Meet our new Director of Music, Caroline Davy

Caroline brings with her a wealth of experience in music education and a real passion for making music accessible, enjoyable and inspiring for every child. With exciting ambitions to build on St. Edmund’s already thriving musical life, from developing our instrumental ensembles and orchestra to creating even more opportunities for pupils to perform, we are delighted she is joining the St. Edmund’s community.

We caught up with Caroline to find out a little more about her musical background, her first impressions of St. Edmund’s and her plans for the year ahead.

Can you tell us a little about your career to date and the roles you held before joining St. Edmund’s?

I began my career as a secondary school music teacher, teaching pupils from Year 7 through to A - Level and IB Music. I have taught at Churcher’s College and The Royal School, where I was Head of Prep Music, and most recently I was Director of Music at Aldro.

What is your own musical background – which instruments do you play and where did your love of music begin?

I grew up in Leicestershire and was heavily involved in the local Music Service. Much of my childhood was spent playing in youth orchestras on Saturdays and taking part in tours, so music was a huge part of my life from an early age.

I went on to study for a BMus (Hons) Performance degree in flute at Trinity College of Music, followed by a Master’s in Leadership at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. I also play the piano and particularly enjoy accompanying choirs and pupils for music exams.

Are there any particular achievements or projects from your career that you are especially proud of?

What I am most proud of is making music accessible to everyone and helping pupils develop a genuine love of music.

I have always tried to create opportunities for pupils at every level to get involved, whether that is through events such as Rockfest!, which I introduced at my previous school, choir tours and large-scale performances, or supporting individual pupils to achieve music scholarships.

Seeing children discover that music is something they can enjoy, contribute to and be proud of is incredibly rewarding.

What attracted you to the Director of Music role at St. Edmund’s?

I already knew about the fantastic reputation music has at St. Edmund’s, so when I saw the position advertised, I was immediately excited by the opportunity. There is already so much happening here musically and it felt like a wonderful department to join and develop further.

What have been your first impressions of St. Edmund’s?

The children are lovely! It is such a friendly environment and I have been made to feel incredibly welcome.

Musically, there is already so much going on. We have lots of choirs, enthusiastic pupils and a busy, thriving department. There is a great foundation to build on and plenty of opportunities to develop things further, which is really exciting.

What do you think makes a really successful school music programme?

For me, it has to be vibrant and inclusive, with children celebrated at every level.

A strong music department should give as many pupils as possible the chance to experience the enjoyment of making music together. That means a busy co-curricular programme with choirs, orchestras, bands and ensembles alongside opportunities for pupils to perform and develop individually.

What are your priorities and ambitions for music at St. Edmund’s?

My first priority is to maintain the excellent quality of music-making that is already here, particularly our strong choral tradition, while developing the instrumental side of the department further, including building our orchestra.

More broadly, I want to encourage a love of music-making across the whole school. I would like every child, regardless of their age or musical experience, to feel that there is something they can get involved in. Music can be such a wonderful way for children to build their confidence gradually over time.

How important is it that music is accessible to every pupil, while also supporting those who want to pursue it at a higher level?

It is hugely important. Music should be for everyone.

Some pupils may go on to pursue music at a very high level, and we want to give them every opportunity and support to do that. But it is equally important that a child who simply loves singing with their friends, joining a band or picking up an instrument for the first time feels that music is for them too.

How do you see music contributing to pupils’ confidence, creativity, wellbeing and wider school experience?

Music complements so many other aspects of school life and plays an important part in developing well-rounded young people.

Through music, children can explore, collaborate, build friendships and develop confidence. It can also give them time to switch off from other pressures, be creative and, most importantly, have fun.

The skills and experiences they gain through making music together can stay with them far beyond the classroom.

Are there any particular ensembles, performances or opportunities you are excited about developing?

I am particularly excited about developing the instrumental side of music at St. Edmund’s, including the orchestra, and encouraging more children to learn instruments so that they can experience making music with pupils from across different year groups.

I would also love to bring Rockfest! to St. Edmund’s at some point, as well as taking the Chapel Choir on tour. There are lots of ideas ; I’m excited to see where we can take them!

What are you most looking forward to during your first year at St. Edmund’s?

Getting stuck into all of it! I am really looking forward to getting to know the pupils, developing the ensembles, building on the wonderful music already happening here and creating plenty of new opportunities for children to perform and enjoy making music together.

What music do you enjoy listening to outside school – and is there an artist, composer or piece of music you particularly love?

This is such a difficult question because I think it is important to have a really broad listening repertoire!

That is one of the reasons I love listening to Desert Island Discs in the car – I am always discovering something different and adding new music to my listening list.

In terms of live music, seeing RAYE at The O2 and Adele in Hyde Park have definitely been two highlights.