An opportunity to play chamber music with specialist coaching in a friendly and supportive environment.
STANDARD: SKILFUL
Resident: £572 Non-Resident: £435 (25% off for under 27s) Code: 25/351
Booking for Members opens at 9am on Wednesday 27 November 2024
Non-Member and online booking opens at 9am on Monday 16 December 2024
For details on how to become a Member to take advantage of early booking, see here
What is the course about?
Join pianist Stephen Gutman, horn-player Sue Dent, clarinettist Ian Mitchell and bassoonist Robert Codd to explore a wide range of chamber music. Sessions will include the wonderful repertoire for piano and wind; pieces typically include the Piano and Wind Sextets by Poulenc and Thuille, the Mozart Quintet and various Quartets and Trios. Wind players will also explore some of the fine repertoire for wind such as Janáček's Mlady and the Mozart Octets. Drawing on their extensive professional experience, the tutors will offer specialist coaching. There will be mixing and matching for everyone according to repertoire and standards. Pianists should be capable of playing works such as Beethoven's Piano and Wind Quintet with some facility, and will be able to choose their repertoire in consultation with Stephen at least a month in advance to give them time to prepare their parts. Wind players who come should be good sight-readers. We ask for at least Grade 8 standard for this selective course. This year, we will be celebrating the anniversaries of composers, Berio and Crusell by including Berio's zany Quintet Opus Number Zoo and Crusell's Pot Pourit for Clarinet, Horn, Bassoon and his Quartets for four horns.
What will we cover?
Chamber music for piano and wind; chamber music for wind; ways to achieve good ensemble, exploring texture, intonation, articulation and pedalling issues, and awareness of harmonic structure.
What will we accomplish? By the end of this course you will be able to...
By the end of this course, you will have experienced the joy of playing chamber music, gained greater knowledge of the repertoire, and gained deeper insights into the music you have played.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
Skilful.
How will the course be taught, and will any preparation be required?
Pianists will be put in touch with Stephen to discuss repertoire at least a month in advance. Once their repertoire has been chosen, they are asked to prepare their works sufficiently to play to a level of some fluency. Players will be organised into groups for each session. Some tutoring will be provided in each session, carefully tailored to the needs of the group. There will be lighter sessions in the evenings when larger wind ensembles will be played. There will be an informal final concert.
Will music be provided in advance of the course?
Pianists are asked to bring their own scores. Wind players are welcome to bring their own scores if there is something they would particularly like to play (please inform Stephen if this is the case). Otherwise scores will be provided.
Is there anything that participants need to bring?
Their instruments. Pianists are asked to bring their own scores in consultation with Stephen in advance.
Tutor biographies
Robert Codd Robert Codd was educated at Clifton College, Bristol, where he first took up the bassoon and University college, Cardiff, reading Natural Sciences initially, but later changing to Music. In 1966 he graduated with a B.Mus. and in the same year gained an LRAM, (Performers), on the bassoon. Shorter afterwards he won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music in London, where he remained for four years, studying with Geoffrey Gambold.
He combined College activities with classroom teaching in the East End of London, peripatetic woodwind teaching for Buckinghamshire and much chamber music, including the Galliard Ensemble, Van Walsum Ensemble, which specialised in work for schools and music societies and the London Harpsichord Ensemble, with regular appearances at the Purcell Room and Wigmore Hall.
On leaving college he spend several years freelancing, especially with contemporary music and wind chamber groups, as well as many performances with London festival Ballet, (now English National Ballet), as a bassoonist, not as a dancer! In August 1973 he joined the BBC Welsh Orchestra, (now BBC National Orchestra of Wales) as Principal Bassoonist, a position he help until September, 2003. During his time with the Orchestra he was involved with music foreign touring, especially to Eastern Europe and Japan, did much "Outreach Work" and performed several concertos.
Over the years he has been involved with several wind ensembles, adjudicating, teaching and other educational work and has played with many orchestras, including the CBSO, BSO and LSO, the London Mozart Players and the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera. He has been a Bassoon Tutor at Cardiff University and at the RWCMD since 1974.
What previous participants said about this course…
“A great opportunity to play a mix of familiar and unfamiliar repertoire, with some good musicians I may not have not met before, and with helpful professional support.”
“An opportunity to play familiar and new pieces with good players, old friends, and an opportunity to meet new ones.”
“Well worthwhile.”
“Quite challenging but highly rewarding.”