The school recognises the importance of pupils learning a musical instrument. We have appointed well qualified and experienced instrumental staff offering lessons on all brass, woodwind and string instruments as well as vocal, drum and guitar lessons. Many of our peripatetic staff are involved as specialists in our extra-curricular programme. At present we have around 150 pupils taking individual lessons.

Balcarras Music Department runs a very lively and wide-ranging extra-curricular programme. Pupils across all year groups are welcome to join our clubs. We have a main school choir and a chamber choir in addition to an all-boys choir. We have an orchestra, flute group, wind ensemble, string group, brass group and music theory club. For those students who are keen on Jazz and Pop styles we also have a soul band, jazz band and saxophone group. The department has eight practice rooms which all have access to keyboards and guitar amplifiers. The practice rooms are used by peripatetic staff but are also available for pupils to book during their lunchtimes for their own self-directed rehearsals.

In 2015 the school won some hub funding which enabled us to record a song under the directorship of a special vocal facilitator. This involved a number of pupils from the school and resulted in a widely-acclaimed music video, filmed at Postlip Barn.  To see the film see here

There is a wide-ranging calendar of music events held throughout the year.  The Autumn term starts with the ever-popular House Music Festival, which is overseen by the Music Department and organised by members of the Sixth Form, who produce a concert of the musical talents within each House. An external adjudicator who is a professional musician is invited each year to listen to all the concerts and select a winning House according to set criteria. Competition is always fierce and in the past few years we have been lucky enough to have welcomed Dr Warwick Cole professional cellist and organist, Alan McLean, pianist and Suzanne Barnes, flautist and teacher as our adjudicators. Other adjudicators have included the vocal specialist and choral conductor Vicki Beauregard and also Pete Rosser, who is a composer, performer and examiner for the ABRSM. At the end of the Autumn term, there is a major school production and as well as a Carol Concert. Other musical events include concerts for particular year groups and our very popular and family-friendly Midsummer Music Festival.

The school production is a huge event where we work in tandem with the Drama department in staging a major theatrical event. In recent years, these have ranged from a production of The 39 Steps (with specially arranged orchestrations), to full-scale musicals such as Oklahoma!, Beauty and the Beast, Grease, What a Wonderful Life and, in December 2018, City of Angels! The production orchestra always features a wide range of students who demonstrate passion and commitment, many of whom go on to make music their profession or a large part of their adult lives. The show’s principals and chorus are also coached and rehearsed by the team from the music department.