Music has played an important role at SSIS since its inception as we sought to bring to our community the strong tradition of musical excellence found in many international schools. Learning a musical instrument or simply appreciating a broader range of music not only develops the mind and spirit in unique ways, but also provides a source of joy and satisfaction that can last a lifetime. Music is a vibrant subject within the Performing Arts faculty and plays an important role in daily school life. Live music features in every assembly and school event, and every student is encouraged to share their talents with the school and wider community by performing in public and we seek to empower our students with a sense of self-pride and self-confidence.
Junior School Music Programme
There are several exciting music programmes currently running in the Junior school and available to our students. P1 students all study General Music, developing their vocal skills as well as basic ensemble skills using a range of classroom instruments. P2 are able to choose from General Music and Group Violin lessons, and students in P3-P6 enjoy the choice of General Music, Group Violin lessons or Guzheng lessons. Class sizes for music are as a result very small, allowing our students to make the best possible progress and benefit from expert instruction from highly-qualified teachers.
Senior School Music Programme
Our secondary school music programme builds on the musical foundations laid during the Junior School and seeks to develop students’ performing, composing, listening and appraising skills. Students study music from a range of genres, times and cultures and are encouraged to study an instrument on a 1-1 basis, as well as getting involved in their class music lessons. Students in the senior school benefit from first-rate equipment at SSIS, including a suite of electronic keyboards, acoustic and bass guitars, violins/violas and cellos, several drum-kits and pianos, as well as a wide range of classroom percussion instruments. Students also enjoy access to two iMac suites where they can develop arranging, composing and producing skills using cutting-edge music software.
Ensemble-playing
Students at SSIS are able to join an extensive array of musical ensembles including Junior and Senior choirs, Chinese and Western Orchestras, Musical Theatre groups as well as a range of smaller student-led groups. Our groups perform regularly in the school and wider Shanghai communities, and have featured as regular performers for The Renaissance Marriott range of hotels, The Shanghai Sofitel as well as the renowned Shanghai Centre.