St Mary's Music School

Infobox School
name = St Mary's Music School


established = 1880
type = Independent; Coeducational| staff = Jennifer Rimer, Headteacher
Francis Cummings, Director of Music
location = Edinburgh, Scotland
students = Senior - 50, Junior - 20| colour = black and silver
website = [http://www.st-marys-music-school.co.uk/ www.st-marys-music-school.co.uk]

St Mary's Music School is a specialist music school in Edinburgh, Scotland, for school-age children, and is also the Choir School of St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh. The school provides education for children with a special talent in music.

Overview

The school is independent, co-educational, day and boarding, and caters for boys and girls aged 9–19. It draws pupils from many different backgrounds and from all parts of Scotland as well as elsewhere in the UK and abroad. Entry to the school is by audition and assessment, based on musical ability and potential and regardless of personal circumstances. Government funding, up to 100%, is available through the statutory Aided Places scheme to assist with the cost of tuition and boarding fees.

The school is located in the west end of Edinburgh, in Coates Hall, a former training college for the Scottish Episcopal Church.

History

St Mary's music school has existed in its present form since 1972. However, its roots lie in the Song School of St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, which was was founded in 1880 to educate choristers for the newly built Cathedral.

The school was initially located in Cathedral grounds, but moved to its present location in Coates Hall (a minute walk from the Cathedral) in the 1990s. Nowadays the school has a much wider remit: not only have the ranks of the Cathedral Choir been opened to girls as well as boys, but since 1972 the school has also educated young instrumentalists, composers and singers.

St Mary's Music School was named as Scottish Independent Secondary School of the Year in 2007.

Notable pupils

*Alan Benzie - pianist; BBC Scotland Young Jazz Musician of the Year 2007
*Daisy Chute singer; member of All Angels
*Susan Hamilton - singer
*David Horne - composer
*David Smith - flautist; finalist - BBC Young Musician of the Year 2008)
*Steven Osborne - pianist
*Garry Walker - conductor

External links

* [http://www.st-marys-music-school.co.uk/ Official site]
* [http://www.scottishschoolsonline.gov.uk/schools/stmarysmusicschooledinburghcity.asp St Mary's Music School page on Scottish Schools Online]