Still Rocking After All These Years: The Music That Shaped a Generation
Join acclaimed music leader Ben England BEM for a rich and engaging day exploring the rise of rock music and its extraordinary cultural impact. Still Rocking After All These Years: The Music That Shaped a Generation traces the journey from the … More details …
The Sound of Many Waters
The Sound of Many Waters explores how composers have been drawn to water in all its forms: crashing seas, flowing rivers, quiet lakes and moments of deep stillness. Drawing on great works of European and American classical music, the day … More details …
Virtuoso!
Journey through the dazzling world of the violin concerto in a day filled with glorious music – music that is brilliant, lyrical and deeply emotional. Our Virtuoso! day traces the violin’s story from Vivaldi’s fiery energy through the sweeping Romantic … More details …
The Elements of Music
The Elements of Music is an illuminating full-day lecture with Ben England that reveals how the art of music is grounded in the patterns of the natural and scientific world. Through vivid examples and engaging explanations, Ben explores how vibration, … More details …
Evolution of Classical Music
From caveman grunts to Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Debussy – join Ben England for a thrilling journey through the story of classical music. Ever wondered how the raw, primal sounds of our ancient ancestors evolved into the sweeping symphonies of … More details …
Rachmaninov: Wandering Ghost
This day of music and discovery charts the life and legacy of Sergei Rachmaninov, whose sweeping melodies and heart-stopping harmonies capture a world lost to time. From the grandeur of his piano concertos to the aching nostalgia of his symphonies … More details …
Swing, Syncopation and Soul: A Journey Through Jazz.
Step into the vibrant world of jazz in this immersive day course, perfect for music lovers of all backgrounds. We’ll trace jazz from its roots in New Orleans to its evolution through swing, bebop, and beyond, uncovering the rhythms, harmonies, … More details …
Tchaikovsky: Passion, Power and Pathos
This course is now fully booked. Please contact us if you would like to be placed on a waiting list for any cancellations. Today, we’ll explore the enduring appeal and significance of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s music. Few composers have managed … More details …
Robert and Clara Schumann
It’s one of the greatest love stories in western classical music – Robert and Clara Schumann. But how did this archetypal romantic relationship contribute to the musical developments and intentions of the nineteenth century? During the day we’ll explore the … More details …
Beethoven’s Symphonies
This course is now fully booked. Please contact us if you would like to be placed on a waiting list for any cancellations. Victor Hugo once said that in the music of Beethoven, “the dreamer will recognise his dreams, the … More details …
Richard Strauss – a first-class second-rate composer
The last of the great German romantic composers, Strauss provides an important bridge between 19th century ideals and early modernism. We’ll discuss his life-story and his guiding philosophical beliefs as well as listening to his tone poems, his operas, his … More details …
Film Music in the Modern Era
An exploration of movie scoring from the 1970s to the present day. Following on from Ben’s Film Music course last year, this day course will look at the art of writing music for movies and TV, including examples of music … More details …
Mozart – The Soul of a Genius
Mozart stands as the epitome of musical genius, revered and cherished by scholars, critics, performers and listeners alike. The universal allure of his compositions begs the question: what elements make his music so universally captivating? Our exploration today aims to … More details …
Vaughan Williams – Renaissance Man
The composer Ralph Vaughan Williams was fascinated by the ancient music of his homeland and as his explorations widened, he led a generation of English composers in a new renaissance of national music. Renowned for his quintessentially English compositions, Vaughan … More details …
Great English Song Cycles
European Art Song emerged primarily in Germany and Austria in the nineteenth century and soon captured the imagination of composers across Europe. English composers took a while to catch on, but when they did, the results were truly wonderful. Today … More details …