INTERNATIONAL COURSE IN EARLY MUSIC
THE VOICE OF TRAGEDY IN ENGLISH AND ITALIAN BAROQUE OPERA
COURSE CANCELLED: IMPORTANT UPDATE
We regret to announce that due to serious health problems,
we are forced to cancel this year's course.
We apologize to everyone for the complications and
wish you a peaceful and joyful summer.
Our tutors of vocal technique are preparing alternative programme for you scheduled for the same dates - details soon!
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 theme for 2024 is THE VOICE OF TRAGEDY IN ENGLISH AND ITALIAN BAROQUE OPERA.
H. PURCELL Dido & Aeneas, Spálené Poříčí 2015
WHAT?
VOICE OF TRAGEDY IN ENGLISH AND ITALIAN BAROQUE OPERA
Henry Purcell - Dido and Aeneas (Conclusion of Act 3)
Claudio Monteverdi - Arianna (Part of Scene VII)
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi - selection of Stabat Mater
Antonio Vivaldi - Stabat Mater
Gregorian chants Stabat Mater
Robert Stone - The Lord's Prayer
English gregorian The Lord's Prayer
ITALIAN BAROQUE ARIAS for historically informed performance (HIP)
WHEN?
Friday 5th - Sunday 14th of July, 2024
with concluding performances on:
Friday 12th of July, 7pm,
the Church of st. Anna,
Sedlce at Karlovy Vary
Saturday 13th of July, 7pm, Manětín
Sunday 14th of July, 2pm, the Church of st. Martin in Křivce at Bezdružice
Pernink, Jan Nepomucký House
WHERE?
Jan Nepomucký House
107, Karlovarská Street
Pernink in Krušné Mountains
Czech Republic
Group transport from Prague airport to Pernink will be arranged on Friday 5th July for the afternoon. Otherwise, people coming individually from Prague to Karlovy Vary, can be picked up from there by car.
Pernink in Krušné Mountains, 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:
James Gray IT/GB
Kinga Cserjési US/HU
Johanna Földesi NL/HU
Markéta Malcová IE/CZ
Junko Gray IT/JP
Kristina Machoňová CZ
There is no age limit and 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, Johanna, Kinga and Markéta. These will be followed by interpretation work and piano accompaniment by our artistic director, James Gray. In addition to daily individual vocal classes and study, there will be also rehearsals for the choir, stage rehearsals and evening solo singing for everyone. Participants will be expected to know the repertoire prior to attending the course.
Students may express themselves in English, Czech, German, Hungarian or Italian.
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.