Clarinettist Margaret Archibald and pianist Daniel King Smith work with clarinet players of all standards, the priority being to explore repertoire for clarinet and piano while discussing technique and musicianship in open forums and private sessions.
STANDARD: LEARNER, IMPROVER, CONFIDENT, SKILFUL
Resident: £572 Non-Resident: £435 (25% off for under 27s) Code: 24/336
Booking for Members opens at 11am on Monday 20 November 2023
Non-Member and online booking opens at 11am on Monday 11 December 2023
For details on how to become a Member to take advantage of early booking, see here
What is the course about?
Shared performance in a supportive open forum is at the heart of this course. The timetable is carefully planned to enable everyone to enjoy an equal opportunity for individual lesson time with Margaret and individual rehearsal time with Daniel. Clarinet ensemble music is provided and is available for optional informal get-togethers and some coached ensemble time if members request it. In the weeks preceding the course players will be invited to suggest works that they themselves would especially like to study so that these can be advertised to all course members. The tutors will also give advance notice of one or two works that can be studied by everyone, including if appropriate some music for 2 clarinets and piano. Discovering unfamiliar works, and perhaps sight-reading them, can be a rewarding aspect of the course, but even more valuable is the opportunity to study one or two works in depth, to grow in understanding of the relationship between the clarinet line and the piano part, and to learn from the technical issues and musical interpretations of other course participants presenting the same piece. The detailed schedule includes time for each player to do some private practice, or to sit in on someone else’s lesson or rehearsal, or to form a small ensemble if they wish to. Everyone is encouraged to perform in sharing sessions that give players the chance to test out their new technical and musical discoveries. Players are encouraged to bring bass, Eb or other clarinets if they wish.
Tutor websites: www.margaretarchibald.com / https://www.danielkingsmith.co.uk
What will we cover?
Repertoire for solo clarinet and piano will be the main focus of the course, including individual sessions for study with either the clarinet tutor or the pianist and sharing sessions where course participants will play with one another or perform to one another. Repertoire will be a mix of pieces set in advance and of ad hoc free choice items.
What will we accomplish? By the end of this course you will be able to…
…engage with a wider choice of repertoire and reach a new level of technical and musical understanding.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
Enthusiasm for the clarinet and its repertoire is a given for this course! All are welcome to share in the process of discovery, whether relative beginners or players with decades of experience.
Standard: Learner, Improver, Confident, Skilful
How will the course be taught, and will any preparation be required?
Sessions will be divided between individual time spent with each of the tutors, some group work as required, and sharing sessions where all course participants perform to one another in open forum. It’s very helpful if players arrive with at least one work that they’ve prepared in advance and that they would like to rehearse and perform with piano.
Will music be provided in advance of the course?
Course participants should bring copies of the clarinet and the piano parts for repertoire they’ve prepared and especially want to study. The tutors will bring copies of many standard items and also many boxes of clarinet ensemble music. It will be very helpful to all if course participants can declare well in advance which repertoire items they are preparing for study so that other players can bring their own copies, or choose to play the same items. Much can be learnt from sharing different interpretations of the same piece.
Is there anything I need to bring?
Clarinet(s) and music.
What previous participants said about this course…
"Both tutors were brilliantly helpful and inspiring. The course content was perfect."
“A not-to-be missed opportunity to develop both individualized clarinet technique and musicianship skills in a challenging, rigorous but supportive environment.”
"It was great to have so much 1-2-1 time with the tutors."