Summer Baroque Course
This is an annual, intensive five-day course for aspiring professional baroque musicians. In 2025, we invite applications from singers and instrumentalists – including, for the first time, players of wind instruments. The course takes place in the state-of-the-art Laidlaw Music Centre, at the University of St Andrews. It is taught by a fantastic team of renowned practitioners, led by violinist Lucy Russell.
The course offers masterclasses, individual lessons, and chamber/ensemble coaching. Despite a busy timetable, there will be time to relax in the beautiful surroundings of historic St Andrews, to wander in the ruins of the cathedral, and to enjoy an ice cream on the beach.
Dates
Monday 11 August 2025 to Friday 15 August 2025 inclusive.
Most course places will be offered between Monday 12 May and Friday 23 May 2025. For those outside the UK who need to book travel tickes before this time, please email Tom Wilkinson (taw21@st-andrews.ac.uk) requesting an early offer of a place.
Fee
£540.00
Age range
18 to 35
If you are an established professional modern instrumentalist who is branching out into baroque performance practice, we would welcome an application from you.
The course also welcomes groups of amateur instrumentalists: duos, trios, quartets, etc. Those on the amateur strand will receive individual and group coaching, and will play in the full course ensemble. Amateur strand lower age limit: 18 (there is no upper limit!).
How to apply
To apply, please fill out the online application form and provide the following:
- CV
- links to solo performance videos of two contrasting pieces of baroque repertoire of at least six minutes in total (video can be hosted on YouTube, Dropbox, Vimeo, etc).
Keyboard players: one of your pieces should show you playing continuo in a group setting.
Application deadline
Friday 9 May 2025, 5pm
A number of scholarships and bursaries, worth 50% and 100% of the course fee, are available.
The University of St Andrews reserves the right to alter the course, including the faculty and schedule, where this is found to be unavoidable.
