Holiday Courses
Chamber Music Award Scheme
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Bath Strings Academy is offering Chamber Music Awards for exceptional musicians aged 11—18 who demonstrate a passion for, and a strong commitment to musical study. Applications are invited from players of the violin, viola, ‘cello or double bass, playing at Grade 7 level or above; awards are made on the basis of audition and a written application. Awards include a subsidised place on the Chamber Music Strand of our Summer Academy, with coaching from members of UK's top chamber ensembles, and additional chamber music coaching sessions in Autumn 2019. Applications are welcome from individuals or pre-existing groups. |
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Take your playing to the next level
Our summer course offers players a rich and varied musical experience, combining orchestral playing with chamber music and work away from our instruments.
Our team of experienced tutors provide a fun-filled musical experience during which players will hone their playing skills, develop their confidence and make new friends.
Our team of experienced tutors provide a fun-filled musical experience during which players will hone their playing skills, develop their confidence and make new friends.
Summer Academy 2019
Summer Academy 2018
Course Content
The Main Summer Course is aimed at players of Grades 0 - 8+, divided into three separate strands:
Beginners: Grades 0 - 1
Intermediates: Grades 2 - 4
Seniors: Grades 5 - 8
The emphasis is on learning in a fun, friendly atmosphere. The main strand includes:
Chamber Music Strand:
For players of Grade 5+ there is the option to sign up for our specialised chamber music strand. This will be most suited to players who have the confidence to play in smaller groups. Individuals will be arranged into chamber music groups from string trios and quartets to octets with players of a similar age and level: Juniors (Grade 5 & 6); Intermediates (Grades 7 & 8) and Seniors (Diploma & Conservatoire level). Participants will spend the main part of each day engaged in rehearsing chamber music and receiving coaching.
In addition to studying chamber music, players will also benefit from:
Not sure if the course is suitable for you? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page. If you're still unsure, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
The Main Summer Course is aimed at players of Grades 0 - 8+, divided into three separate strands:
Beginners: Grades 0 - 1
Intermediates: Grades 2 - 4
Seniors: Grades 5 - 8
The emphasis is on learning in a fun, friendly atmosphere. The main strand includes:
- Academy Chamber Orchestra
- Differentiated group work with peers of a similar age and/or experience level
- Performance skills workshops
- Kodaly and Dalcroze-inspired activities
- Specialist Folk music workshop
- Guided listening and mindfulness sessions
- Professional concert given by tutors
- Final performance for friends and family
Chamber Music Strand:
For players of Grade 5+ there is the option to sign up for our specialised chamber music strand. This will be most suited to players who have the confidence to play in smaller groups. Individuals will be arranged into chamber music groups from string trios and quartets to octets with players of a similar age and level: Juniors (Grade 5 & 6); Intermediates (Grades 7 & 8) and Seniors (Diploma & Conservatoire level). Participants will spend the main part of each day engaged in rehearsing chamber music and receiving coaching.
In addition to studying chamber music, players will also benefit from:
- Performance Practice coaching
- Leadership and Mentoring opportunities
- Academy Chamber Orchestra
- Professional concert given by tutors
- Final Performance for friends and family
Not sure if the course is suitable for you? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page. If you're still unsure, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Expert Tuition
We are joined each year by top-level coaches. This is a unique opportunity for string players to experience at first hand the expertise and inspirational qualities of the UK’s leading chamber ensembles. In 2019 we are delighted that were joined by: Simon Chalk (Violin - Musical Director of Southern Sinfonia) Dan Shilladay (viola - Berkeley Ensemble) and Nick Roberts (cello - Coull Quartet)
As well as coaching, Simon, Dan and Nick joined us for our professional tutor’s concert.
Additional Course Tutors: Rachel Watson (cello); Seona Pritchard (Folk and Klezmer specialist); Becca Spencer (Dalcroze); Michelle Falcon (violin and viola); Ruth O'Shea (violin). |
A Typical Day (main stream)
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9.45 Registration 10.00 Morning warm-ups 10.15 Ensemble coaching 11.00 Break 11.15 Sectionals 13.00 Lunch |
14.00 Yoga or Dalcroze 14.30 Group work 15.00 Break 15.15 Ensemble coaching 16.00 Close |
The schedule may change from day to day, but will always include a mixture of playing and activities away from our instruments, designed to help us develop healthy playing habits and perform with confidence and ease.
Course Fees (2020)Main Course - from £140
Chamber Music Stream - from £240 Sibling Discounts Leader and Mentor Discounts Wraparound Care available 8.45 - 17.30 (£6 per hour) Funding: As part of our inclusion policy, we run a bursary scheme. Read more here. We are also offering Chamber Music Awards for exceptional musicians aged 11 - 18 who are playing at Grade 7 level or above. Read more here We are committed to supporting as many musicians as possible to attend our courses. Please do not let financial issues prevent your attendance; we will do our best to provide assistance wherever possible. Please contact us to discuss your needs. If your instrumental teacher is a member of the European String Teacher's Association (ESTA), you may be eligible for funding for Chamber Music Workshops and Summer School Chamber Music Strand, through the Joan Dickson Fund. Early application is strongly recommended. Read more |
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Advanced Specialist Leadership and Mentoring Scheme
University and Music College students may apply for our Advanced Specialist Leadership and Mentoring Scheme, which provides training and hands-on teaching experience along with advanced chamber music coaching.
University and Music College students may apply for our Advanced Specialist Leadership and Mentoring Scheme, which provides training and hands-on teaching experience along with advanced chamber music coaching.
Previous Half-Term Workshops
Ready, Steady, Improvise!
Half-Term Creative Workshops
at Prior Park College
Monday 17th and Tuesday 18th February 2020
10am - 4pm
Wraparound care available 8.30am - 6pm
Two days of fun workshops for young musicians. Come to one day or both.
READY, STEADY, IMPROVISE!
Join dynamic violinist Seona Pritchard and our team of professional musicians for two half-term workshops full of musical discovery. We will explore how to use musical grooves, hooks and riffs as starting points for creating our own music, learning techniques to develop our improvisation skills and unleash our creativity!
Who are the workshops suitable for?
These are multi-level workshops open to those who already play a bowed string instrument or a woodwind instrument at the following levels:
What will the workshops cover?
Musicians trained in the Western Classical tradition rarely have the opportunity to ‘break free’ from printed music and spend time working solely by ear or experimenting, without the pressure of having to ‘play the right notes’.
Our aim is to provide the starting points, structure and support to create the conditions in which young musicians can develop their own ideas and explore the possibilities of their instruments.
Less experienced players will find a warm, inclusive atmosphere and we will work both with and without instruments to develop vital musicianship skills, using our voices and bodies as part of the creative process.
More experienced players will have the opportunity to work independently in groups to create their own compositions and will be encouraged to develop higher-level skills.
Do I have to attend both days?
No; you can attend one day or both. Each will be self-contained, with different materials being presented on each day. Those who attend for both days will have the opportunity to develop what they have learned and created on Day 1, honing and refining their skills and ideas.
We spend plenty of time on each day making sure that everyone gets to know each other, so those joining on Day 2 will be fully integrated into the group.
Course Fees (per day):
£40 (including booking fee)
Sibling Discount: £35 (including booking fee)
Mentor: £25 (including booking fee)
Parent: £5 (including booking fee)
Financial Support
We are committed to supporting as many musicians as possible to attend our courses. Please do not let financial issues prevent your attendance; we will do our best to provide assistance wherever possible. As part of our inclusion policy, we run a bursary scheme. Read more here, or email to arrange a confidential discussion.
Course Times:
10.00am – 4.00pm each day
Wraparound Care:
Extended care is available between 8.30am – 6.00pm @£1.50 per 15 minutes. To book extended care, please download and fill in the Extended Hours Booking Form and return to us by email at bathstringsacademy@gmail.com.
Refreshments:
Participants will need to bring a packed lunch. Drinks and snacks for interim breaks will be provided.
Venue:
Prior Park College, Ralph Allen Drive, Bath BA2 5AH
Please feel free to email bathstringsacademy@gmail.com if you have any questions or wish to find out more about the course.
Join dynamic violinist Seona Pritchard and our team of professional musicians for two half-term workshops full of musical discovery. We will explore how to use musical grooves, hooks and riffs as starting points for creating our own music, learning techniques to develop our improvisation skills and unleash our creativity!
Who are the workshops suitable for?
These are multi-level workshops open to those who already play a bowed string instrument or a woodwind instrument at the following levels:
- Violin, viola, cello or double bass: beginners upwards
- Flute, recorder, tin whistle, clarinet, saxophone, oboe, bassoon: Grade 2 level and up.
What will the workshops cover?
Musicians trained in the Western Classical tradition rarely have the opportunity to ‘break free’ from printed music and spend time working solely by ear or experimenting, without the pressure of having to ‘play the right notes’.
Our aim is to provide the starting points, structure and support to create the conditions in which young musicians can develop their own ideas and explore the possibilities of their instruments.
Less experienced players will find a warm, inclusive atmosphere and we will work both with and without instruments to develop vital musicianship skills, using our voices and bodies as part of the creative process.
More experienced players will have the opportunity to work independently in groups to create their own compositions and will be encouraged to develop higher-level skills.
Do I have to attend both days?
No; you can attend one day or both. Each will be self-contained, with different materials being presented on each day. Those who attend for both days will have the opportunity to develop what they have learned and created on Day 1, honing and refining their skills and ideas.
We spend plenty of time on each day making sure that everyone gets to know each other, so those joining on Day 2 will be fully integrated into the group.
Course Fees (per day):
£40 (including booking fee)
Sibling Discount: £35 (including booking fee)
Mentor: £25 (including booking fee)
Parent: £5 (including booking fee)
Financial Support
We are committed to supporting as many musicians as possible to attend our courses. Please do not let financial issues prevent your attendance; we will do our best to provide assistance wherever possible. As part of our inclusion policy, we run a bursary scheme. Read more here, or email to arrange a confidential discussion.
Course Times:
10.00am – 4.00pm each day
Wraparound Care:
Extended care is available between 8.30am – 6.00pm @£1.50 per 15 minutes. To book extended care, please download and fill in the Extended Hours Booking Form and return to us by email at bathstringsacademy@gmail.com.
Refreshments:
Participants will need to bring a packed lunch. Drinks and snacks for interim breaks will be provided.
Venue:
Prior Park College, Ralph Allen Drive, Bath BA2 5AH
Please feel free to email bathstringsacademy@gmail.com if you have any questions or wish to find out more about the course.
2019
Thursday 21st & Friday 22nd February
10am - 4pm
Wraparound care available 8.30am - 6pm
Two days of fun workshops for young musicians. Come to one day or both.
Thursday 21st & Friday 22nd February
10am - 4pm
Wraparound care available 8.30am - 6pm
Two days of fun workshops for young musicians. Come to one day or both.
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Course Content:
Join us for one or two days of creative composition, ensemble playing and musical games, led by a team of professional musicians and specialist workshop leaders.
Each day will include different activities, designed to develop musicianship, improve group playing skills and explore musical creativity in a fun and stimulating environment.
We will be taking our inspiration from the musical forms of ‘Rondo’ and ‘Theme & Variation’, used famously in Benjamin Britten’s ‘The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra’. Participants will have fun playing pieces by well-known composers, engaging in musical games that develop our understanding of musical structure and then working in small groups to compose their own pieces.
Who is this course suitable for?
This is a multi-level course for woodwind and orchestral string players (violin, viola, cello, double bass) suitable for complete beginners, intermediate and advanced players. Players will be grouped according to age and experience level (approx ages 6-10, 11-13 and 14–18). Parents are welcome to attend alongside to support their child/ren.
Beginners will find a warm, inclusive atmosphere and music that is approachable, whatever your experience level. More experienced players will be challenged to refine their playing during the course, developing their understanding of the basic principles behind accelerated progress and training attention on the more detailed aspects of playing technique. Focus exercises and differentiated parts will be given to the more experienced players, who may also like to consider attending as part of our BSA Leadership and Mentoring Scheme. Participants have the opportunity to work in small groups (differentiated by age and experience level) as well as in an orchestra, learning valuable ensemble skills whilst playing music which balances fun and challenge.
Course Tutors:
Michelle Falcon (violin and viola)
Ruth O'Shea (violin and voice)
Samuel Warner (cello, woodwind, piano)
Course Fees (per day):
£40 (including booking fee)
Sibling Discount: £35 (including booking fee)
Mentor: £25 (including booking fee)
Parent: £5 (including booking fee)
We are committed to supporting as many musicians as possible to attend our courses. Please do not let financial issues prevent your attendance; we will do our best to provide assistance wherever possible. Please contact us to discuss your needs. As part of our inclusion policy, we run a bursary scheme. Please do not hesitate to get in touch to discuss your needs. Read more here.
Course Times:
10.00am – 4.00pm each day
Wraparound Care:
Extended care is available between 8.30am – 6.00pm @£1.50 per 15 minutes. To book extended care, please download and fill in the Extended Hours Booking Form and return to us by email at bathstringsacademy@gmail.com.
Refreshments:
Participants will need to bring a packed lunch. Drinks and snacks for interim breaks will be provided.
Venue: Abbot Alphege School, Lansdown, Bath, BA1 9AU
Abbot Alphege Academy is a newly built school on Lansdown, which boasts excellent rehearsal and recreational spaces.
Please feel free to email bathstringsacademy@gmail.com if you have any questions or wish to find out more about the course.
Join us for one or two days of creative composition, ensemble playing and musical games, led by a team of professional musicians and specialist workshop leaders.
Each day will include different activities, designed to develop musicianship, improve group playing skills and explore musical creativity in a fun and stimulating environment.
We will be taking our inspiration from the musical forms of ‘Rondo’ and ‘Theme & Variation’, used famously in Benjamin Britten’s ‘The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra’. Participants will have fun playing pieces by well-known composers, engaging in musical games that develop our understanding of musical structure and then working in small groups to compose their own pieces.
Who is this course suitable for?
This is a multi-level course for woodwind and orchestral string players (violin, viola, cello, double bass) suitable for complete beginners, intermediate and advanced players. Players will be grouped according to age and experience level (approx ages 6-10, 11-13 and 14–18). Parents are welcome to attend alongside to support their child/ren.
Beginners will find a warm, inclusive atmosphere and music that is approachable, whatever your experience level. More experienced players will be challenged to refine their playing during the course, developing their understanding of the basic principles behind accelerated progress and training attention on the more detailed aspects of playing technique. Focus exercises and differentiated parts will be given to the more experienced players, who may also like to consider attending as part of our BSA Leadership and Mentoring Scheme. Participants have the opportunity to work in small groups (differentiated by age and experience level) as well as in an orchestra, learning valuable ensemble skills whilst playing music which balances fun and challenge.
Course Tutors:
Michelle Falcon (violin and viola)
Ruth O'Shea (violin and voice)
Samuel Warner (cello, woodwind, piano)
Course Fees (per day):
£40 (including booking fee)
Sibling Discount: £35 (including booking fee)
Mentor: £25 (including booking fee)
Parent: £5 (including booking fee)
We are committed to supporting as many musicians as possible to attend our courses. Please do not let financial issues prevent your attendance; we will do our best to provide assistance wherever possible. Please contact us to discuss your needs. As part of our inclusion policy, we run a bursary scheme. Please do not hesitate to get in touch to discuss your needs. Read more here.
Course Times:
10.00am – 4.00pm each day
Wraparound Care:
Extended care is available between 8.30am – 6.00pm @£1.50 per 15 minutes. To book extended care, please download and fill in the Extended Hours Booking Form and return to us by email at bathstringsacademy@gmail.com.
Refreshments:
Participants will need to bring a packed lunch. Drinks and snacks for interim breaks will be provided.
Venue: Abbot Alphege School, Lansdown, Bath, BA1 9AU
Abbot Alphege Academy is a newly built school on Lansdown, which boasts excellent rehearsal and recreational spaces.
Please feel free to email bathstringsacademy@gmail.com if you have any questions or wish to find out more about the course.