Individual Tuition
A team of peripatetic music staff undertake instrumental tuition for more than 200 students. Girls may elect to learn the piano, flute, saxophone, percussion, trumpet, trombone, oboe, clarinet, violin, cello, double bass, viola, French horn, bassoon or guitar.
Instrumental
The Coloma Orchestras include two school orchestras and a joint Symphony Orchestra with John Fisher School. In addition, a variety of Chamber ensembles including highly regarded string and wind groups rehearse and perform regularly. Groups for recorders, ukuleles and percussion are popular and regularly perform in school concerts. In February 2011, a Chamber Music Evening, featuring the school’s top performers, was held in the Great Hall at Addington Palace.
Although there is a charge for instrumental lessons, some bursaries are available. Associated Board Examinations are conducted regularly at school.
Singing
The Coloma Choirs are very well known. The number of students in the choirs totals approximately 50% of the school. A Christmas Concert and a Summer Show are held annually with numerous other opportunities for performance throughout the year. The choirs frequently join with others in supporting large-scale works such as Mozart's Requiem, the Britten War Requiem and Godspell at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon. In March 2010, the Coloma massed choirs, consisting of 500 girls, sang the specially commissioned piece “The Pearl” by composer Howard Goodall, at The Royal Festival Hall as part of the school’s 140th anniversary celebrations.
In addition, groups of girls perform at a variety of locations and events. In previous years the Special Choir has been to Spain, Belgium and Italy for Concert Tours. Both the Junior and Senior Special Choirs have been finalists in National Choir Competitions and the National Festival for Music for Youth for the last two years.
Singing lessons are available for older girls. These may be arranged privately.
See below for clips from the December 2010 concert at the Fairfield Halls. Click here to purchase a DVD.