Summer Baroque Course

• Faculty

  Lucy Russell (violin coach and course director)

  • Leader, Fitzwilliam String Quartet (modern and classical instruments)
  • Professor of Historical Violin, Royal College of Music
  • Visiting Professor of Strings, University of St Andrews

  Laurence Cummings (visiting coach)

  • Music Director, Academy of Ancient Music
  • Musical Director, London Handel Festival
  • Music Director, Orquestra Barroca Casa da Musica

  James Gilchrist (vocal coach)

  • Hailed as ‘the finest Evangelist of his generation’
  • Regular performances with Academy of Ancient Music, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Monteverdi Choir, Gabrilei Consort and Dunedin Consort

  Elizabeth Kenny (lute and theorbo coach)

  • One of Europe’s leading lute players
  • Professor of lute and theorbo, Royal Academy of Music

  Sarah McMahon (cello coach)

  • Principal Cello, Academy of Ancient Music
  • Founding Member, Callino String Quartet

  Alison McGillivray (cello coach)

  • Former Principal Cello, Academy of Ancient Music and English Consort
  • Lecturer, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

  Jane Rogers (viola coach)

  • Professor of Baroque Viola, Royal College of Music
  • Principal Viola of Academy of Ancient Music, La Nuova Musica, Brecon Baroque

  Rachel Podger (visiting coach)

  • Hailed by the Times as ‘the unsurpassed British glory of the baroque violin’
  • Gramophone Artist of the Year Award (2018)

  Margaret Urquhart (double bass coach)

  • Professor of baroque double bass/violone at The Hague Conservatory and Conservatorium van Amsterdam
  • Member of the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century

  Jan Waterfield (keyboard)

  • Principal Harpsichord, Gabrieli Consort
  • Lecturer and Harpsichord Teacher at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

• Repertoire and instruments

  Repertoire to include

  • Johann Sebastian Bach: Cantata no. 4, “Christ lag in Todesbanden”
  • Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber: Fidicinium sacro-profanum

  Solo repertoire (singers and instrumentalists)

  Please bring solo repertoire of your own choice. Some participants may be asked to perform solo items in the final concert.

  The ensemble repertoire parts will provided (electronically) in advance. Rehearsals will involve detailed work from the outset, so please ensure that you have the notes fully learned before the course begins. You will get more from the course and have more fun by being prepared!

  Instruments

  • Violin
  • Viola
  • Cello
  • Double bass
  • Harpsichord and chamber organ
  • Lute and theorbo

  Apart from keyboardists, participants are expected to provide their own equipment, e.g. baroque instrument and bow for string players.
  
  Pitch: A = 415 Hz

• Schedule

  Instrumentalists: you should plan to arrive in St Andrews on Sunday 11 August 2024 and leave on Saturday 17 August 2024.

  Singers: you should plan to arrive in St Andrews on Tuesday 13 August 2024 and leave on Saturday 17 August 2024.

  Please note: the schedule is indicative and subject to change.

  Sunday

  • 8pm - Welcome Reception

  Monday

  • 9.15am to 9.45am - Mindfulness - Grounding and Arriving
  • 10am to 12pm - Full Rehearsal
  • 12.15pm to 1pm Historical String Technique with Benjamin Shute
    
  • 2.30 pm to 4pm - Chamber Music (un-coached)
  • 4.15pm to 5.30pm - Chamber Music (coached)
    
  • 7pm to 8.30pm - Full Rehearsal

  Tuesday

  • 8.45am to 9.15am - Feldenkreis with Alison McGillivray
  • 9.30am to 12.30pm - Violin and Cello Masterclasses with Rachel Podger and Alison McGillivray
  • 2pm to 4pm - Full Rehearsal
  • 4.30pm to 6pm – Violin and Cello Masterclasses with Rachel Podger and Alison McGillivray
  • 7pm to 7.15pm Meditation with Lucy Russell
  • 7.30pm to 9.30pm - Chamber Music / Open Teaching*

  Wednesday
  

  • 9.15am to 9.45am - “Boga” (Bow Yoga) with Rachel Podger
  • 10.15am onwards - Chamber Music (coached and un-coached)
  • 10.15am to 12.45pm - Harpsichord / Continuo Masterclass with Laurence Cummings
  • 2pm to 5pm - Vocal Masterclass with James Gilchrist/Chamber music (coached)
  • 6.30pm - 6.45pm Meditation with Jan Waterfield
  • 7pm to 8.30pm - Full Rehearsal with Laurence Cummings

  Thursday

  • 9am to 9.30am Boga with Rachel Podger
  • 9.45 am to 12.30pm - Chamber Music (coached)
  • 1.45pm to 3.45pm Chamber Music Masterclass with Laurence Cummings
  • 4pm to 5.30pm - Full Rehearsal with Laurence Cummings
  • 5.30pm-5.45pm - Meditation with Lucy Russell
  • 6pm to 7pm - Troubleshooting
  • 7pm onwards - Fish and Chips on the Beach (optional but strongly encouraged!)

  Friday

  • 9.15am to 9.45pm Mindfulness - Grounding and Departing
  • 10am to 12 noon - Full Rehearsal
  • 1.15pm to 5pm - Rehearsal for Concert (run-through)
  • 7.30pm - Concert followed by Wine Reception

  * "Open Teaching" denotes individual lessons that are observed by course participants; informal masterclasses, in other words.

• Fee

  The fee must be paid by 4pm on Friday 7 June 2024 for your place to be secured.

  If you have a specific dietary requirement, please contact music@st-andrews.ac.uk by Friday 7 June 2024.

• Accommodation

  Food and board are not included in the course fee, however, you can book bed and breakfast accommodation at Agnes Blackadder Hall, one of the University’s Halls of Residence, where additional fees will apply. This accommodation can be requested on the course booking form.

  St Andrews has a variety of very good cafés and restaurants, to suit every budget.

  You may arrive at the accommodation from 3pm on Sunday 11 August 2024 (Tuesday 13 August 2024 for singers) and must depart by 10am on Saturday 17 August 2024.