The Yehudi Menuhin School

Music is not an extra at The Yehudi Menuhin School; it is the organising idea of the education. Yehudi Menuhin founded the school in 1963, and its Surrey community still brings specialist training, academic study and performance together in a single daily life. The scale is deliberately personal, with pupils learning in close contact with teachers and other young performers while developing the discipline, curiosity and resilience needed for a life in music.

Pupils take a principal study in instruments including violin, viola, cello, double bass, classical guitar, harp, piano or composition. Chamber music is central, and students also work through aural training, theory, harmony, music history, improvisation and composition. Supporting studies can include piano, harpsichord, conducting, singing, music technology and jazz. Regular recitals, ensemble work and opportunities to perform with visiting artists make the move from practice room to stage part of the training rather than a distant end point.

The academic programme is broad and balanced, with music informing the timetable without replacing the rest of a serious school education. Younger pupils in the D department study English, mathematics, science and humanities alongside music and art. Older pupils take GCSEs and A levels, including demanding music courses, while the wider curriculum gives them the knowledge and intellectual range to understand the work they perform. The result is an unusual partnership between concentrated artistic study and the habits of a well-rounded academic life.

Boarding is woven into the school's character: around 80% of pupils board, most of them full-time, with weekly boarding also available. Harris House and Cowan House provide the residential setting, while staff organise activities, rehearsals and weekends around a close community rhythm. The Menuhin Hall offers a dedicated concert space for pupil showcases and professional performances. Financial support is also significant, with the Music and Dance Scheme and the school's bursary fund helping talented musicians access the education regardless of their family's means.