Music at Worth

There are plentiful opportunities to practice, perform and record music here at Worth. As well as our well-known choir which performs regularly in the Abbey and external venues, we have a 60-piece Orchestra, concert band, jazz band, woodwind ensemble and others. In addition to full-time staff, we have 25 teachers who between them offer tuition on a vast range of instruments including electric and bass guitar, percussion and jazz piano. Our sound-proof Rock Room is used by rock bands for rehearsal and the annual 'Battle of the Bands' is a hugely popular evening, as is the House Music evening which both raise money for charities. 

Music in the community

Worth musicians play for the Day Care Centre on a number of occasions each year - always popular, particularly with the Day Centre visitors. The charity work of the department also extends to holding a couple of concerts each year in aid of a number of charities close to our hearts. 

The Worth Abbey Community Orchestra is made up of local musicians as well as the very best present and past pupils of the school. They perform a symphonic concert each year in the Abbey Church and have raised some £45,000 for various charities over the past 20 years.

Choir

Perhaps the most far-reaching musical activity is the Abbey Choir. This Choir, of some 45-50 Worth students and staff, sings Mass each Sunday and at major Feast days during term time (see Diary of Events for details). They are involved in a number of large-scale events over the year, including the magical Carol Service which regularly draws a huge congregation.  In addition, each summer the Choir go on tour giving a number of concerts abroad.  Previous tours have included Paris, Koblenz, Rome, Munich, Normandy, Budapest, Prague and Tokyo.

There is a strong choral tradition at Worth and this is reflected in the numerous Worth choristers who have gone on to win choral awards at university in recent years. Previous recipients have won awards at Christ Church and Magdelen Colleges, Oxford, Clare, King's and Christ's Colleges, Cambridge, Edinburgh University and Trinity College, Dublin and University College Dublin.