Derby School of Music is an independent private music school originally established in 1885, based in

Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...

, England. It offers private tuition on musical instruments and music theory, and provides grade examinations with all the major music exam boards in the UK including; ABRSM,

London College of Music London College of Music (LCM) is a music school in London, England. It is one of eight separate schools that make up the University of West London. History LCM was founded in 1887 and existed as an independent music conservatoire based at Gr ...

Trinity College of Music Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance is a music and dance conservatoire based in London, England. It was formed in 2005 as a merger of two older institutions – Trinity College of Music and Laban Dance Centre. The conservatoire has ...

, Rockschool, Victoria College of Music. Pupils can take these qualifications on to advanced study at conservatoires or universities.

History

The Derby School of Music was founded in 1885 by

Arthur Francis Smith Arthur Francis Smith (1849 – 1914) was a British organist and composer, and founder of the Derby School of Music. Career Smith was a pupil of Edward Chadfield, and graduated BMus (1883) at Queens' College, Cambridge. He served as organist of ...

,. The music school originally was located on Friargate in Derby, before moving to its current location in 2011. The music school operates on a private basis and has always taught most of the mainstream instruments including piano, violin, singing, guitar etc.

was keen to showcase the students abilities and would regularly put on public performances at local venues in Derby in order for students to gain valuable performance experience, this tradition has carried on at the music school to the present day. Derby school of music has also produced many of the countries leading musicians and composers. Derby school of music also produced many of the leading music education books of the late 19th century including their own series of technical work books. The Derby school of music series was compiled by the school’s head teacher Arthur Francis Smith.

Notable students

Ronald Binge Ronald Binge (15 July 1910 – 6 September 1979) was a British composer and arranger of light music. He arranged many of Mantovani's most famous pieces before composing his own music, which included ''Elizabethan Serenade'' and '' Sailing By''.A ...

David Anthony Cooper David Anthony Cooper (1949–2008) was an English cathedral organist, who served in Blackburn Cathedral and Norwich Cathedral. Background David Anthony Cooper was born on 14 January 1949 in Derby. He was educated at Derby School and was then or ...

Alfred William Wilcock Alfred William Wilcock (1887–1953) was a cathedral organist, who served in Derby Cathedral and Exeter Cathedral.Dictionary of Organs and Organists. Frederick W Thornsby Background Alfred Wilcock was born on 21 October 1887 in Colne Lancashire. ...

* Edward Francis Reginald Woolley *

Clement Charlton Palmer Clement Charlton Palmer (1871–1944) was a cathedral organist, who served at Canterbury Cathedral. Background Clement Charlton Palmer was born on 26 April 1871 in Barton-under-Needwood in Staffordshire. His father, Dr. Clement Palmer, was the ...

Head Teachers

(Founder and Head Teacher 1885-1912) *

Edward Chadfield Edward Chadfield (1825–1914) was a prominent music educator, organist and composer. Background Born in Derby on 1 August 1825, he went to France to study at the Conservatoire de Paris. He was a pupil of Froude Fritche and Henry Smart, and stud ...

(Head Teacher 1912-1914) * Edgar Pettman (Head Teacher 1914-1921) *

Arthur Griffin Claypole Arthur Griffin Claypole (1882–1929) FRCO LTCL was a Organist#Classical and church organists, cathedral organist, who served in Derby Cathedral. Background Arthur Claypole was born in 1882 in Peterborough. He graduated from Durham University as B ...

(Head Teacher 1921-1929) * M Palmer (Head Teacher 1929-1930) *

Hubert Henry Norsworthy Hubert Henry Norsworthy (1885 - 18 August 1961) was an organist and composer based in England. Life He was born in Haverigg, Millom in Cumberland in 1885, the son of John Henry Norsworthy and Annie Dawson. During the First World War he served in ...

(Head Teacher 1930-1938) *

George Handel Heath-Gracie George Handel Heath-Gracie (4 June 1892 – 20 April 1987) was an English musician. He was Head Teacher at Derby School of Music (1938–1944), a composer and cathedral organist, who served in Derby Cathedral.''Dictionary of Organs and Organists ...

(Head Teacher 1938–1944) * Edward Francis Reginald Woolley (Head Teacher 1944-1954) *

John Callis Brydson John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

(Head Teacher 1954-1973) *

Steve Churchill ''yes'Steve is a masculine given name, usually a short form (hypocorism) of Steven or Stephen Notable people with the name include: steve jops * Steve Abbott (disambiguation), several people * Steve Adams (disambiguation), several people * Steve ...

(Head Teacher 2012 – present)

Modern era

The music school now operates solely as a pre-college music school and provides private music tuition for pupils looking to move on to study music at university. Along with Chetham's School of Music,

Purcell School The Purcell School for Young Musicians is a specialist music school for children, located in the town of Bushey, south Hertfordshire, England, and is the oldest specialist music school in the UK. The school was awarded the UNESCO Mozart Medal i ...

, Wells Cathedral School and Yehudi Menuhin School, Derby School of Music is recognised as being a leading feeder school for the UK's conservatoires. Derby school of music are regular judges at the

TeenStar TeenStar is a singing competition in the United Kingdom, it is run by Future Music. The competition is open for singers, vocalists and solo artists to enter either in their teenage or pre teen years. Acts compete at regional auditions to get the ...

Open Mic UK Open or OPEN may refer to: Music * Open (band), Australian pop/rock band * The Open (band), English indie rock band * ''Open'' (Blues Image album), 1969 * ''Open'' (Gotthard album), 1999 * ''Open'' (Cowboy Junkies album), 2001 * ''Open'' (YF ...

and Live and Unsigned competitions.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Official School Website
Music schools in England Education in Derby