Stretford High School

Subject Leader

Mr Christopher Woolham studied as a Band Musician following his early musical training through primary and secondary school, Bolton Youth Brass Band and as a member of the countries oldest brass band, the Eagley Mills Band.  After training as a teacher in 1996 he successfully developed music in two schools before taking a career break to pursue his long-term aspirations to become a film composer.  Following post graduate study in composing for film and television at the London College of Music he went on to work part-time as a teacher while working as a freelance composer.  Chris returned to teaching full-time in 2003 when he started at Stretford High School, drawing on his professional musical experience to quickly make music a central part in the life of the school community.  He has also played piano for over thirty years, studying under the late Mark Ray at the Royal Northern College of Music and teaching students privately who have gone on to study at the Trinity College of Music and the Royal Scottish Academy.  Chris believes music can be a source of inspiration and passion in everybody’s lives; something as a race we are all touched by in some way and part of the human spirit!

Music Team

Miss Prest began working at SHS in 2010, completing a year as a Teaching Assistant and Learning Manager. Her passion for delivering creative after-school activities saw her change roles within school to become an Instrument Teacher in September 2010, specialising in Drum Kit and Percussion. Her World Percussion Ensemble opens its doors to students from across the school, having performed alongside the mighty Juba do Leão percussion and dance collective at the 2010 Stretford Hootenanny. As well as guiding the Year 8 Rock band through its riffs and drum fills, Holly Prest has recently established a Year 7 Street Percussion Ensemble (inspired by the exciting youth music projects in Brazil) featuring the school’s most gifted young drummers. Outside of school, Holly is a locally renowned percussionist; she directs Juba do Leão, performs with diverse musical outfits such as The Acoustic Conquistador and Carrie Penty Mason, as well as having supported international acts including The Fun Lovin’ Criminals, MONOBLOCO, and Jarvis Cocker.

Mr Mellor studied music at Huddersfield College and went on to Wigan College to study jazz guitar. Following this he worked in France as a chef whilst teaching guitar in his spare time. On moving back to the UK he has been involved in running music workshops around Oldham and Tameside. Since joining the music team in September 2010, Mr Mellor has seen how talented and hardworking the students at Stretford High are and how much of a buzz is going round the music department. He also writes and records his own songs and apparently has the voice of an angel, or so I’ve heard.   

Miss C Graves attended the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and studied Music Theatre. Miss Graves then went onto study a  PGCE at Bangor University in North Wales. Since then she has spent 2 years teaching Music + Performing Arts at Blacon High School in Chester before joining the Music Department here at Stretford High in September 2011. Since joining I have set up the newly formed Piano Ensemble and Year 7 Vocal Group, as well as accompanying the Year 8/9 Vocal Group – ‘Vocal Explosion”.  Outside of School I spend a lot of time rehearsing with Amateur Dramatic groups, both on and off stage, either Musical Directing or Singing / Dancing.

Miss Richard’s began teaching at Stretford high in September 2011 and is in charge of the schools’ vocal groups. Since starting, she has continued to develop the ‘Vocal Explosion’ group, Senior vocals – the ‘Starlets’ as well as establishing a new ‘Boys Vocal Group’ which also incorporates Rapping and Beatboxing.
She has studied singing at music college and progressed on to Lancaster University to do her music degree, then completed her music teaching qualification at Manchester Metropolitan University and whilst studying – she has attained a lot as a singer, songwriter and performer. She has worked with UK record labels and producers recording backing vocals and co-writing tracks – some of which has also been used in a film Soundtrack.
Miss Richards also attended Tech Music Schools 2010 in London and during her time there she had appeared in two music videos and has had various gigs around west London – including a performance of her own arrangement of a ‘James Bond’ medley at the O2 Empire in Shepherds Bush. In 2010-2011, she was a member of a highly acclaimed blues/rock band called “Roadhouse”, who have been touring the world for over 20 years and have 11 albums.
Currently, Miss Richards continues to work as a professional singer and will be releasing her own album in 2012.

Curriculum

Curriculum info….