Week 3 Courses

10 -17 August

Do you play a string instrument? Then this week is for you – start your days with the allcomers’ String Orchestra with music by Elgar and Woolf/Woolrich. Follow up with classes on your instrument and explore a variety of dance tunes in English Roots. How about trying something different? Hone your improvisation skills in specially arranged sessions or learn to play and dance the Argentine Tango, showing off your skills at the end of the week at our much loved Tango Ball. Not confident in your ability? There are courses for beginners in many weeks, and the Choir and Orchestral Workshop sessions are open to all abilities. Call us to talk through what you might like to do.

Courses suitable for beginners +
Courses suitable for families (F)
Advanced courses * and **
(those with ** are subject to an application process, please click here for details)

Ray Davies Songwriting Course

Ray Davies and Marion Wells return to run their full time songwriting course!

The course is full time and will involve group sessions and individual tutorials. The course is open to songwriters of all genres, participants will write several new songs during the week and the course will culminate in a showcase of work written on the course.

This course has a limited capacity and participants will be selected in advance. To apply please submit a booking form OR financial assistance form, a covering letter stating what you want to get from the course, up-to-date CV and 2 recordings, preferably by dropbox or other file transfer system by emailing us at summerschool@dartington.org.

Deadline for applications 7 May 2013.
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One Week Courses

Choir
Director Brian Kay
Mendelssohn Elijah, op.70
(Novello 070201)

String Orchestra
Director Alexander Janiczek
With guest director Sir Neville Marriner
Repertoire this week will include Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro, and Woolf/Woolrich Italian Songs.

Chamber Music
Coordinator Amy Simms
with the Benyounes Quartet

PRE-FORMED ENSEMBLES
To take part in a pre-formed ensemble, you MUST complete a Chamber Music form with your initial booking and indicate which session(s) you wish to play in. Places in pre-formed groups will be limited and filled on a first-come, first-served basis. You will be sent details of your ensemble in July. Please note that, unlike in previous years, each group will be free to choose their own repertoire, either from their personal collection or from the Summer School library. Coaching will be available for Sessions 2 and 3 only.
‘THE CHAMBER POT’, session 4
The Chamber Pot is a daily informal gathering to play through a major work from the chamber music repertoire. Absolutely all are welcome, but you should be prepared to double-up or swap if necessary.
SPONTANEOUS CHAMBER MUSIC
In addition to the pre-formed ensembles, there will be notice boards and meetings where you can arrange your own informal group, with help from the chamber music team.

Instrumental and Vocal Masterclasses and Workshops
Joan Rodgers – voice*
Della Jones – voice
Paul Crossley – piano*
Shelagh Sutherland – piano
Markus Däunert – violin*
Daniel Pioro – violin
Susan Knight – viola
Stephen Orton – cello
Leon Bosch double – bass
Gary Ryan – guitar

Chamber Choir
Director John Hancorn
This week’s Chamber Choir will focus on Dvorák, Mendelssohn and Schumann part songs, working towards a performance at the end of the week. The music for this course is demanding and there is a lot to cover in a short rehearsal time before the concert, so this course is suited to experienced singers who are confident sight readers or quick learners. Auditions will be held on the first day straight after choir, after which there will be time to buy the music before the first class in the afternoon.

Finding Your Voice+
Director Jessica Cash
A course for singers who truly want to express themselves through their voice. Working with the group as a whole Jessica will identify and address common issues around the body, flow of energy and tension. Participants will be encouraged to understand singing as a mental, spiritual, emotional and physical activity. The aim of the course is for everyone to improve their knowledge and love of singing. Please note this class will involve quite a lot of physical work.

Advanced Chamber Music: String Quartets**
Director András Keller
This course offers a rare opportunity for one conservatoire student or emerging professional string quartet to receive professional coaching. Please note that this course is subject to an application process. Please click here for more details. Closing date for applications: 12 April

Improvisation
Director Daniel Pioro
This daily improvisation session is suitable for confident, competent players of any instrument or voice-type, who wish to lend their skills to this specific art form. It is also an ideal opportunity for classical players to have a first go at free improvisation. The only requirement is imagination.

Tango Music
Director Carlos Morera
Carlos returns with his much-loved Tango course, which offers a unique opportunity to learn the Argentine Tango. No previous experience is necessary but instrumentalists (all strings, flutes and piano) need some sight-reading ability to form a Tango Orchestra. Participants should commit for the whole week in order to enjoy the Tango Ball at the end of the course.

Tango Dance
Director Laura Hansen
Laura offers beginners a chance to learn the steps to the Argentine Tango. Anybody of any ability can join in as long as you wear proper shoes (no rubber soles or flip-flops). The week will conclude with dancing at the Tango Ball, accompanied by musicians from the Tango Music course.

Aural Awareness
Director Shelagh Sutherland
Whether aural awareness and training are a distant memory or a completely new concept, this course is for those who want to improve their aural skills. These skills allow musicians to relate more easily and enjoyably to both repertoire and ensemble colleagues. Focusing on musicality, Aural Awareness will look at how improvisation, copying and coordination link into sightreading and sight-singing, memorisation, analysis and transcription. It will cover melody, harmony and rhythm in order to read and respond more fully to the musical world around us.

English Roots:
Fiddle and Cello Tunes, 1651 – 2012
Directors Pete Cooper & Richard Bolton
Pete Cooper, fiddle, and Richard Bolton, cello and guitar, explore dance tunes – jigs, reels, hornpipes, waltzes – and other repertoire from the English folk tradition, as well as presenting their own original pieces inspired by it. Expect a relaxed, aural teaching method. Those new to folk music and more experienced players are all welcome.

Recording Techniques
Director Moritz Bergfeld
This course has options for both beginners and advanced students. The first two days’ sessions will be run separately, to include room and instrument acoustics and recording theory. The rest of the week, everyone will come together to record and edit a performance by one of the advanced student ensembles studying at Dartington this week. Working as one team, beginners will be assistants to those with more experience. Students will learn about different microphones and recording and editing techniques for small chamber ensembles.

Two Week Courses

Advanced Composition**
FULL-TIME
Director Johannes Maria Staud
Johannes Maria Staud will lead daily seminars on composition for a selected number of advanced students and professional composers. In the second week, pieces written on the course will be rehearsed for performance by the Composers Ensemble. This course is subject to an application process and participants must commit to both weeks. Please click here for more details.
Closing date for applications: 15 March

Three Week Courses

Advanced Conducting**
FULL-TIME
Director John Carewe (Weeks 3 and 4)
Pierre-André Valade (Week 5)
This week will be directed by John Carewe. This course is a unique opportunity for advanced student and emerging professional conductors to work intensively with an orchestra under the direction of two different conductors, on repertoire for which they are renowned. This is an invaluable opportunity for conductors on the threshold of their professional careers. This course is subject to a process of application and audition, and participants must commit to all three weeks. Please click here for more details.
Closing date for applications: 15 March