Overview
The Bayswater Suzuki Group will run three London–based summer courses in 2010: The Summer Extravaganza at the Capital City Academy, the BSG Chamber Music Course at The Harrodian School, and a Suzuki music course called Sforzando Suzuki Summer, at St Clement’s and St James’ CE Primary School.
The Summer Extravaganza now runs from Monday-Saturday in the last week of July. Each year the participants prepare a show based on a different musical or opera and the whole week is dedicated to learning the music, songs and words for the show. Looked at another way, the activities of the Extravaganza are all concerned with eye-hand co-ordination. The 40 participants are normally divided up for the week into four groups by age and sight-reading ability. Every morning each group has an hour each of music, drama, art (in which all the sets and props are prepared and painted) and sport (normally tennis with a LTA coach) or dance, depending on the show. In the afternoon everybody works together to put the show together. On the Saturday all parents are invited to see the performance.
In 2009 we did Lionel Bart’s Oliver!. In 2008 we put on Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story, a contemporary interpretation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet set in New York City. In 2007 we did The Sound of Music and the year before that, Singing in the Rain. The 2006 courses were reviewed in the London Suzuki Group Stop Press Newsletter in September 2006 (scroll down to page 6).
The Chamber Music Course is a more intimate course with a maximum of 20 participants. Everybody plays a movement from a piano trio, string quartet and a duet or other work for their instrument. Jillian contacts all the teachers of pupils she does not know so that she can decide the most appropriate repertoire for them. She also always puts the same age together as far as is possible. This is truly a tailor-made course for participants. Participants also have an hour of musicianship and singing in four or more parts. The music building at The Harrodian School is luxurious and there are beautiful grounds. Participants are able to use the all-weather football pitch which is always a great success!
The Sforzando Suzuki Summer course will take place at St Clement’s School, Holland Park, and will be a Suzuki music course for Pre-Twinkle – end Book 4 violin, cello and piano pupils. The course will offer a private and group lesson, ensemble and group singing lessons. The repertoire will explore both Suzuki repertoire and folk tunes. In the afternoon there will be an art session which will develop ideas relating to the folk repertoire. The course will have 40+ places in the following minimum proportions: 24 violin, 12 cello and 12 piano.
Chamber Music Course at The Harrodian - 13th-17th July 2010
The Chamber Music course is non-residential and runs all day from Tuesday to Friday culminating in a concert on the Saturday morning to which parents and friends are invited to attend.
The course is open to Suzuki and non-Suzuki applicants who should be on Suzuki Book 4 or have passed ABRSM Grade 5.
Information on the teaching faculty will be available in the new year.
More information and forms will be ready to download by the end of January.
Summer Extravaganza - 26th July –31 July 2010 (now five and a half days)
at the Capital City Academy, London NW10
There are places for 40 Suzuki or non-Suzuki instrumentalists aged between 8 and 14 and there will be ten places for 13/14 year olds or older teenagers. We also have a number of places for non-instrumentalists who will play percussion. We are also looking for good dancers! The course is non-residential and runs from Monday to Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm. The show is performed to parents and friends on the Saturday at 11.00am. Early booking for this course is essential. The Summer extravaganza 2009 will be held at the magnificent, Richard Rogers designed Capital City Academy, Doyle Gardens, north Kensington, NW10.
More information and forms will be ready to download by the end of January.
Sforzando Suzuki Summer – 3rd – 7th August 2010 at St Clement’s and St James’ CE Primary School, London W11
Jillian Leddra and Karina McAlpine started this bran new course in 2009. It offers both music and art exploring both Suzuki and folk melody repertoire. They will be inviting colleagues to join them to offer an excellent staff pupil ratio of 1:8 on a course with 40 as the maximum number of pupils. It will run from 9.00am – 4.30pm from Tuesday – Friday with an option for Pre-Twinklers to leave at lunchtime. On the Saturday there will be a concert at 11.00am followed by refreshments. The course will end at 1.00pm. It will be run at St Clement and St James’ CE Primary School which is a wonderful location for courses of this size with a huge and totally safe playground. Parents can park in the playground in order to be able to stay and observe lessons.
More information and forms will be ready to download by the end of January.
