Oundle for Organists Summer School

Courses for young organists during the Oundle International Festival

16-22 July at Oundle, Northamptonshire

Playing the organ can be a solitary sort of experience: there may not be many or even any other organists at your school. But on Oundle for Organists courses you’ll soon make new friends – kindred spirits with the same interest – in an informal, non-competitive environment, and leave with valuable awards to encourage your musical progress!

Because the Summer School takes place during the Oundle International Festival, students have a free pass to many festival events. This presents a unique opportunity to broaden your musical horizons, hearing a broad range of music, while simultaneously being immersed in organ repertoire.

In our Festival, the organ takes its rightful place at the heart of musical life!

Courses

Exploring New Repertoire

If you are relatively new to organ playing and have reached about grade 6 standard, this popular annual course, with its winning formula, will give you such a boost! You will enjoy the chance to play to the tutors in small class groups, and there are many excellent organs in and around Oundle for your practising.

Style & Technique

This programme caters for more advanced students – either those in the sixth-form, considering taking their organ studies further, or those already embarked on university or conservatoire courses. Grade 8 is the benchmark. If you are already pretty fluent, you’ll benefit from the close attention of our expert tutors; whether your enthusiasm is for baroque, romantic, or contemporary repertoire, we have a tutor to help you.

If you could do with practical help on accompaniment, organ management, or improvisation, we will give that close attention as well.

Tutors

• A legendary musical force
• Uncompromising commitment to the highest standards of performance
• Over 45 years at the top of her profession
• Don’t miss her!

• Informator Choristarum at Magdalen College, Oxford
• Superb organist, expert accompanist
• Holds the key to improving your essential keyboard skills
• Full of helpful advice

• Brilliant rising star
• Superb interpreter of contemporary repertoire
• Encouraging, enthusiastic teacher
• Just don’t ask him about steam trains …

• Sub-Organist at Westminster Abbey and Director of Oundle for Organists
• Busy recording artist: recent acclaimed discs of Elgar and Bach
• Frequently heard with ensembles such as The Sixteen and The Cardinall’s Musick

• Belfast City organist
• Master of Music at HM Chapels Royal, Tower of London
• International concert and recording career
• Innovative recitalist and educator

• Young Australian virtuoso
• Prizewinner in international competitions
• Distinction in the Paris Conservatoire class of Latry and Bouvard
• Busy teaching and performing schedule

• Director of Music at Christchurch, Eastbourne and Organist, University of Sussex
• Hugely experienced choral and orchestral conductor
• Life and soul of the party!

Fees

The all-inclusive fee for the ENR/ST courses is £560.  Once we have offered and you have accepted a place, a deposit of £200 will be due within two weeks and the balance (£360) by 15 June.

Bursaries

You may be able to persuade your school or church to contribute, or perhaps we can offer bursaries to help support those who cannot afford the fee.  (See General Information section).

Trips Out

There will be days out to Peterborough where you will play the great Cathedral organ, and to Cambridge for workshops at the consoles of the wonderful College Chapel organs.

Festival Events

Students will have fee admittance to many musical events of the Oundle International Festival.

Awards

Oundle courses are non-competitive but the tutors assess your standard, progress and potential. Following the course each student receives a written report from our tutors. Awards are offered to further encourage students in their organ studies.

Books and Scores: all students receive books, scores or magazine subscriptions thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and individual supporters.

Presentation Recital: students will be selected to play in an end-of-course composite recital which will take place in Oundle School Chapel on Sunday 22 July.

Recital Awards: each year we offer selected students the opportunity to play at cathedrals, churches and colleges throughout the UK.

Accommodation

Students will live in one of the Oundle School boarding houses, all of which are comfortable and well-equipped. Full board is provided, and the Festival Club will be the focus for social events including the popular quiz night.

Organs

We use a great collection of mechanical-action organs both in Oundle and in nearby villages. These include:

in Oundle School Chapel

in the Church of the Most Holy Name of Jesus

in Fotheringhay Church

in Woodnewton Church

in Tansor Church

in Elton Church

Students will also play the superb 4-manual Hill/Harrison organ of Peterborough Cathedral, and a variety of instruments in Cambridge.