Ninety one people of all ages joined in one of our three summer courses this year, including our orchestra of 45 young people. Musical challenges were met and new friends were made.
The adult jazzers tackled a range of pieces in different jazz styles for both small ensembles and Big Band, and enjoyed improvisation sessions.
Hoedown from Aaron Copland’s Rodeo was the piece our orchestra of 45 young people aced. Ages 8-18 and grades 1-8+ joined together for a spectacular performance for parents and friends at the end of the course. They also performed a body percussion piece and lots of pieces in their smaller ensemble from Telemann to Freddie Mercury.
The focus of the adult strings was British strings music including works by Britten, Delius, Holst and Elgar, whilst the winds worked at a variety of pieces in different small ensembles including duets through to a piano sextet. The strings and winds joined together to play the first movement of Bruch’s double concerto for clarinet (Amanda Lyons) and viola (Jayne Walker-Delargy), and an arrangement by Adrienne Spilsbury of Youman’s Tea for Two.
Next summer’s courses will be 26-30 July adult jazz, 2-6 August youth ensembles and 9-13 August adult classical (strings and winds).