Week 2 Courses, 28 July - 04 August 2012

A new course for everyone that adds contrast to the overall early music theme is Dirty Electronics; an opportunity for those with no previous experience in this field, to make their own electronic instruments and create a piece during the week. We are really pleased that alongside many familiar names we welcome back Robert Murray and The City Musick who were both so popular last year. Harpsichordist Maggie Cole, pianist Ashley Wass and Ensemble Meridiana are at Summer School for the first time this week. Visual artist Terry Smith is also in residence, creating a site specific piece for the Great Hall. This week also sees the culmination of the Advanced Baroque Opera course with two late night performances also involving participants from the Baroque Dramatic Choruses course.

One Week Courses

Choir

Director James Weeks
Bach BWV 130 Herr Gott, dich loben alle wir
(Bärenreiter BA10130)
Bach BWV 236 Missa Brevis in G major
(Bärenreiter BA5185a)
Bach BWV 21 Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis
(Carus 31.021/03)

Orchestral Workshop

Director Leigh O’Hara
Haydn’s symphonies are a core part of the orchestral repertoire but it tends to be the later works that are most often performed. This week’s Orchestral Workshop will be exploring a few of Haydn’s earliest examples including his Symphony No.1 in D major. These early works show Haydn’s characteristic flair and originality and are scored for oboes, horns, strings and continuo but as always other instruments will be welcome. There will be an informal performance in the final session on the last day of the course.

Chamber Music

Coordinator Rhiannon Evans with Ensemble Meridiana
Please see week 1 for course description.

Instrumental and Vocal Masterclasses and Workshops

Linda Hirst voice
Robert Murray voice*
Andrew West piano accompaniment*
Ashley Wass piano
Jill Kemp recorder
Mark Radcliffe baroque oboe*
Maggie Cole harpsichord*

Vocal Ensembles: William Byrd, Sacred and Secular

Directors Stile Antico
This year the vocal chamber music course will take an overview of the works of one of England’s greatest composers, William Byrd. We will look at a range of the wealth of stunning music available, from sacred to secular, from simple four-part madrigals to complex, large-scale motets. Participants will be divided into small groups, some one-to-a-part, and will work as chamber musicians under the guidance of members of Stile Antico. A booklet of the course repertoire will be available to buy at the beginning of the week.

Improve Your Sightsinging

Director Rhiannon Evans
Please see week 1 for course description.

Bach on the Harpsichord

Director Colin Booth
An introduction to the harpsichord, the instrument and its playing techniques, for pianists who want to explore Bach’s music. Participants should bring one or two rehearsed pieces from any of Bach’s keyboard suites, plus another Bach piece of their own choice.

The Topping Tooters of the Town: Music of the Waits

Directors William Lyons and The City Musick This course will examine the wide range of music played by the Waits – the musicians par excellence who were employed in towns and cities from the 15th to the 19th centuries. The City Musick is an ensemble formed to perform this wonderful music and participants are invited to come and discover Waits repertoire on shawms, sackbuts, cornetts, curtals, recorders, bagpipes, hurdy gurdy and other sundry wind instruments. Players should be of reasonable standard and bring their own instruments. Existing ensembles are welcome.

Early Brass: Cornetts and Sackbuts

FULL TIME
Directors°David Staff & Emily White
This week’s course is for Cornett and Sackbut players, working on 16th and 17th century repertoire. The mornings are dedicated to Cornett sessions with David, whilst Emily works separately with the Sackbuts. Weather and daily schedule permitting, we will come together and play at lunchtimes and in the evening. Other performance opportunities will be found in the Summer School’s evening concerts. This is the second week of a h2. Two Week Course. It is possible to attend one or both weeks. Early Brass will also spend some time working with The City Musick.

Folk Music and Song

Directors Emily & Hazel Askew
Join Emily and Hazel Askew for a course exploring folk music from the British Isles. Hazel will be teaching songs and ballads, covering style and technique. Emily will focus on traditional dance music, guaranteed to get your toes tapping. This course will culminate in an end of week ceilidh where participants can play, sing or dance. Any instrument or voice is welcome. There will be an emphasis on playing by ear, and no previous experience of folk music is necessary.

Chatterbox

FULL TIME
Director Dominic Murcott
During this course participants will explore their own voices as carriers of both cognitive and abstract information. Taking conversation as the starting point, and using sequencers to manipulate the material in ways that range from the subtle to the brutal, the aim is to create unusual and intriguing narratives that combine storytelling and sonic art. The results may exist as recorded installation pieces or works that are performed live with computer. There may also be a link up with John Richard’s Dirty Electronics group. A sense of play (an important aspect of Dominic’s teaching and artistic practice) will be balanced with the opportunity for participants to say something that really matters to them in a way they have never said it before.
Participants will be expected to have experience working with sequencers such as Logic, Cubase, Ableton Live etc.

Beginners and Intermediate Dirty Electronics+

Director John Richards
This course is about exploring DIY electronic musical instrument building and performance. Dirty Electronics is all about getting the hands dirty in the process of making and playing electronic musical instruments. There will be a focus on ‘self-supporting’ instruments: portable devices with their own built-in amplifier, battery powered, and hand-held with tactile controls. The idea of self-supporting will also be extended to explore a kinetically powered electronic musical instrument, and how the very essence of an electronic instrument, electricity, can be used to shape and control sound.

The course is open to all, and will be split into a morning and afternoon session: the morning is for beginners and those who wish to dip in and out; the afternoon to develop and explore further instruments. No knowledge of electronics or previous experience at building electronic musical devices is needed. New works for small and large groups will be created by the participants throughout the week and presented in an end-of-course event. All participants will get to take their instruments home.

Creative Composition: Professional Development for Teachers

Director Philip Cashian
Secondary school teachers are invited to develop their skills in this week of practical composition workshops during which they will have the opportunity to focus on their own creative work. The course will engage with a creative approach to teaching and learning through giving teachers support in developing their own compositional skills, with time for evaluation, listening and reflection. Course leader Philip Cashian is Head of Composition at the Royal Academy of Music.

Two Week Courses

Baroque Dramatic Choruses

Director Christopher Bucknall
This course will run in parallel to the Advanced Opera course and will work on French Baroque repertoire and other complementary/relevant pieces. In particular it will work on Charpentier and the chorus for Actéon, leading to participants on this course forming the chorus for the Advanced Opera performances in week 2. This course is suited to confident singers and the chorus for the opera performances may be selected from within the main course group because of required chorus size. This course will also culminate in a performance, separate to the Advanced Opera.

Baroque Orchestra**

FULL TIME
Directors Robert Howarth & Lucy Russell
The Baroque Orchestra will perform Chapentier’s Actéon in conjunction with the Advanced Baroque Opera course, as well as repertoire for this week’s choral concert. Please note that this course is subject to an application process -“click here”/summer-school/2011-advanced-courses for details. This is the second week of a two week course. Participants can come for either one or both weeks.
Deadline for applications: 23 April

Advanced Baroque Opera**

Charpentier: Actéon
FULL TIME
Director Tim Hopkins
Musical Director Robert Howarth
This is the second week of a two-week course designed for emerging professional and advanced student singers. Tim Hopkins and Robert Howarth will give coaching on Charpentier’s Actéon. Specialist vocal coaching will this week be provided by Robert Murray. Please note that this course is subject to an audition process, and participants must commit to both weeks. Please Click here for details.
Deadline for applications: 16 March

+ These courses are suitable for those with little or no musical experience.
* These classes are for advanced participants only.
** These courses are for advanced participants only and entry is subject to an application process. Click here for details.