All students have the opportunity to take up instrumental or vocal tuition when they enter Aquinas without an audition process. This totally inclusive offering means that peripatetic music is flourishing here, and we also have many more studying at the City of Belfast School of Music, which we promote and encourage. All students are expected to do one external exam on their chosen instrument/voice each year, and we currently enter students for exams with ABRSM and Trinity Guildhall. The results are always excellent.

At this present time we have eleven private tutors who visit every week:

  • Classical, Electric and Bass Guitar: Mr Paul Denham
  • Drum Kit: Mr Frank Carbery
  • Upper strings and String Ensemble: Mr Martin Surginor Bmus (hons) ATCL
  • Lower Strings: Ms Laura McGrogan
  • Piano: Mrs Miriam Plunkett dipEd and Mr John McParland LTCL
  • Classical Vocal Training: Mrs Rosemary Monroe LTCL and Ms Catherine Harper Prof cert hons, Lram, dip RAM
  • Flute: Ms Jenny Heaney Bmus(hons), LRSM
  • Clarinet/Saxophone and accelerated Grade 5 Theory class: Mrs Karen Shannon BA (hons)
  • Brass: Ms Louise Ferguson Bmus (hons)

Every music student is required to read and sign our Consent Form prior to beginning peripatetic tuition, which clearly outlines our Terms and Conditions. Year 8-11 pupils are then placed on a timetable which rotates each week, yr 12 students are timetabled before/after school and 6th Form musicians have tuition during a timetabled free period. Each student is then issued with a Practice Notebook which parents are encouraged to read and sign each week, and they may also use it to communicate  with the tutor.

Finally, all students in receipt of peripatetic music are expected to contribute to extra-curricular activities which take place each lunch-time in the Music Department, and we simply ask for genuine enthusiasm and committment. Current ensembles include Senior, Junior, Chamber and Folk Choirs for our vocalists and Orchestra, Senior String Ensemble, Jazz Band, String Quartets and Traditional Group for our instrumentalists.

New interested students are always welcome!