Just to let you all know, the information on this arrived on the doormat this morning.

Chethams piano festival 2008

We got one in the post today as well.
I'm hoping to go this year on the second week. i want to do the first week, because i would love to do the organ course as well, but im going to france for two weeks, and wont get back until half way through the first week.

Who else is hoping to go this year?

Jacob.

Still too chicken.
Also the two weeks both take in the Northern Ireland Forum concert weekend.

I'd love to! But doubt it...how good do you have to be though?

grade 5 distinction standard and above.

Jacob.

If, like me, the last exam you took resulted in a mere pass at grade 5 . . . but it was in 1973 (!), talk to them: They can be flexible for adult learners if the circumstances are right & they are aware that the important word in the phrase "grade 5 distinction standard and above" is the word "standard".

I shall be going again if they'll have me - I'm pretty sure I'll apply for week 2. Also the teachers I liked / got to know seem to be only down for week 1, so it's a bit daunting turning up to meet someone totally new.

Two week course might change the style of the course slightly, have to wait and see.

Planning on week 2 - Duets with Yamaha Cannot wait!!

Can anyone whose been before give me an idea of a typical day at Chethams, because this will be my first time going, and don't know anyone whose been before, plus, im going on my own, but will be staying at my Nan's house!
I'm signing up for the piano course, and will probably want 2 hours practise time a day, if not more, and im interested in going to some of the master classes. Im going on week 2, so any recomendations on teachers would be welcome too!
When choosing the teachers, do some of them specialise in certain periods of music, or things like improvisation, because im interested in the Classical, late romantic, and earlier classical periods, but also like jazz, and my favourite composers are Mozart, Beehtoven, Grieg, Debussy, and Dvorak.

thankyou

Jacob.

Your time is pretty much your own. You get allocated a practise room which you share with 2 others, you have to arrange who gets in when between you. I've been lucky both times I've been there, and shared with very reasonable people, but I did hear stories of arguments over who got in when, and some people seem to want to hog their room the whole time. The first time I went I said I'd do 2 h practise a day, but I did more than that. Last time I signed up for 3 h and did even more than that and was actually so tired by the end of the week i could hardly play. I think 3 h a day is about right - lessons and playing at master classes are on top of that but I honestly don't think my hands are up to any more than that! I don't think the amount of practise you put down makes too much difference, but if you end up sharing a practyise room with 2 people who are bothe determined to play for 5 h a day then they could be problems.

You can practise on any piano anywhere in the school if it's not being used by its "rightful" owner. Each practise room has an upright piano - some are a bit clapped out having been played almost non stop for years, but generally they're quite nice. In parctise, there are usually free rooms in the afternoons but the mornings can be very busy.

I usually get up fairly early so would practise a bit before breakfast, then have fairtly slow breakfast and practise until my lesson which was at about 11. There's also an official coffee break when people congregate in the main hall.

There's a concert every lunchtime you can listen to if you want.

Things then start again at about 4 where there are Master classes that anyone can go to. There were "workshops" for adult amateurs, which were really just small scale master classes. Some of the masterclasses with big name pianists atract quite big crowds of spectators. I only went to them if someone I knew was playing.

Things were usually a bit quieter between lunch and 4 o clock I usually did another practise session then went acorss to the official tea break at 4 ish, and then on to workshops etc. Dinner is at 6:30 ish and there were 2 concerts a night. I only ever went to the second one as this was the time when the practise rooms were quietest and you could usually sneak into one of the teaching studios and to practise on one of the nice grand pianos.

I'd then head back and listen to the second concert which would finish at about 10. Thereafter most of the Adults tended to congragate in the main hall for a few glasses of wine. (Do a search for Chethams and you'll see some photos I posted last year).

Generally speaking really nice way to spend a week. If you went to a boarding school you'll know pretty much what to expect! It very definately is "communal living" but everyone is very friendly and keen and music is totally top of everyone's priorities. I'd usually head for the outside world once a day to read the paper in a local cafe, but there are rules about when young people going out and who they must be accompanied by.

I may be going this year on the second week for the first time.
I'm trying to make things work with a summer orchestral course I'm doing which ends with a concert on Saturday evening (which means the first week would be completely out of the question if I still want to do the orchestral course).
Dou you think Chethams would still have me if I missed registration on Saturday and turned up on Sunday?
Though I think if I can't make it work I'll drop the orchestral course this year.

Leanne

Do you think anyone will go for the whole two weeks?

I dont think many people will go for the whole 2 weeks, unless they REALLY want to do two courses that are only available on certain weeks, because it's a lot of money to go for 2 weeks, and i dont think a lot of people will have time to do the two weeks, unless they are still in school or university and have enough holiday time.
I'm really looking forward to going! whose going on week 2?

Jacob.

I'm sure some people will go for 2 weeks. I'd love to & am seriously considering it, if only I can raise the money. Last year I went to observe the competition which ran before the course & stayed for the course, so I was there for nearly 2 weeks & it was fantastic. I can't wait to go again.

I know a couple of people who are planning it. I'd love to but don't think I have the time!

One day when I'm all grown up and have got up to Grade 5 I'll be able to go to summer school. Can't wait.
Bev.

If you're not quite ready for the course, you can always go as an observer. It leaves you free to watch everything without having to worry about lessons. One of my friends did this last year & she had a great time. You can learn such a lot from listening & it's cheaper to be an observer.

Aww! Chets is AMAZING! You absoloutely HAVE to go!!
Was there last year for the first time, and it was one of the best weeks ever!
I learned more than I thought I ever could, and met some wonderful people.
It really is fantastic, I can't stress that enough!
I really wanted to go to first week, but I'm playing at the British Festival for Youth Orchestras, so there would be an overlap. Slightly disapointed at that, as Ronald Stevenson is teaching then, and he's just lovely. I'm related to him! He comes to visit, and gives me lessons on his pieces, which is pretty wow!
Did anyone hear his piece at Celtic Connections?
But anyway,
Jacob, don't be worried about it. I was terrified last year, as I didn't know anyone either, but you make friends really quickly. If you're in week 2, I'll probably meet you there!
And the last night is just awesome. The memory of Will in a Madonna outfit will stay with me forever
Anyone remember that?
And Leanne, they don't mind, I had a friend last year who came a day late, and they were fine about it.

Ohh good! Thanks!



HK

hm...a bit of suprise, can't believe they are putting an organ course on....interesting....

would love to go, but, i'm hoping to go to oundle again this summer (only if they offer me a place). if i do go to both of them, i'm sure i will go bankrupt.

Discussed this with my teacher, who thinks it will do me good, should be fun and recommends it. Just got to persuade the wife now . . .

Considering the long-suffering wives down my neck of the woods (rugby... ) hopefully that shouldn't be too difficult!

I was thinking about applying this year. The philosophy of pianism course on week two sounds interesting but il more than likely end up going on week one if I do go. It all depends on finances...

That's all the forms in now.
I'm going for the 2nd week.
Who's going when?
I'm getting dead excited about it already

I'm signed up (and paid) for the second week too: see you there.

Me too - week 2, duets with Yamaha. On the countdown....can't wait!! Willl be sooooo exciting ...better get some practice in tho...!!

Hi Bev

Have you thought about the Pro corda weekend courses? They have some in October, the earlier one is not specifically for piano and it is aimed at beginners to Grade 5. They also have another one which is specifically for pianists and I was told at Grade 4 level that would be fine for me. It might be worth you taking a look. I am going to one and very excited!

ET

I'm going for 2 weeks - very excited & dead broke (had to really scrape the fees together, but I know it'll be worth it). Now that teaching is beginning to die down a bit (last exams on Fri), I can start to really concentrate on practice.

Signed up last week for second week and just received confirmation Very last minute, but I don't normally go on holidays in August so had to spend ages convincing my boss why he should re-plan his holidays so I could "spend a week just playing the piano" (we're quite a small team, so couldn't afford to be off at the same time)

First time ever attending a summer school

So nice to hear that there'll be at least four forumites at the summer school - I can't wait to hear all about it!