Introduction
A course provides space and time for you to absorb, expand, think, experiment, evolve & grow
I hope that the immersive experience of a course, exploring stunning and inspiring music with other like-minded players, is a wonderful and full experience for you. There are now several courses throughout the year. Each is different. Each will have a theme and their own set of ideas I want to share with you.
Flying or travelling a long way?
If you are joining us from afar, and don’t want to bring your cello, I can have one here for you to rent. We charge £50 per cello + bow. Some cellists bring their bow, but if yours has any ivory on it, please don’t risk it being taken away at customs.
Both Extreme, Icons and Through Coloured Glass is standard-specific
Elsewhere, the ensemble workshops are suitable for cellists from Grade 3 standard (you don’t need to have done an exam) to infinity.
Food on our courses
Playing the cello is very physical and needs a lot of energy. You need proper nourishment and we have a fabulous cook called Tina Deubert, who is also a nutritionist and provides us all with imaginative food that caters for all diets on both of our Summer Courses. It's quite common that people's diets become more sensitive. Tina prepares food that works for you and will send out a dietary requirement sheet to fill in so everything is right for you. Do let me know if you have any special dietary requirements.
Reading List
We all want to grow as players and musicians and, on a course, there is time to get under the skin of the music we play. Learning more about the composers, their times and other historical references brings everything more into focus. If you want to, why not read more about the repertoire? It’s fascinating.
Here is a small reading list that I think you will enjoy. To help you navigate around so many good books, here are a few good, all-rounders. For each course, I can recommend books for specific composers. Do ask me!
The Story of Music — Howard Goodall, Vintage Publishing
Big Bangs — Howard Goodall, Vintage Publishing
A Concise History of Western Music — Paul Griffiths, Cambridge University Press
The Master Musicians series — Dent
The Language of Music — Deryck Cooke, Clarendon
The Cello Suites — Eric Siblin, Vintage Publishing