed by an external staircase. Baronial Hall, once the Great Hall, contains many of its original features, such as its timber roof, dais
Dais
Dais is any raised platform located either in or outside of a room or enclosure, often for dignified occupancy, as at the front of a lecture hall or sanctuary....
and canopy. There is a large fireplace dating from the 19th century, and three windows likely to date from the 16th century. The Audit Room, originally a common room, contains a panelled ceiling with decorations suggesting it was installed by the Stanley family. The upper room, originally the warden's chamber, is now the library reading room, and contains a large bay window within an elaborate Tudor arch, as well as original 17th-century doors. The west part of the building surrounding the cloister courtyard contained accommodation known as sets, for people who lived in college. There were two rooms in each set on two floors, the lower floor being used as a study. Historian, Clare Hartwell, describes the cobbled courtyard which has a restored well as "one of the most atmospheric spaces in the building". It is surrounded by many windows, which were probably originally unglazed. Inside there are several corridors and passages containing open beams and original stonework. To the east is the kitchen and associated rooms, and further east are rooms used for administration offices, most of which have been substantially altered.
Other buildings
Millgate Building, the former Manchester Grammar SchoolManchester Grammar School
The Manchester Grammar School is the largest independent day school for boys in the UK . It is based in Manchester, England...
, is a Grade II listed building designed by Alfred Waterhouse
Alfred Waterhouse
Alfred Waterhouse was a British architect, particularly associated with the Victorian Gothic Revival architecture. He is perhaps best known for his design for the Natural History Museum in London, and Manchester Town Hall, although he also built a wide variety of other buildings throughout the...
in the 1870s. Attached to it is Nicholl's building. They contain the school hall, gym, swimming pool, classrooms, dining room, kitchen, and Boys' House. Vallins Arts Centre, containing the art department and performance space designed by Alfred Waterhouse in 1878, is Grade II listed. Waterhouse was responsible for much of the alterations made to College House in the 19th century. Palatine Building contains the music department and Victoria House. New College House contains Girls' House, and the sixth form common room is attached.
Notable former pupils
Chetham's, as a music school, has produced dozens of notable alumni. Many of its students become professional musicians, as well as conductors, teachers and actors. This is a partial list of alumni:- Max BeesleyMax BeesleyMaxton Gig Beesley Jr. , known simply as Max Beesley, is an English actor and musician.Beesley rose to fame for his role of Andy Simpson in Every Woman, Every Man from 1993 to 1998, and has since appeared in a variety of television shows including Bodies, Hotel Babylon, London Ink, Survivors and...
– actor - Jon ChristosJon ChristosJon Christos is an English singer and local radio presenter.A classically trained tenor, he is best known for an album of operatically-styled crossover music.-Early years and education :...
– singer - Gary CooperGary Cooper (musician)Gary Cooper is an English conductor and classical keyboardist He is particularly known as an interpreter of the keyboard music of Bach and Mozart, and as a conductor of historically informed performances of music from the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods.-Career:Gary Cooper...
– harpsichordist, fortepianist, and conductor - Peter Donohoe – pianist
- Daniel HardingDaniel HardingDaniel Harding is a British conductor.Harding studied trumpet at Chetham's School of Music and was a member of the National Youth Orchestra at age 13. At age 17, Harding assembled a group of musicians to perform Pierrot Lunaire of Arnold Schoenberg, and sent a tape of the performance to Simon...
– conductor - David HillDavid Hill (choral director)David Hill , is a choral conductor and organist. His most high profile roles are as Chief Conductor of the BBC Singers from September 2007, and Musical Director of The Bach Choir from April 1998. He was previously Organist and Director of Music at St John's College, Cambridge, in succession to...
– choral director - Stephen HoughStephen HoughStephen Andrew Gill Hough is a British-born classical pianist, composer and writer. He became an Australian citizen in 2005 and thus has dual nationality .-Biography:...
– pianist - Guy JohnstonGuy JohnstonGuy Johnston is a British cellist and the winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year award in 2000. He has subsequently enjoyed a successful international career as a soloist and chamber musician.-Professional life:...
– cellist - Paul LewisPaul Lewis (pianist)Paul Lewis is an English classical pianist. His father worked at the Liverpool docks and his mother was a local council worker; there were no musicians in his family background....
– pianist - Mike LindupMike LindupMike Lindup is best known as the keyboard player and falsetto voiced singer, who joined with Mark King and brothers Phil and Boon Gould to form the 1980s - 1990s British funk/rock/pop band, Level 42....
– rock musician (Level 42Level 42Level 42 are an English pop rock and jazz-funk band who had a number of worldwide and UK hits during the 1980s and 1990s.The band gained fame for their high-calibre musicianship—in particular that of Mark King, whose percussive slap-bass guitar technique provided the driving groove of many of the...
) - Grant LlewellynGrant LlewellynGrant Llewellyn is a Welsh conductor.- Biography :Grant Llewellyn began developing his conducting reputation in 1985, when he was awarded a conducting fellow position at the Tanglewood Music Center in Massachusetts. There his mentors included Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa, Kurt Masur and André...
– conductor - Leon McCawleyLeon McCawleyLeon McCawley is a British classical pianist.He studied with Heather Slade-Lipkin at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester, and with Eleanor Sokoloff at The Curtis Institute of Music in the United States, and latterly pianist Nina Milkina was a source of inspiration.He won the first prize in the...
– pianist - Murray McLachlan – pianist
- Wayne Marshall – pianist, organist and conductor
- Jennifer PikeJennifer PikeJennifer Pike is a British violinist. In 2002, she became well known for winning the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition, and for six years she held the record of being the youngest winner, at twelve years of age.-Musical career:...
– violinist - Dominic SeldisDominic SeldisDominic Seldis is a British double bass soloist and principal double bass of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.- Biography :...
– double bassist - Gwilym SimcockGwilym SimcockGwilym Simcock is a British pianist and composer working in both jazz and classical music, and often blurring the boundaries of the two....
– jazz pianist, composer - David Thornton – euphonium player
- Adam Walker – flautist
- Andrew WildeAndrew Wilde (pianist)Andrew Wilde is an English classical pianist. Wilde studied at Chetham's School of Music and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, the city where he is still based. Wilde plays often as a recitalist, and has a particular affinity for the music of Chopin.However, he also has a wide...
– pianist