For drummers/percussionists who have been learning for at least a term and Grade 1 - 3 students learning other instruments are also welcome.

Junior Percussion Ensemble introduces drummers, percussionists and other instrumentalists to a wonderful world of rhythm! Players will gain the instrumental techniques needed for performing with large concert bands and orchestras whilst also learning to perform as part of a vibrant percussion ensemble in its own right. Pupils will have the opportunity to play a wide range of orchestral percussion instruments and are encouraged to stay on for the Junior Concert Band straight afterwards at 10am.

Rehearsals take place in The Hall, led by Adam Cracknell.

For singers aged 7-12 of all abilities.

Young Voices is MMF’s junior choir for children aged 7-12 (Years 3-7). The aim of the group is to develop general musicianship skills and ensemble experience through use of the voice and provides an ideal introduction for the young or ‘novice’ musician.

Members learn how to control and expand their vocal pitch and dynamic range, to pitch-match (sing in tune), the importance of good posture and clear diction, to sing in two or more parts and to use their voices expressively, reflecting the style and context of a wide variety of songs. General Musicianship activities help to foster an understanding of pulse, metre, rhythm, phrase, musical structure, pitch and pitch-patterns (scales) and develop ‘thinking voice’. The group performs publicly at the end of each term as part of MMF’s junior events and at many other external venues and events.

Rehearsals take place in St John's Church, High Path (next door to Merton Abbey Primary School SW19 2JY) and led by Soo Bishop.

Junior Concert Band ( JCB) is for students at pre-Grade 1 up to Grade 1/2 who are at an early stage of their playing and ensemble skills. Percussionists are invited to join once they have been members of the Junior Percussion Ensemble. The group will meet as a full band and in smaller combinations, so core skills including sight-reading and general musicianship can be developed at the right pace for each member.

Students will explore a wide range of musical genres and styles in a supportive and happy environment! There will be regular opportunities to perform to family and friends and at larger-scale events over the year.

Rehearsals take place in The Hall, led by Sara Grint, Billy Fisher and Adam Cracknell.

For beginner to Grade 1 Guitarists.

This is for children starting on their musical journey. As soon as the child can play five notes on a classical guitar they are able to join. The emphasis is on having fun playing together, improving sight reading and fluency of playing different genres of music.

All guitar groups are invited to play at our Royal Albert Hall concert (the next one's in 2024) in a massed guitar ensemble. Last time they performed Pirates of the Caribbean.

Rehearsals take place in Priory Room, led by Frances Griffin.

For beginner to approaching Grade 2 string players.

String Busters introduces young string players to the joy of playing as part of an ensemble. Children who have mostly had only individual lessons, now get to experience a new dimension of playing, where different groups of players combine their music parts to produce a multi-layered piece!

In this group, young musicians learn the basic skills of ensemble playing, through games, exercises and repertoire, which give the essential foundation for later joining their first orchestra!

Rehearsals take place in The Studio, led by Julia Hart and Carolina Lopez.

For Grade 1 - 3 players of all instruments.

Jazz Jumpers is the perfect introduction to jazz for young instrumentalists of around Grade 1 to 3. The emphasis is on playing by ear, interacting and listening while playing together in a group, making up tunes, improvising together and having fun playing together.

JazzJumpers welcomes players of all instruments.

Rehearsals will take place in the Hall, led by Michael Chillingworth.

(NB After Jazz Jumpers, members move up to JazzWorks and then Merton Youth Jazz Orchestra)

Grade 1-2 Music Theory. Included in Full Membership or available individually for £47 per term from Sept 2023.

Suitable for percussionists and pianists working at grade 2 and above to develop general musicanship and ensemble performing skills.

Merton Mallets play a wide variety of music including classical pieces, pop songs, movie themes, and traditional folk music, and have been featured at numerous MMF events including the Royal Albert Hall. This group would also be suitable for pianists who are looking to participate in an ensemble.

Led by Adam Cracknell in the Percussion Room.

For Grade 4+ players of all instruments.

JazzWorks is our intermediate jazz band for players of a Grade 4 and above. Members will develop their improvisation skills, improve sight-reading, discover a range of jazz genres and have fun while playing!

Rehearsals take place in The Studio and are led by Rob Brockway and Olivia Murphy.

For singers aged 7-12 of all abilities.

Young Voices is MMF’s junior choir for children aged 7-12 (Years 3-7). The aim of the group is to develop general musicianship skills and ensemble experience through use of the voice and provides an ideal introduction for the young or ‘novice’ musician.

Members learn how to control and expand their vocal pitch and dynamic range, to pitch-match (sing in tune), the importance of good posture and clear diction, to sing in two or more parts and to use their voices expressively, reflecting the style and context of a wide variety of songs. General Musicianship activities help to foster an understanding of pulse, metre, rhythm, phrase, musical structure, pitch and pitch-patterns (scales) and develop ‘thinking voice’. The group performs publicly at the end of each term as part of MMF’s junior events and at many other external venues and events.

Rehearsals take place in St John's Church, High Path (next door to Merton Abbey Primary School SW19 2JY) and led by Soo Bishop.

For singers aged 11-18 (Years 7-12) of all abilities.

VoiceBox is MMF’s senior choir for young people aged 11–18 years. Singers will continue to develop the vocal, choral, aural and ensemble skills introduced in the Young Voices junior choir, with a particular focus on singing in 3-4 parts, and successfully capturing the style and genre across a range of contemporary material, including musical theatre, gospel and jazz. Boys with changing voices are particularly welcomed, no previous choral experience is necessary and there are no auditions!

Rehearsals take place in St John's Church, High Path (next door to Merton Abbey Primary School SW19 2JY) and led by Soo Bishop.

For Grade 1 - 3 Guitarists.

Students are introduced to more complex part-playing. Varied styles of music are introduced including blues, jazz, classical music. Emphasis is on improving ensemble skills whilst having fun playing.

All guitar groups are invited to play at the Royal Albert Hall in a massed guitar ensemble, last year they performed Pirates of the Caribbean.

Rehearsals take place in Priory Room, led by Frances Griffin.

Combo Strings is an ensemble designed for string players from Grade 2 to 4. They play a wide variety of musical genres ranging from classical through to folk, jazz and well-known popular music. Together they explore different string-playing techniques and work on developing ensemble skills.

Rehearsals take place in The Studio, lead by Hannah Garty and Charlotte Walker.

Intermediate Concert Band (ICB) is aimed at students around Grade 2 – 4 standard, whose playing and ensemble skills are developing well, enabling them to tackle more complex arrangements. The repertoire ranges from standard concert band pieces to hits from stage and screen. As with all MMF groups, the emphasis is on learning the core skills needed to play successfully with other musicians, improving sight-reading, discovering a range of musical genres and enjoying themselves whilst playing together! ICB performs regularly at Music Centre concerts and at external events during the year.

Rehearsals take place in The Hall led by Sara Grint, Billy Fisher and Adam Cracknell.

Grade 3-4 Music Theory. Included in Full Membership or available individually for £47 per term from Sept 2023.

Suitable for percussionists and pianists working at grade 2 and above to develop general musicanship and ensemble performing skills.

Merton Mallets play a wide variety of music including classical pieces, pop songs, movie themes, and traditional folk music, and have been featured at numerous MMF events including the Royal Albert Hall. This group would also be suitable for pianists who are looking to participate in an ensemble.

Led by Adam Cracknell in the Percussion Room.

For Grade 3 + guitarists.

Senior Guitar Ensemble is for students Grade 3 standard and above. The repertoire is varied and children are encouraged to challenge themselves.

All guitar groups are invited to play at the Royal Albert Hall in a massed guitar ensemble, last year they performed Pirates of the Caribbean. Members of this group also have the opportunity to go on tour. Last year they took part in the Belgium tour and this year the destination is Paris.

Led by Frances Griffin.

Merton Messengers is a selected group of MYJO’s most advanced players (Grade 8+) who want to develop their improvisation and ensemble skills further. Named after the infamous 'Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers', they play a variety of jazz standards and compositions with members being encouraged to bring along their own pieces to play! Membership of this ensemble is by invitation only.

Rehearsals take place in The Hall and are led by Michael Chillingworth and Olivia Murphy.

For Grade 5 + players of brass, woodwind, percussion &  bass guitar.

Merton Youth Concert Band, MMF’s flagship concert band, is made up of high-school aged students at a Grade 5+ level. The repertoire is varied, ranging from traditional concert band pieces to hits from stage and screen. Performance opportunities include the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, the Youth Music European Tour and MMF’s biennial Music is for Life concert at the Royal Albert Hall.

MYCB meet fortnightly, on alternate weeks to MYJO, so it is possible for pupils to attend both groups.

Rehearsals take place in The Main Hall, led by Billy Fisher and Pat Bamber.

For Grade 7+ players of all instruments, membership by invitation/audition.

Merton Youth Jazz Orchestra is a jazz big band, they explore traditional jazz big band repertoire as well as more contemporary pieces and groove/funk tunes. The emphasis is on creating a strong, tight band sound as well as developing sight-reading and aural skills with plenty of opportunities for improvisers to take solos, should they want to. There are lots of exciting performances opportunities for MYJO throughout the year including the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and the Merton Youth Music European Tour.

MYJO meet fortnightly, on alternate weeks to MYCB, so it is possible for pupils to attend both groups.

Rehearsals take place in The Main Hall, led by Michael Chillingworth and Olivia Murphy.

String Sinfonia is an exciting ensemble for our most advanced string players at Grade 5+ who are at high school. The group enjoys a varied repertoire which includes music from stage and screen, jazz standards and classical music. Taking music-making to the next level the group focuses on developing ensemble skills, stylistic awareness and expressive playing as they explore more challenging music and discover ways to convey its emotion.

Rehearsals take place in The Studio and are led by Hannah Garty.

For singers aged 11-18 (Years 7-12) of all abilities.

VoiceBox is MMF’s senior choir for young people aged 11–18 years. Singers will continue to develop the vocal, choral, aural and ensemble skills introduced in the Young Voices junior choir, with a particular focus on singing in 3-4 parts, and successfully capturing the style and genre across a range of contemporary material, including musical theatre, gospel and jazz. Boys with changing voices are particularly welcomed, no previous choral experience is necessary and there are no auditions!

Rehearsals take place in St John's Church, High Path (next door to Merton Abbey Primary School SW19 2JY) and led by Soo Bishop.

Grade 5 Music Theory. Included in Full Membership or available individually for £47 per term from Sept 2023.

Grade 1 & 2 Music Theory. Included in Full Membership or available individually (see our fees).

Grade 3 Music Theory. Included in Full Membership or available individually (see our fees).

Grade 4 Music Theory. Included in Full Membership or available individually (see our fees).

Grade 5 Music Theory. Included in Full Membership or available individually (see our fees).