Our termly newsletter to celebrate all that has happened across the academy

Malcolm Arnold Academy Newsletter

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MAA students meet Jonathan Yeo

We’re delighted to announce that we have retained the David Ross Education Trust (DRET) Music Cup title for the fourth year in a row.After joining over 450 talented musicians from across the Trust, we took first place in a number of categories at the event, securing our position as the overall winners.

The Academy won the competitions for Vocal Solo (Georgia Baxter), Instrumental

Solo (George Wise on marimba) and Instrumental Ensemble (Swing Band), with our Concert Band and String Orchestra also being placed higher than the other academies. Together with a strong choral submission from the Glee Choir and the Year 9 Singers, the Academy’s strong overall performance, reflecting the strength and depth of the Music Department’s activities, gained the Academy First Prize.

This year’s guest judges were the British a cappella ensemble Apollo5 and co-founder of VOCES8 Paul Smith. Their presence motivated students to perform to their

best ability throughout the competition.

Simon Toyne, DRET Executive Director of Music, commented: “Music is such an important part of our students’ lives, so this event is a great way to encourage their love of music through sharing it with others and learning from each other.

“It has been thrilling to see them perform with such enthusiasm and skill throughout the course of the competition, and to see the standard of music-making rise to impressive levels.”

Victory for MAA at the DRET Music Cup

A group of our budding artists were thrilled to meet world-renowned portrait painter, Jonathan Yeo.

One of the most highly regarded and innovative portrait painters of his time, Jonathan Yeo is known for his paintings of stars including Kevin Spacey, Cara

Delevingne, Nicole Kidman and Sienna Miller, as well as HRH the Duke of Edinburgh and two former Prime Ministers.

Describing what inspired him, Jonathan spoke to students about the importance of creativity and innovation in today’s society, and his use of new technology throughout his work.

Richard Williams, DRET Director of Academic Studies, said: “This has been a fantastic experience for our students.

“Not only have they had a chance to hear from such an influential and highly regarded artist, but they have been able to see the impact of working hard, pursuing your creative dreams and believing in what you can achieve.”

Exploring art galleries A group of lucky A-Level art students recently visited a number of inspirational art galleries in London.

Having explored exhibitions at the iconic National Portrait Gallery and Tate Modern, students then took park in a number of workshops at the Saatchi Gallery where they experimented with different painting techniques from a variety of artists.

Following the gallery visits, students were encouraged to advance their own practice as they travelled to famous London landmarks with their sketchbooks in hand.

Hannah Prince, Teacher of Art, said: “A real highlight was the Saatchi Gallery, as students benefited from a fantastic tour and workshops to help develop their contextual research by observing artwork.”

Nevill Holt OperaWe were thrilled to once again welcome the Nevill Holt Opera company to the academy this term. Students across Key Stage 3 had the chance to take part in singing and movement workshops led by artistic director and conductor, Nicholas Chalmers, movement director, Rachel Wise, and baritone, Jonathan Lemalu.

After giving their all as part of the sessions, students then had the opportunity to audition to perform at Noye’s Fludde in this summer’s Nevill Holt Opera Festival.

Simon Toyne, DRET Executive Director of Music, said: “All 84 singing children that will perform in Noye’s Fludde at the Nevill Holt Opera Festival have been cast from our Northampton academies, led by a strong contingent from Malcolm Arnold Academy. They will be directed by Oliver Mears, Director of Opera at the Royal Opera House - it should be a really great experience for everyone!”

Students visit Google UK

A group of our students joined nine other DRET academies for a visit to Google UK’s head office. The event, which brought together primary, secondary and Sixth Form students from across the Trust, was the perfect opportunity to find out more about the skills young people will need to prepare for future careers in technology.

During the session, students experienced

a Virtual Reality tour of the solar system, the International Space Station and World War I trenches as part of Google Expeditions. This was just one example of some of the technologies Google believes will become increasingly important in the coming years.

Chris Steed, Head of School, said: “It was a real privilege for our students to meet experts from Google and find out more about the new technologies that are going to influence their futures.”

Rock legend Nick Mason visits MAA A founding member of the iconic progressive rock band, Pink Floyd, recently spent the day at Malcolm Arnold Academy. Rock legend Nick Mason, who has over 50 years experience in the music

industry, spoke to our students about the highs and lows of his career.

Five musicians also had the chance to take part in an exclusive drumming workshop, before an evening ‘In Conversation’ with Nick Mason.

Michelle Reading Director of Music at MAA, said: “It was an honour to welcome Nick Mason to the academy.

“Not only did he talk about the technicalities of his art, but about the realities of life as an influential musician and composer.”

Game of Thrones star inspiresOur students were delighted to welcome Game of Thrones star, Gethin Anthony, to the academy.

The Hollywood actor spent the day talking to students about his rise to fame and the steps he took to achieve success.

Gethin, who also read English at Oxford, spoke to students about the importance of aspirations, resilience and learning from your experiences in order to realise your dreams.

Chris Steed, Head of School, said: “We would like to thank Gethin for visiting the academy.

“The students were in awe of Gethin’s achievements. What was particularly inspiring was the persistence he had shown in order to secure his Hollywood role.”

Beauty and the Beast

Once again our students showcased their incredible talents in this year’s production of Beauty and the Beast.From the staging and lighting to costumes and choregraphy a huge amount of work

went on behind the scenes in order to make everything run smoothly.

Many congratulations and thanks must go to all of the students and staff involved across the academy for making Beauty and the Beast such a success.

West Midlands Fire Service Experience Four of our students had a glimpse into the world of fire and rescue when they spent the day with the West Midlands Fire Service.The experience allowed the Sixth Form students to understand the key skills expected from firefighters, including what to do in a house fire, how to safely extinguish different types of fire and learning how to use cutting equipment to free a ‘casualty’ from a road traffic collision.

Chris Steed, Head of School, said: “This was an ideal opportunity for students to engage with the firefighters and understand the reality of dealing with emergency situations on a daily basis.

“Students thoroughly enjoyed their day and were very thankful for this unique opportunity.”

Netball Performance Academy This year, Loughborough Lightning and England player, Natalie Panagarry, has been working with our Year 7 students as part of a Netball Performance Academy.As part of the sessions, Natalie has been coaching the students on different skills areas, and teaching players about the importance of teamwork.

To reward their hard work and dedication, the students received VIP tickets to a Loughborough Lightning game so that they could watch their coach in action!

Shane Ward, DRET Sports Enrichment Manager, said: “Since taking part in the netball academy we have really seen the students grow in confidence. They have sharpened up their skills and pushed their performance to the next level.”

Success in the Spring Cup Our students have been celebrating after claiming the U13’s Rugby title at the DRET Spring Cup 2017. Supported by Olympic gold medallist, Crista Cullen MBE, and former England rugby star Chris Jones, the Trust’s most talented rugby and hockey players were brought together to compete for the prestigious title.

Not put off by the challenging weather conditions, every student played their part with pride and passions.

We are also incredibly proud of our Year 7 Girls Hockey players who, until recently, had not played together as a team. After taking part in a workshop with Crista Cullen, students Emily and Evie said: “We really enjoyed it and will definitely start playing hockey more.”

Crista Cullen commented:“It is fantastic to see talented young people progressing or developing their talents to reach the next level. Congratulations to everyone that took part in this event.“

Keep in touch: @MAA_Academy @MAAcademySport www.malcolmarnoldacademy.co.uk

DRET Cross Country ChampionsAfter some stunning performances out in the fields of Leicestershire, our team has won the DRET Cross Country Cup for the second consecutive year. Cheered on by two-time Olympian, Mara Yamauchi, who is the UK’s second fastest female marathon runner of all time, Malcolm Arnold Academy took a clear victory as overall winners of the competition.

Shane Ward, DRET Sports Enrichment Manager, said: “Many people seem to have a perception that Cross

Country is a sport for individuals, however it encourages students to demonstrate team work and show their support for fellow peers.

“We saw some fantastic sportsmanship and perseverance on what was a tough course.”