I have been in Durham (UK) for a week Residential Music Summer School which is a required element of the course I am taking on Music Harmony and Theory with the Open University.
We were centred up beside the Cathedral and Castle on Cathedral Green. The Music School was originally built in 1612, literally beside the Cathedral: as we sat in lectures we could see the cathedral through the windows just a few yards away and listen to the bells. The rooms for teaching and eating were in a college close by, built in the early Georgian era, with elegant windows, plaster work, long dining tables, great portraits on the walls, etc. (See post from 19 July for pix.) I had always wanted to go to Durham and live near the cathedral for a while, so there is another dream achieved!
There were a great deal of individual group performance during the week, as complete strangers got together, both tutors and students, to make whatever music was appropriate to the range of talents and instruments. We gave a concert at the end of the week, large choir, chamber choir, various ensembles: jazz, blues, rock, classical, Romantic, Classical, Baroque. All ages, all states of life. One girl from Germany had traveled over with a portable organ on her back, another elderly woman brought her concertina! Age had no bearing on enthusiasm or interest.
On the last night, after the concert, we all went to the bar where the tutors sang songs from Purcell’s era but with modern words, absolutely scurrilous, to the most glorious harmonies! Then a group of students sat and ‘jammed’ for hours, piano, guitars, violas, bass trombone, trumpet, and voices.
The evening finished off with the Course Director, a venerable professor, saying that the week always ends with the National Anthem. So of course we all stood up. Then he lay down on the floor, with his back to the piano, put his arms behind his head, and played it ‘blind’ and backwards, as he put it “In an inverted position! (we had done a lot of work on first, second and third chord inversions that week).
The very last lecture on the day afterwards was a recital by one of our tutors on harpsichord and piano, both of which had been shipped up from Milton Keynes the week before for the music schools. Her last piece she had composed during the week based on the key code numbers we had to use to access the buildings and the letters in the Professor’s name. It was clever and charming. What an end to an amazing week.
Now I have only two months to complete three very demanding pieces of work, and some composition, as well as course work and writing up seven days worth of notes from last week and analysing five set works. I think I shall need to go into purdah to have any chance of getting through it.
Oh, I so enjoyed reading this and feeling the pleasure you had while there. It sounds amazing. I love music, but have absolutely no talent for it, my place is in the audience. I envy those who do have musical talent and are able to enjoy using those talents. Hope you have a great week now that you are back to regular life!
LikeLike
Thank you so much for your kind comments. I’m not talented but love trying! I always feel that anyone who can feel a beat has musical ability if they have the time or inclination to try, but there is so much in life that people have to prioritise. It must be lovely to have real talent: there were plenty of those on my course!!
LikeLike
Sounds like a truly remarkable week! Another great memory to add to your life’s book. Have a great day!
LikeLike
That takes me back to my A214 summer school – just about the best week of my life – ever!
LikeLike
It was sooo good! Did you work for a diploma or a degree? I’m going for the diploma before they phase the Dip.Mus. out. And how did you get on with A214? I’m loving it but its really hard work.
We’ve just begun a facebook page for our week and are looking into whether people would be keen on trying to organise regular music weeks like the OU Geological society do.
LikeLike