Chetham’s International Piano Summer School

Elementary course class session
2020-08-11 13:45 - 15:15, 2020-08-10 13:45 - 15:15 (Europe/London)
Improvisation, composing & Musical Time Travel with Karen Marshall.
Developing skills of phrasing, syncopation, swing rhythms, using scales and walking bass lines. In musical time travel, the session will focus on eight major works: Baroque – Bach’s Concerto in E major for violin and Orchestra and Handel’s Firework Music; Classical – Mozart’s Magic Flute and Haydn’s Clock Symphony; Romantic – Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and Saint Saen’s Carnival of the Animals; Contemporary – Holst’s Planet Suite and exploring Jazz using a Jazz Standard. Children will learn about all the musical elements including pitch & melody, rhythm and metre, texture, structure, timbre, harmony and tonality, tempo, dynamics and articulation and historical context.

Intermediate course individual lessons
2020-08-11 13:45 - 15:15
The daily individual lessons and practise sessions take place throughout the school.

Young artist course individual lessons
2020-08-11 11:30 - 13:30
Further opportunities for individual lessons, practise or observations. The practise rooms are all individual for the pianists on this course.

Advanced course class session
2020-08-11 11:30 - 13:00, 2020-08-10 11:30 - 13:00
Aural made simple, General musicianship Sight-reading support and technique with Duncan Glenday.
Enjoy listening to a wide range of music whilst learning tips on how best to improve your listening skills on your own. Classes will also cover the basic theory needed to answer all the tests and help you build confidence with some group singing.
Hone skills in the vital art of sight-reading with practical and creative ideas to motivate. The daily technique clinics provide the opportunity to discover new ways of approaching the many different challenges when playing.

Intermediate course class session
2020-08-11 11:30 - 13:00, 2020-08-10 11:30 - 13:00
Historical highlights and composition workshops with Sarah Murphy.
The key features of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern musical periods will be explored in these sessions. Students will listen to a range of different repertoire (including orchestral/opera) as well as exploring some key repertoire in each style suited to grades 4-6 pianists. Listening activities will give the students confidence in knowing what features define each period and this will then be followed up by a composition workshop which explores a particular feature of the period.

Elementary course individual lessons
2020-08-11 11:30 - 13:00, 2020-08-10 11:30 - 13:00
The daily individual lessons take place with teachers throughout the course. There is also scheduled time for practise. There will be practise supervisors to help everyone make the most of their time.

Intermediate course class session
2020-08-11 09:00 - 11:00, 2020-08-10 09:00 - 11:00
Aural and Musicianship, technique time and theory with Sarah Murphy, course leader.
Sight-singing, rhythmic exercises and multi-activity exercises (combining clapping/singing/movement) will be used to develop co-ordination and general musicianship.Scales and arpeggios will be given a fun twist by being performed in a range of different articulations, dynamics and other musical combinations, with all pianists participating in group performance of these and creating musical ‘accompaniments’. The theory workshop will be linked with composition and improvisation, as students explore different chords structures, writing melodies to chords, improvising and harmonising melodic ideas.

Elementary course class session
2020-08-11 09:00 - 11:00, 2020-08-10 09:00 - 11:00
Kodàly Musicianship, Technique Time, Music Theory, with Karen Marshall, course leader.
Activities will include singing games and solfa, whole group performances of scales to different grooves and vamps and theory delivered in a musical way along with games and activities that truly entertain.

Young artist course individual lessons
2020-08-11 09:00 - 11:00
Individual lessons, practise sessions and lesson observation throughout the school.

Advanced course individual lessons
2020-08-11 09:00 - 11:00
During this session the young pianists will have an individual lesson, practise and observe some of the outstanding faculty.

Young artist course class session
2020-08-10 19:45 - 21:15, 2020-08-09 19:45 - 21:15
Evening performance Class in Carole Nash Recital Hall with Murray McLachlan
A daily opportunity to perform in the stunning Carole Nash recital Hall. Everyone will receive constructive and helpful advice from Murray. The rewards of listening to each other and learning through others is of huge importance to young musicians.

Young artist course class session
2020-08-10 17:30 - 18:30
Daily lecture with course leader, Dr Murray McLachlan
The Psychology of Performance and confidence on stage
Murray will discuss a wide range of subjects including stage fright, inspiration, injury, short-term tactics for success and long-term development strategies. Emphasis on the importance of a positive mind-set, and a comfortable, joyful and calmly creative way of thinking will be highlighted. Explore Murray’s books on technique here.

Advanced course class session
2020-08-10 15:45 - 16:45, 2020-08-09 15:45 - 16:45
Performance platform
An opportunity to perform and receive constructive and encouraging feedback from Duncan. Everyone is encouraged to play and to support each other.

Intermediate course class session
2020-08-10 15:45 - 16:45
Ensemble playing.
Each day will end with a session of communal music-making, with duets, trios, one piano four hands, one piano six hands, and more allow all of the students to take part in an ensemble and learn the important skills of balance, communication, rhythmic accuracy and critical listening that are central to ensemble work. Piano arrangements of well-known orchestral works will be performed alongside arrangements of dances, music from around the globe, and jazz, all of which will widen the student’s knowledge of style and repertoire, as well as being hugely enjoyable and musically satisfying!

Elementary course class session
2020-08-10 15:45 - 16:45
Ensemble playing with Karen Marshall.
Duets, trios and whole group music workshopping. With pianos for everyone, this session aims to be a huge amount of fun whilst also building the basics of ensemble playing from balance of the parts to pulse maintenance, communicating when to come in, to phrasing together and so much more! Karen has recently just compiled and edited the new ABRSM beginner to Grade 2 Piano Star Duet book. Some of these new pieces will be included in the session along with their ‘behind the scenes’ stories. This session will also develop sight-reading skills via an ensemble format and short term memory sight reading game.

Young artist course individual lessons
2020-08-10 14:30 - 16:30
Intense individual lessons with the world-class faculty alongside practise and observation of lessons.

Advanced course class session
2020-08-10 13:45 - 15:15
Daily workshop with Duncan Glenday
1. Mastering the Classical Sonata
2. The Best of Baroque
3. The Romantic Pianist
4. The complete Pianist

Intermediate course individual lessons
2020-08-10 13:45 - 15:15

Young artist course individual lessons
2020-08-10 11:30 - 13:30
Individual lessons, practise time and lesson observations throughout the school.

Young artist course individual lessons
2020-08-10 09:00 - 11:00
All pianists will receive a minimum of a one hour daily lesson from the outstanding faculty. Additional lessons may also booked on application. Don’t miss out on the chance to listen to other lessons throughout the day.

Advanced course individual lessons
2020-08-10 09:00 - 11:00
Individual lessons and practise sessions throughout the school. Take the opportunity to listen to friends and observe some of the outstanding faculty.

Young artist course class session
2020-08-09 17:30 - 18:30
Daily lecture with course leader, Dr Murray McLachlan
Competitions, Auditions and Entrance Requirements for Conservatoires
An invaluable insight in to the word of competitions and auditions. What is required in an entrance exam? How important is repertoire choice for competition entry? Is the quality of the entry recording important? All these questions and many more will be answered.
