INTERNATIONAL COURSE IN EARLY MUSIC
THE WONDER OF ITALIAN BAROQUE SONG - A NEW PATH FOR THE MODERN STUDENT
About the course
The International Course in Early Music under the conduct of James Gray started in the Czech Republic in 2013 and since then, became an annual tradition. The course is a part of the festival West-Bohemian Baroque. It is unusual as it is intended for both amateur and professional (semi-professional) singers. It is also unique as each participant has individual lessons according a holistic teaching approach of Lajos Szamosi and Terezie Blum. They belonged to pre-war generation of Hungarian singing teachers who dedicated their life mission on natural and effortless production of the voice.
After completion of the course, led by James Gray, students will gain a deeper understanding of Baroque aria of the end of 17th century, practical understanding of ornamentation, awareness of frazing and articulation and their paramount importance for historically informed performance (HIP). In the week-long intensive workshop, students can reasonably expect to be introduced to the various types of arias, duets and choruses prevalent in Italy (and thus Europe) at the time, both in theater and chamber music.
The material for 2025 is a new collection of Italian Baroque arias awaited this spring.
H. PURCELL Dido & Aeneas, Spálené Poříčí 2015
WHAT?
A BRAND NEW COLLECTION OF ITALIAN BAROQUE ARIAS
...more information will be added after the release of the collection, expected in spring 2025
ITALIAN BAROQUE ARIAS for historically informed performance (HIP)
WHEN?
Saturday 12th - Sunday 20th of July, 2025
WHERE?
The Spálené Poříčí Castle, Czech Republic
The Spálené Poříčí Castle, Czech Republic
WHO?
The course is intended for anyone who wants to engage in an intensive workshop and participate in a series of end-of-course performances. Participants will work with a distinguished faculty of tutors:
Donald Francis IT
Kateřina Blasone Fürstová IT/CZ
James Gray IT/GB
Junko Gray IT/JP
Michael Pospíšil CZ
The course is open to all levels of competence including amateurs.
The tutors respect the level and individual needs of each participant.
HOW?
We shall begin each morning with vocal warm-ups with the Finnish Werbeck method, led by Junko Gray. It will be followed by daily individual lessons with our voice tutors Kateřina Blasone Fürstová and Michael Pospíšil. These will be followed by interpretation work and piano accompaniment by our artistic director, James Gray. In addition to daily individual vocal classes and the study of selected repertoire (for which knowledge of the parts is required upon arrival at the course), there will also be choir rehearsals, staging rehearsals, demonstrations of Baroque gestures, and evening solo singing sessions. Those interested in extended dance training will take part in group lessons in Baroque dance with Donald Francis.
Students may express themselves in English, Czech, Italian and Japanese.
course-in-early-music / kurz-stare-hudby
ESTENSISCHE MUSICALIEN 179 (EM 179) Early Baroque arias from Austrian National Library, České Budějovice, 2022
Petra Pospíšilová
I have learned a lot!
The way of singing, getting conscious about my own body and its limits, dialogues and meetings, work on performances, beautiful music, lot of material for thinking...
If you enjoy Baroque Music and spending actively your free time, don't hesitate and come!
Patrik Malec
I have participated in the Early Music Workshop for several years, and it has given me moments of deep, personal encounter with Baroque music. James Gray's knowledge of the period, as well as the remarkable ability of tutors of the Szamosi approach to lighten the voice (and thus make it more flexible) has enabled us to come closer to the original, pre-Romantic musical experience. In some years, I was challenged with a solo part, in other years, I enjoyed blending in the intensive choir preparation - each time the music was medicine in modern times.
I would recommend this to any musical student of any experience with a curiosity towards Early Music. Although there are many Baroque workshops available, none are taught by tutors of a one school, emphasising vocal lightness, which fits so well with music of the period.
Kristina Machoňová
It made me think that it is possible to build at least a structure out of a matrix because everyone is great and we can do the impossible together :-)
Everyone is on the same baroque ship and it doesn't matter if you are talented or just want to sing for joy from time to time. There are professionals on the workshop for this to support even what you didn't know you had within.