Explore the summer school
The Summer School & Festival runs from 24 July – 21 August 2021, programmed by Artistic Director Sara Mohr-Pietsch.
Decide whether you’re attending courses, concerts or both, and then choose a pass that’s right for you. You can also choose from a range of accommodation options on our beautiful estate as required.
important covid-19 info
We have been incredibly rigorous with testing in order to keep participants and artists safe and to try our best to keep the Summer School running in these incredibly challenging circumstances. However, it is with deep sadness that following a positive Covid-19 test, we have had to cancel the remainder of Week 1 and all of Week 2 of the Summer School, including all courses and concerts. Pro rata refunds will be made for courses, and refunds for any concerts that were due to take place this week. The safety of participants, artists and staff remains our absolute priority.
We hope that in cutting this short now, and stopping the spread of the virus, we can run Week 3 and Week 4 (concerts only) as previously scheduled. Please bear with us while we work out how to safely deliver the rest of the Summer School – we will share information as soon as we have it.
Click here to read our covid-19 statement and updated policies.
useful links
latest from @dartingtonarts
As Dartington Music Summer School & Festival draws to a close with the final concerts this evening, we would just like to say a huge thank you to all the musicians, tutors, students, concert-goers, Dartington staff and more who have helped us to bring such wonderful music back to the estate over the past four weeks.
Given the difficult and ever-changing circumstances, it was certainly not what you might call a “normal” Summer School experience, but against all the odds, everyone came together to learn, listen, play and perform once again.
We must also extend our apologies to all those who were unable to come due to Covid, especially all those who were so looking forward to the Week 2 programme we were forced to cancel.
A special thank you also goes to our new artistic director, Sara Mohr-Pietsch, who worked so hard on her first programme under such difficult circumstances - certainly not what she expected when joining the team in 2019!
Please enjoy some of these images from the past few weeks taken by Summer School’s veteran photographer of three decades, Kate Mount, who many of you will have seen gracing the backs of teaching rooms and concerts over the past few weeks.
We cannot wait to welcome you all back for 2022 - plans are already well underway!
The Dartington Arts Team
@dartingtontrust #summerschool @annahmeredith @house_of_bedlam @xcrswx @peteredwardsmusic @sarahpianolife @thomasgouldvln @moirasmiley @kate_mount_photographer @thecitymusick Brodsky Quarte @nestfolk @dunedinconsortscot @ravenchcn @hmmsarahgabriel @ryokoakama @florianmitrea @fretworkviols @saramohrpietsch
Spend an evening listening to incredible world class musicians at one of our Summer School concerts. Check our what’s on section for details.
The fourth and final week of Summer School (14-20 Aug) will be focussed purely on Festival concerts, and takes an experimental / collaborative turn as we welcome a host of innovative artists to the Great Hall. For the first time this year, we are welcoming the public back inside to enjoy the music, so be sure to browse the programme today and book your tickets early to avoid disappointment!
Dartington.org/festival
#dartingtonmusicsummerschool #dartingtonmusicfestival
#dartington #totnes #exeter #plymouth #southdevon
Wonderful to have Summer School back in full flow this week! Here's a little peek behind the scenes at some of the rehearsal, lessons and outdoor encounters with our incredible tutors such as @annahmeredith, Roderick Williams - Baritone , Matthew Barley and Brodksy Quartet.
Tickets are still available to hear live streams of this week's Chamber Music concerts from the Private Garden. dartington.org/festival
📸 Kate Mount
#dartingtonmusicsummerschool
🎼 Summer School & Festival is back!
After a 10 day hiatus, #DartingtonMusicSummerSchool & Festival 2021 is back for Week 3 starting tomorrow (7th August). We have booked two weeks of sunshine (!) alongside a programme packed with courses and concerts celebrating the magic of Chamber Music.
We are so excited to be welcoming participants, artists and volunteers back to Dartington tomorrow - you really are the life and soul of Summer School, and we hope you all have an incredibly fulfilling time on the estate.
For members of the public keen to hear quartets and choirs fill the air in the Private Gardens during this week, join us for enchanting live streams from world renowned performers including Brodsky Quartet, Mary Bevan, Joseph Middleton, Matthew Barley, Florian Mitrea, Thomas Gould, Joseph Havlat, and more.
From the 14th August, we turn our gaze to the worlds of jazz, gospel, folk and experimental music. Whilst there are no courses running, Summer School will be in full Festival mode with a fabulous line up of acclaimed performers in the Great Hall - from the Duke Ellington-influenced piano of Peter Edwards, to the experimental eco-activist compositions of Sarah Nicolls, cathartic chaos with House Of Bedlam, late night sonic adventures with Crystabel Riley and Ryoko Akama, spirit-enriching harmonies from Black Voices… and more besides!
Seating in the Great Hall for Week 4 is greatly reduced for social distancing measures, so please be sure to book your tickets early to avoid disappointment.
See the full concert programme and book tickets at: dartington.org/festival
@dartingtontrust @visittotnes @visitdevon
It is with deep sadness that we are letting you know that we are ending week one of Summer School early and sending everyone home. One person has unfortunately tested positive for covid. We have been incredibly rigorous with testing in order to keep participants and artists safe and to try our best to keep the Summer School running in these incredibly challenging circumstances. In order for later weeks to have the best chance of happening, we have decided to cut this week short and send all participants and artists home and cancel all courses and concerts. Pro rata refunds will be made for courses, and refunds for any concerts that were due to take place this week. The safety of participants, artists and staff remains our absolute priority. We are all incredibly disappointed with this news but hope to be able to still run later weeks due to cutting this short now, and stopping the spread of the virus. This gives us the best chance possible to still be able to run later weeks. Please bear with us while we work out how to safely deliver the rest of the Summer School - we will share information as soon as we have it.
Thank you for your patience, Sara, Emily, Katie and the team.
📷 @kate_mount_photographer