News, events and schools' information for families across Bath and West Wiltshire

The Royal High School Bath has unveiled its brand new Steinway Music School which has undergone a major £2 million refurbishment over the past few years.

The new Steinway Music School provides a unique and contemporary learning environment – complete with brand new professional standard recording studio and a beautiful recital room – for Royal High School students to enhance their musical education and let their creativity flourish.

The opening also signals a new partnership between Royal High School Bath and prominent piano makers Steinway and Sons. With its commitment to excellence in musical education Royal High School has become one of only 250 schools worldwide to gain the prestigious Steinway title and students will benefit by having access to world-class Steinway and Sons pianos, masterclasses by Steinway artists, and performance opportunities throughout the year.

Holly Royal High School pupil Year 9

Key features of the Royal High School’s Steinway Music School:

  • £2 million investment
  • Large teaching spaces and sound-proofed practice rooms which are bright, vibrant with quality lighting, acoustics and décor inspiring creativity
  • Beautiful recital space enabling and inspiring students to perform more regularly and allow audiences to hear their music in an acoustically and aesthetically-appropriate environment
  • Top quality instruments and equipment enabling girls to rehearse and perform to a professional standard
  • One of 29 schools in the UK with the prestigious Steinway School status and access to world-class masterclasses with top musicians
  • 10 brand new Steinway and Sons pianos – students will play on the world’s finest handcrafted pianos
  • Professional standard recording studio – students will record, engineer and produce music of every genre
Mark Bradbury and Kate Reynolds with three Royal High pupils, Mathura, Kopikha and Amelie

Kate Reynolds, Head at Royal High School Bath, said, “This significant investment signals Royal High’s continued commitment to our talented musicians. With research suggesting that learning a musical instrument aids academic success, our girls already benefit from the specialist skills of our excellent teaching staff, and now they have a brand new facility to match. Our Music School is an incredibly vibrant and creative environment which will reflect and inspire the talents and ambitions of our girls.”

Mathura Kathirgamanathan (pictured top), year 12 student and music scholar at Royal High School, added, “I enjoy making music so much. I’ve been playing the piano since I was four and the flute for the last three years – it teaches you discipline and commitment and that’s so important for all aspects of your life. I’m really looking forward to using the new recording studio – it is such an exciting new facility for everyone to use – not just for the musical girls, but also those who are interested in engineering, technology or who want to have a go at something fun and creative.”

Royal High School Bath is committed to ensuring the new Music School benefits supporters and the wider community in Bath, as well as students.

Mark Bradbury in the new recording studio

Mark Bradbury, Director of Music at Royal High School Bath, explained, “Bath is a city of vast musical talent and we welcome this into our new Steinway Music School. We offer a brand new space in which to rehearse and perform and when the facilities are not being used by our students, each of the rooms and the recording studio will be available for use by local organisations. We are looking forward to inviting the local community into our school for a series of musical events coming very soon.”

www.royalhighbath.gdst.net