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Two of the country's top musicologists explained the multiple benefits of studying Music at university to a group of Year 12 boys.

Dr Berta Joncus, head of the Music Department at Goldsmiths, University of London (pictured left), and Dr Barley Norton, a senior lecturer and ethnomusicologist at Goldsmiths, encouraged the boys, who are all studying A-level Music, to consider not only the direct benefits of studying Music, but also to reflect on the transferable skills that are acquired.

“When you follow the MMus programme you will develop intellectual and transferable skills of value to employers,” said Dr Joncus. “Many elements of the programme require a high degree of self-motivation and initiative in planning and implementing tasks, and managing of a personal schedule of learning. You develop your capacity to organise, articulate and present ideas in a systematic and professional manner”.

She added: “The programme offers many opportunities for students to work cooperatively, effectively and creatively together, employ social skills in the conduct of research when appropriate, and develop effective skills of communication.”

The two academics were accompanied by a current undergraduate Music student, who gave the boys a brief introduction to the Music department of Goldsmiths and offered insight into the kind of study they could expect to encounter at university level. 

“This was a very positive experience for our boys, who were able to contribute to discussions and who displayed impressive thinking skills,” said Music teacher Rebecca Lancelot. “They now have a clearer understanding of what is on offer to them at undergraduate level if they wish to pursue their study of Music beyond the Sixth Form.”

In addition to her post at Goldsmiths, Dr Berta Joncus is also a Research Associate of the Faculty of Music at Oxford University. Her previous positions include editor at the New Grove Dictionary of Music, working with the dictionary’s editor, the late Stanley Sadie. She took her MA at the University of Bonn, Germany, and worked earlier as a professional singer after finishing a performance degree at the Franz Schubert Conservatory of Vienna. She is also a regular contributor on BBC Radio 3.

Dr Barley Norton studied Music at City University and completed MMus and PhD degrees in ethnomusicology at the School of Oriental and African Studies.  Prior to joining Goldsmiths, he was Principal Lecturer in Music at Roehampton University, where he was director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Music Research.

Gifted Year 13 pupil Gabriel Gendler is hoping to build on the extraordinary success he enjoyed representing the UK in the International Mathematical Olympiad by securing a place at Cambridge.

The UK’s six-strong team came ninth out of 97 countries in the Olympiad (IMO), the best result since 1996. Gabriel (pictured right in the photograph) and his teammates beat all other EU nations and came second in Europe behind Russia. The competition took place during the summer in Colombia.

His strong showing earned him the rare accolade of an IMO silver medal: only a quarter of the 527 contestants received gold or silver medals, with silver going to those who scored more than 24 points out of a possible 42.

QE’s Headmaster, Neil Enright, said: “Gabriel is the first boy from QE to be selected to represent the UK at the Olympiad, having been a reserve for last year’s team. He is to be congratulated on his selection and on his subsequent performance, which both represent achievement at the highest level and bring great credit on the school.”

Assistant Head of Mathematics Wendy Fung added that Gabriel is applying to read Mathematics at Trinity College, Cambridge, the traditional destination of many of the country’s top young mathematicians: “He is looking forward to joining the rest of the IMO team at Cambridge next year.”

Contestants in the IMO must answer six problems, each worth seven points. It was first held in Romania in 1959 and has since been held annually, except in 1980. Participants must be under the age of 20 and must not be registered at any higher education institution, so Gabriel hopes to compete in the IMO one last time next summer before taking up his university place.

Year 11 boy Sam Carling has been invited to trials for the GB Water Polo squad. If successful, he will be the first QE boy to progress to a national level since the renaissance of the sport at QE when the Martin Pool opened in 2006.

Sam was talent-spotted at a summer training camp at Millfield School in Somerset, which followed hard on the heels of a tour to Hungary with the Watford Water Polo Club. During the matches and training sessions at Millfield, Sam was identified by one of the national coaches as a player with great potential. The trials are due to take place in Cardiff in January.

“We are incredibly proud of Sam’s achievements and wish him every success in the trials,” said QE’s water polo co-ordinator and PE teacher, Nick Bird.

“He is training as much as he can, practising twice a week and swimming twice a week. We know his coaches and team mates at the Watford Club are also delighted for him.”

Sam is discussing with Mr Bird how he can help with coaching younger boys at QE’s lunchtime water polo club.

Year 11 pupil William Forrester is celebrating after winning two categories at the first British championships for his sport, Ishin Ryu Ju-Jitsu.

William entered both the grappling and takedown categories for his weight in the U16 competition at the championships in Cambridge. He won gold medals in both and now has a licence which states ‘Teenage British Champion’.

He has been taking Ishin Ryu Ju-Jitsu lessons since a very young age and is so passionate about it that he chose to help teach it to children for the volunteering section of his Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Headmaster Neil Enright, said: “Many congratulations to William. He is characteristically modest about his success, yet I know that such achievements are the result not only of natural ability but also of sustained effort and hard work over an extended period – exactly the sort of attributes that we seek to encourage at QE.”

Ishin Ryu Ju-Jitsu was founded in 1990 by chief instructor Kevin Pell. From its humble beginnings with just seven adults training on the first night at the Borehamwood dojo, it has today become one of the largest martial art organisations of its kind in Europe. Embracing the disciplines of Ju-Jitsu, Judo, Kobudo and Submission Grappling, Ishin Ryu Ju-Jitsu is a modern martial art, yet aims to embrace the best of its Japanese heritage and traditions.

A club enabling boys to learn one of the most demanding, yet popular, card games has started at QE. Six Year 9 boys from each house have joined the Bridge Club, organised by Mathematics teacher and contract bridge enthusiast Jillian Simms.

“We have a specialist bridge teacher, Harold Schogger, coming in on Monday lunchtimes to pass on his expertise to our boys,” said Mrs Simms. “At the moment they are still receiving instructions about the complex rules and strategies but will soon be playing competitive hands. After that we hope to compete in inter-school competitions – particularly as the final of the 2013 national schools bridge competition was between two schools which are both easily accessible to QE – the independent Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ and Merchant Taylors’.

Contract bridge is a trick-taking game using a standard 52-card deck. It is played by four players in two competing partnerships, with partners sitting opposite each other. It demands the application of a wide set of skills including evaluation, memory, risk assessment, strategy and probability.

The cards are dealt and each player has to assess the value of the hand he holds before engaging in the auction – or bidding – phase of the game. In this process, players indicate how many tricks they think they can take, with the highest bidder winning the right to play out the contract. The game consists of several hands; players can win points for successfully completed contracts and for hands where they prevent the bidder from achieving his target.