Dartington ChoralFest 2025
Date and time
28/07/2025 to 04/08/2025
Location
Dartington Estate, South Devon
Tutors
Gavin Carr, Victoria Simmonds, Andrew Rees, James Platt, Sophie Bevan MBE, Lada Valešová
Pricing
Various packages available based on single occupancy – please see details below
Non-residential options now available
(Members discount applies – details in FAQs)
About this event
Join celebrated choral maestro Gavin Carr, described by BBC Radio 3 as “Chorus Master to the Universe,” along with a host of international soloists for the return of Dartington’s ChoralFest 2025, from July 28 to August 4.
ChoralFest offers a unique experience in the choral world: the chance to study and perform Dvořák’s glorious Stabat Mater in the magnificent, medieval Great Hall, alongside personal vocal tuition and masterclasses from some of the UK’s finest soloists and teachers, including James Platt, Andrew Rees, Victoria Simmonds, and Lada Valeslova.
The week also includes evening recitals by our tutors, intimate consort groups exploring fascinating repertoire, and the now-legendary Cabaret Night and Singalong Film Night. All of this is set in the stunning Dartington Hall estate—an immersive experience that will inspire, challenge, and elevate your singing and musicianship to new heights.
One-To-One Lessons
Course participants will have the opportunity to work one-on-one in a welcoming, supportive and low pressure environment with one of our experienced faculty. As one of the highlights of last year’s course, these sessions offer a unique opportunity to work on your voice and repertoire with our international team of opera singers, voice teachers, coaches, and conductors. Why not give it a go?
Residential packages:
Double Rooms:
Based on single occupancy - please call our Guest Services about double occupancy
Deluxe En Suite – Single Occupancy: £2,790 SOLD OUT
Standard En Suite – Single Occupancy: £2,490
Standard (Separate Private Bathroom) – Single Occupancy: £2,075
Single rooms:
Single En Suite - £1,950
Single (Separate Private Bathroom) - £1,750
Single (Shared Bathroom) - £1,650
Hostel-Style (Non-Courtyard – Shared Bathroom) - £1,550
Non-residential:
Course + Lunch Pass - £754
Course Only - £610
Book Now
Please read the FAQs and T&Cs here before booking
Begin your online booking here. You will receive an e-ticket for the festival and further information will be sent to you closer to the start date.
If you have any questions about the course, please email choralfest@dartington.org
For questions about the accommodation, please phone our Guest Services Team on 01803 847150 or email guestservices@dartingtonhall.com
For assistance with completing your booking, please phone the Box Office on 01803 847070
Booking Terms and Conditions can be found in our FAQs here
Please note we recommend taking out your own holiday insurance.
TUTORS
Gavin Carr
Recognised as one of the UK’s leading conductors, Gavin Carr specialises in working with major symphony choruses and orchestras to bring the best of the great British choral tradition to music old and new. He conducts the major choral-orchestral repertoire and is at the forefront of promoting new works, with many notable premieres under his belt. Conductor of the celebrated Philharmonia Chorus, the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus and of Bath Minerva Choir, and Founder-Director of Chorus Angelorum, he has led these ensembles to international acclaim with a number of world-premiere recordings, regular International tours, and a host of innovative programmes.
Victoria Simmonds
Victoria Simmonds studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and became a company principal at English National Opera from 2000 to 2005. Recent and future operatic commitments include Fox / The Cunning Little Vixen and Meg Page / Falstaff for Garsington Opera, Through His Teeth, a new commission by Luke Bedford for Royal Opera House, Mad Hatter and Alice’s Mother/ Alice in Wonderland, Minsk Woman in Jonathan Dove’s Flight, Angelina/Cenerentola, Donna Elvira / Don Giovanni, Marcellina / Le nozze di Figaro, Mother / Little Women and Watkins in the new opera Itch for Opera Holland Park.
Andrew Rees
Andrew Rees gained a scholarship to study at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, and completed his studies on the Opera Course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London. He was a Jerwood Young Artist at English National Opera and later became a principal tenor at the company. Current engagements include Vladimir Igoryevich in Prince Igor for Chelsea Opera Group, Laca in Jenufa for Grange Park Opera, Melot in Tristan und Isolde at the Dutch National Opera and the Rome Opera, and Jimmy Mahoney in The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny.
James Platt
British bass James Platt was educated at Chetham’s School of Music and went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music and the Opera Course of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Engagements in James’ 2023/24 season include Verdi’s Requiem with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/David Hill, Shostakovich’s Symphony No.13 with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Ryan Bancroft, Mozart’s Requiem with the Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera/Tomáš Hanus and Haydn’s Die Schöpfung with the Philharmonia Orchestra/Daniel Hyde and Die Jahreszeiten with the Tapiola Sinfonietta/Matthew Halls. On the opera stage he sings Il Commendatore (Don Giovanni) in his debut for the Opéra de Lille and Sarastro (Die Zauberflöte) in a return to the Glyndebourne Festival.
Sophie Bevan, MBE
Recognised as one of the leading lyric sopranos of her generation Sophie Bevan studied at the Royal College of Music where she was awarded the Queen Mother Rose bowl for excellence in performance. She was the recipient of the 2010 Critics’ Circle award for Exceptional Young Talent, The Times Breakthrough Award at the 2012 South Bank Sky Arts Awards, Young Singer award at the 2013 inaugural International Opera Awards and was made an MBE for services to music in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2019. Sought after for her work in opera, Sophie made her debut at Glyndebourne Festival Opera as Michal Saul and at the Salzburg Festival and Metropolitan Opera as Beatriz in Thomas Adès’ The Exterminating Angel. Sophie lives in Oxfordshire with her husband, three children and two cocker spaniels.
Lada Valešová
Czech / British Lada Valešová conducted the award-winning production of Janáček’s Cunning Little Vixen for Hampstead Garden Opera, which won the Off West End Award in Opera Ensemble. Lada brings the vast wealth of her professional experience as a music director, pianist, and a vocal and language coach to her conducting, uniting the various strands of her expertise and drawing on each facet of her musicianship. As a soloist and chamber musician she has performed in festivals such as the Prague Spring, the Three Choirs Festival, Oxford Lieder Festival and in venues including the Wigmore Hall, Royal Festival Hall, and the Dvořák Hall, Rudofinum Prague. Lada is an Opera Role Coach at the Royal Academy of Music coaches regularly at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the Jette Parker Artists at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
