Cromer Academy rocks the competition in Battle of the Bands

The ultimate Rock and Pop competition has arrived! Over 60 pupils in our family of schools came together for the first musical event of the year, the Battle of the Bands. This was a chance for avid Rock and Pop musicians to showcase their prowess in their instruments and to highlight one of the more non-classical routes in music at all ages and levels.

Every musician played to the best of their ability, with bands competing from nearly every secondary school in the Trust! This was an opportunity for not only pre-existing bands to hone their musical skills, but also to give those who may have been newly-formed the chance to compete and gain more experience performing in front of an audience.                                                                                                                            
Pupils performed on a variety of instruments and not just those that are traditionally in the rock and pop genre. For example, bands consisted of drums, guitar, keyboard and bass, as well as saxophone and vocals.                                                                            
Winners were picked by a panel of music professionals, consisting of both internal and external members including the Director of Music in the Trust, John Stephens and Trinity’s National Advisor for Rock and Pop, Toby Davies. A full list of the winners is below, alongside the additional prize of ‘Band of the Year’:                                               
KS3 Cover Song - TBC (Thetford Academy)
KS4 Cover Song - Sticks & Picks (Cromer Academy)
KS5 Cover Song - MIRA (Thomas Paine Sixth Form)
Band of the Year - Sticks & Picks (Cromer Academy)                                                                      
There was an additional performance from the staff at Thetford Academy at the end of the day, who entertained pupils with their cover song entry and provided an excellent example of where their music career and skill could reach in the future.

John Stephens, Director of Music, said:

“I’m still reeling from today’s display of talent, potential and commitment. There were some truly excellent performances and every band displayed real evidence of developing musicianship and session skills. It was a fantastic first attempt at a Battle of the Bands and my thanks go to all staff and pupils involved. I can’t wait to see what you come up with next year!”

Inspiration Trust is committed to giving our pupils the opportunity to explore music and encourage them to gain confidence in their skills. We are proud that multiple bands across our schools entered the competition, where they competed in a supportive environment, and showcased their amazing talents. A big well done to everyone involved in the competition!