Music

Welcome to Bishop Stopford School Music Department

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.” – Plato

We are:


Mrs Armstrong, Head of Music

Instruments played: flute, tuba, piano, ukulele, recorder, penny whistle, Voice,  kazoo !

Favourite colour: RED

Favourite place in the world: My mum’s garden in Suffolk, or anywhere with my loved ones.

Favourite City: Cambridge, but I prefer countryside to cities

Favourite food: chicken sag, houmous, olives.

Favourite band or artist: BSS Concert Band!

Favourite piece of Music: What a wonderful world, Louis Armstrong.

Favourite film: The colour Purple, The Jungle book, Lord of the rings.

Hobbies: Singing in a choir, Cinema, Theatre, Reading, walking, cycling, my cats, feeding the birds and hedgehogs in my garden, board games, badminton.

Dislikes: making decisions!

“Without music, life would be a mistake.”

Mr Taylor, Key Stage  3 to 5 teacher

Instruments played: Piano, Trumpet, Voice

Favourite colour: Blue

Favourite place in the world: Bishop Stopford School

Favourite City: New York

Favourite food: Lasagne

Favourite band or artist: Billy Joel

Favourite piece of Music: Bach Double violin concerto / The Chewing Gum song (can’t choose)

Favourite film: Back to the Future or Forest Gump, (can’t choose)

Hobbies: Cinema, Theatre, Classic cars, Reading, walking, writing silly songs (see below!)

“Where words leave off, music begins.” – Heinrich Heine

“My idea is that there is music in the air, music all around us; the world is full of it, and you simply take as much as you require.” – Edward Elgar


Mrs Wilson Key Stage 3 to 5 teacher

Instruments played: Violin, piano and recorder

Favourite colour: Blue

Favourite place in the world: Walt Disney World in Florida. 

Favourite City: Liverpool - I love going to watch Everton Football Club!

Favourite food: Either Pasta or Mexican, I can't decide!

Favourite band or artist: Take That

Favourite piece of Music: Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor 

Favourite film: Any of the Harry Potter films or Top Gun.  I've even been to the bar in San Diego where they filmed the scene on the piano. "Great balls of Fire!"

Hobbies: Pilates, walking, cycling, going away in my caravan, watching Everton, my cat and rabbit and of course, music!

Dislikes: Untidiness and disorganisation

“A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence. ” – Leopold Stokowski


Mrs Williams, Key stage 3 to 4 teacher

Instruments played: voice, clarinet, saxophone and piano (a little ukulele and guitar too plus I can play the hoedown on the violin – badly!)

Favourite colour: bright coral and pink

Favourite place in the world: Lake District and Italy

Favourite City: London

Favourite food: lasagne

Favourite band or artist: Take That

Favourite piece of Music: (just one?!) Poulenc’s Clarinet Sonata, Elgar’s Cello Concerto and all musicals!

Favourite film: any of the Harry Potter films.

Hobbies: at the minute I spend most of my time chasing my three year old, but when I get the time I love going to the theatre to watch plays and musicals, walking, baking, cycling and of course, music.

Dislikes: not getting enough sleep


Class  Music lessons at Bishop Stopford

Here are some of the things you will do in Music lessons (and in brackets some suggestions for things you can try in your own time!)


  • Listen to Music (try listening to the piece on the left!)
  • Perform in small groups, as a whole class and individually.

(Try learning a new piece on your keyboard or if you don't have one at home try this!)

  • Create and compose your own music (Have some fun creating with Incredibox below!)
  • Write about music (try writing a review of your favourite piece of music and persuade your friends to listen to it)
  • learn to perform on instruments such as the keyboard, pitched percussion and ukuleles
  • Work with software such as Logic, Sibelius and Garageband

Beyond Lessons in the Music department

Here are some other useful links to help you find out more about the opportunities available in the Music department

“Music is the moonlight in the gloomy night of life.” Jean Paul Friedrich Richter


We are very lucky to be supported as a department by Northamptonshire Music and performing Arts Trust who deliver teaching and support ensembles: Click below to visit their website and also to see what is available at your local Saturday Arts Centre, also run by NMPAT





Click below for some useful Websites and access to free online Music software

    And finally!

    Test your knowledge of Bishop Stopford School Music Department here!


        “As long as we live, there is never enough singing.” – Martin Luther

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