Choirs

The school choirs are directed by the head of music, Miss Nicola Howbrigg. Singing enables young people to use their talent and musical skill as a release from the academic and personal struggles of their everyday life.

Music is a strong tradition within our school as we believe passionately that it enhances our student’s learning. Music breathes life into each of our young people and they sing with joy, happiness and infectious enthusiasm which enchants audiences and indeed the staff that they work with!

The full school choir is open to any student who would like to be a member and meets twice a week at lunchtime. They sing a varied repertoire of music from popular to sacred through to musical theatre and comedy. They were guests at a concert in St George’s Hall in Liverpool back in 2008 and have competed in the Bangor International Choral Festival in Northern Ireland on more than one occasion. They are regular performers at the Cheshire Royal County Show and have more than one slot at our annual school carol concert which takes place in December. The reputation of Oaklands School Choir goes before them and many people have requested the choir to sing at a number of performance venues across Cheshire and further afield.

The school chamber choir is a three-part (SAB) choir and consists of our most gifted and talented singers. Students join by invitation. They meet once a week and sing a varied repertoire of music from classical to jazz through to the popular genre. They have won a number of music festivals including The Leicester Festival of Music, Speech and Drama in 2015 where they received two first places, The Kettering Eistedfodd in 2016 and 2017 where they received two first and a second place in 2016 and two first places in 2017 and The Bangor International Choral Festival in Northern Ireland also in 2016 and 2017 where they received a first place on both occasions. They were also awarded the trophy for the best International Choir in Northern Ireland and the best choir of the festival overall in Kettering. They are regular performers at the Cheshire Royal County Show and have performed at a Headteachers conference at Chester Racecourse and on a cruise along the river Thames! Their reputation precedes them, with public and organisations requesting for them to sing at many prestigious events not only in Cheshire but further afield also. Students who are members of the chamber choir also receive singing lessons from Miss Howbrigg and follow Nationally Recognised Qualifications in Singing and/or Musical Theatre.