Young Musicians Week
A week of music making and fun for 6 to 18 year olds.
28 July - 1 August Code 8040 Residential or Day Course Options
(Residential students arrive on Sun 27 July)
Uppingham School, one of the country’s top independent schools for music education, will again offer 6-18 year olds the opportunity to participate inYoung Musicians’Week, one of the best holiday courses in Britain for young musicians. The quality of musical education, which has made the School so sought after by talented musicians, is combined with a mix of leisure pursuits to provide a ‘truly memorable experience’ for our young students.
Students will enjoy the benefit of being able to use the school’s brand new Music Centre, opened in 2006, as well as the many other specialist musical venues and facilities available.
What does Young Musicians’ Week offer?
A week of music-making, music education and fun with like-minded young people. Course Director AlexTester will be supported by a team of top rate professional music educationalists assisted by young musical assistants – all hand-selected not only because of their musical ability but also their teaching ability and their commitment to nurturing young musicians. The leisure team and pastoral staff look after the leisure programme and students’ well-being. The number of both students and staff who return year after year speaks volumes for the fun and progress which is made each year.
We aim to give young musicians confidence by introducing them to a varied repertoire. Each individual musician will be assessed and placed in appropriate groups and ensembles, from quartets to bands, trios to full orchestra so they find their week challenging, stimulating and individually tailored to their own performance level.
What do they do each day?
Five days of focussed fun, playing a variety of music with similarly minded young musicians gives students more consolidated experience than most young musicians have in a term of music at school. Rehearsals will be rewarding, challenging and enhanced by coaches who, like our students, enjoy making music during their holidays. Working with a sectional instrumental coach and a conductor will give students the individual tuition and confidence to assist their enjoyment of music. Working in this musically supportive and inspirational environment helps youngsters progress quickly and enjoyably.
Each day, starting at 9.15am, is divided into a number of complementary sessions rehearsing in several groups in different locations around the school. It is a demanding time-table, so the leisure activities, where they have the chance to let off a bit of steam by playing tennis, football, swimming or enjoying a more sedentary activity, are an important part of the course.
Who can attend?
Any young musician aged 6 to 18 who enjoys playing an orchestral instrument or the saxophone. Children must bring their own instrument (except percussion), should have taken lessons for at least 8 months and be able to read music.
The
instruments catered for are:-
| Violin | Viola |
| Cello | Double-bass |
| Percussion | Flute |
| Oboe | Clarinet |
| Bassoon | Trumpet |
| Cornet | Trombone |
| French Horn | Tenor Horn |
| Euphonium | Tuba |
| Saxophone |
What music?
Each child will be provided with music and will take part in a number of groups such as
– chamber or string orchestra– swing band
– course symphony orchestra
– duos, trios quartets etc of same or mixed instruments
How Are They Allocated to Groups?
All students will be allocated to one of two main groups for the week. This will group together musicians of similar standards, ages and experience to enable a tailored programme to be provided to ensure each student gains the maximum possible value/progress from his/her week. Although the programmes for both groups will be very similar, there will be slightly more emphasis on music education for the less experienced group and a greater focus on instrumental performance for the higher grade musicians..
The Concerts
Performing in public, either solo, with friends in duets, trios or small ensembles, or with the main orchestra is a key part of the development of young musicians. Many students will play in mid-week concerts and all our students will perform in an end of course concert on Friday 1 August, which will be followed by an optional end of course ‘Hog Roast’ for students, their family and friends.
All concerts are open to participants’ family and friends, with the end of course concert being a main feature of the week to which everyone is encouraged to come along and support the musicians.
Jazz Big Band Week
An advanced music course for 16-18 year olds, grade 6-8
28 July - 1 August Code 8041
Residential or Day Course Options (Residential students arrive on Sun 27 July)
Introduction
As an extension to the ever-popularYoung MusiciansWeek, we are pleased to launch a new advanced course giving older students the chance to experience playing in a 20-piece jazz Big Band. Students will rehearse and perform in prestigious new venues – the Paul David Music School and ColinWilliams StudioTheatre.What does the course offer?
Led by Course Director AlexTester, supported by jazz professionals, soloists and music educationalists, the emphasis is on challenging young musicians to think creatively, improvising and working with like-minded youngsters to produce the tight ensemble required within Big Band jazz. Students do not need previous jazz experience, but should be grade 6 standard or above to get the most out of the course. In work such as improvisation and jazz combos, each individual musician will be assessed and placed in appropriate groups depending on experience, and even tentative improvisers will find confidence in the work undertaken. The ensemble work is based upon building a repertoire for performance, understanding jazz style, extending sight-reading skills and understanding jazz charts and chord books.
The Big Band will perform in front of an audience at a series of lunchtime concerts and evening gigs, including a gig in a local hotel. The course runs parallel toYoung Musicians’Week, with students also performing in the final ‘end of course’ concert and ‘Hog Roast’ reception on Friday evening.
The daily program
Morning rehearsals will concentrate on building a repertoire set, working as a whole band and time in sectionals with instrumental coaches. This will give a chance for the band’s sound to blend together and for players to become stylistically aware. Early afternoon sessions will work on smaller jazz combos and the art of improvisation in a series of workshops and masterclasses. In late afternoon, students will join up withYoung Musicians’Week for full orchestra or sax ensembles.
It is a demanding but exciting programme – but there is time to relax as well. There will be a selection of leisure options during breaks – and also in the evenings for residential students. Our experienced pastoral team will offer activities that will enable students to mix with friends onYoung Musicians’Week, but will also tailor a social programme specific to older students.
The band
We require students offering the following instruments for the Big Band course:
Trumpets
Trombones
Alto Saxes
Tenor Saxes
Baritone Sax
Piano
Drum kit
Guitar
Double bass or bass guitar
We hope to match up students with the right parts within the band so each player is challenged yet inspired. If you are in doubt about whether you are the right standard or experience for the course, do get in touch with us and we can advise. Rehearsals will be rewarding, challenging and enhanced by coaches who, like our students, enjoy making music during the holidays. Our jazz professionals will be willing to give students sound advice on working successfully at jazz repertoire.
Charges
Young Musicians’Week and Jazz Big Band Week
Day Student or Residential?
If you live locally, you can come as a non-residential student and go home in the evenings – if you live too far away, or simply want the additional fun of a residential course, you are welcome to stay here at Uppingham School. (NB Big Band will include evening gigs)
Drinks breaks are provided morning and afternoon. Residential students are provided with lunch while non-residential students should bring a packed lunch although drinks will be provided.
8040 -Young Musicians’Week * The course costs are totally inclusive:-
Residential Students £410, Day Students £255 *Early payment discount, £30.00 if paid in full by Saturday 31 May.
8041 - Jazz Big Band Week * The course costs are totally inclusive:-
Residential Students £450, Day Students £295 *Early payment discount, £30.00 if paid in full by Saturday 31 May.
(no reminder will be sent). Reminders will be sent to those not taking advantage of the early payment discount to advise that the full sum (as above) is due 30 days before the course start date.
Staying at Uppingham School
Residential
students' accommodation will be in the school's pleasant and spacious boarding
houses. Older students will all be in single rooms, with younger students sharing
with other student(s) of the same gender and age. YMW pastoral staff will be
on hand 24 hours a day to look after the needs and concerns of students. The
course price includes breakfast, lunch and dinner throughout the course.