Music Summer Schools

[SueW]

Some time ago someone on mumsnet mentioned a summer school where children can go to do music. I think there was mention also of help for Grade 5 theory.

Can anyone help please?

[BrightBaublesBeetroot]

There are a few courses

ds1 did the IYAPS course this summer
He is doing the chamber orchestra course next summer

For grade 5 theory I would find some local music scholar and pay them to teach your child a coupe of times per week leadign up to the exam tbh.

Procorder is another course
and Jackdaw

[BrightBaublesBeetroot]

iaps

\linkwww.procorda.com\Pro Coda}

[BrightBaublesBeetroot]

Pro Coda

[BrightBaublesBeetroot]

NYO

[BrightBaublesBeetroot]

chamber

[foofi]

Where do you live? There's a good one at Benenden. Check out Kent Music School website for details if that's any good.

[snorkle]

The GAM courses are excellent fun. (Ds is hiding behind the rightmost cello in the top photo on the link Celia gave!).

The IAPS courses are more intense - I think this link is the right one for the music courses, but you do have to have been to an IAPS school at some stage.

Both the above do a range of courses for different ability levels/music types, but there are lots of other courses too both National and Local - what age child, what instrument and what ability are you after?

[islandofsodor]

There are loads depending on the instrument etc.

I used to go to Dartington, there are some courses there suitable for children but it goes right up to adults. Some families ranging from 8 upwards went the year I did.

A fantastic experience.

[emmaagain]

The Spode Music Week is a very family-friendly residential music course, with a Roman Catholic emphasis (but not exclusive).

They are wonderfully wonderfully friendly, and it's a mixture of professional and amateur musicians

spodemusicweek.com/index.htm

[emmaagain]

Oh - the Spode music week happens at Beechwood school in Tunbridge Wells :-)

[BrightBaublesBeetroot]

DS loved the iaps course - had a ball and learnt alot

[SueW]

Thanks for all the info and links - I'm just about to browse.

I'm looking on behalf of a friend whose 10yo (Year 5) son is about to take Grade 5 cello but has done no theory exams to date.

Also possibly for DD (violin, sax, piano, G3-ish). Not sure if we will use it this year or in the future.

[SueW]

And we are all based in East Midlands.

[BrightBaublesBeetroot]

for the theory I would really find local to teach.

ds2 took his grade 5 theory at the beginning of the year and a local choral scholar taught him for a couple of hours a week for a month. ALOT cheaper.

[BrightBaublesBeetroot]

talk to your local cathedral - they will ahve a choir and I bet they will do traching on the side

[snorkle]

Which IAPS course did your ds do beetroot? Mine did the Symphony Orchestra last year ago, and quite enjoyed it but felt it was all rather serious. The GAM course he did this year (advanced strings) was much more relaxed and fun. They spend about the same amount of time practising on both, the music was harder at GAM (but it had a higher entry requirement, so you'd expect that). The other good thing about the GAM course was they had chamber groups and a chamber concert as well as an orchestra concert. The IAPS concert (at Snape) was a much grander affair though and it was a full symphony orchestra too which is quite special.

[snorkle]

Sue, I think the GAM intermediate orchestra course is likely to be more fun than the theory one for your cellist friend if they could sort out the theory some other way. I don't know about other local courses to the East Midlands unfortunately.

[SueW]

I found this listing which looks useful. It came up with some courses at Uppingham which isn't too far away.

DD has just asked 'What if I don't want to go to music summer school?' Well then she'll be left to whatever the local playschemes offer. I'm looking to return to f-t work this year and the holidays are going to present a big problem. I naively thought that one week's residential pony holiday could be countered with one week's music school and the rest of the time filled in with local playschemes. Ho hum.

[snorkle]

I think kids are more likely to want to go if they have a good friend going too. Good luck!

[BrightBaublesBeetroot]

Ds did the summer one this year - in August. With a performance in Snape. He loved it. He had a fabuous social life - met a lovely lady!! The music side was hard work but fun (well actually he siad he said he was not challenged!!!!) but loved it

[snorkle]

The standard they achieved at the IAPS was amazing and the percussionists always look to be having loads of fun! Ds enjoyed it quite a lot at the time but this year far prefered the smaller, less regimented atmosphere of the other. I expect a lot of their preferences are down to who they meet there and the personalities of their sectional leaders as well as whichever is freshest in their mind.

[BrightBaublesBeetroot]

oh yes snorkle I think you are right. The percussion teachers a pretty cool. as was the young harpist!!