Exeter Cathedral

Exeter Guitar Summer School with Stephen Gordon, Gerald Garcia, VIDA Guitar Quartet (Mark Ashford, Mark Eden, Helen Sanderson, Chris Stell), Alison Smith and David Cottam. The course commences at 3.00 pm on Saturday August 13, finishes after breakfast on Saturday August 20th and runs in conjunction with the ExeGuitar Festival. Attendance on the course is limited to 16 participants with good reading ability – at least grade 5/6.

Guitar Ensemble:- the main focus of the course is ensemble. Working together in two small ensembles and occasionally as one group, we will study, rehearse and perform movements from the 3rd and 6th Brandenburg Concertos by Bach and Chinese Whispers by Gerald Garcia.  Music for these will be emailed well in advance and participants are expected to be familiar with the music so we can start with and maintain a high standard. The ensembles will meet for two sessions each day.

Tuition:- Gerald and Stephen, two highly versatile and respected musicians renowned for their work with guitar ensembles, will be resident for the week coaching the groups and teaching. Visiting artists will teach, conduct workshops and classes including a ‘compose for guitar‘ session with David Cottam, prolific composer of guitar music.

Jurassic Coast

Accommodation is in large single rooms in two beautiful Georgian Town Houses in the centre of Exeter and limited to a maximum of 6 people per house. Concerts are in the Phoenix Arts Centre and Friends Meeting House, both venues a few minutes walk from the accommodation.

Exeter:- The Cathedral City of Exeter is the capital of Devon. Exeter has a beautiful historic centre and fine riverside and canal walks. Its pivotal position within the county makes it ideally placed to visit many of the internationally famous locations in Devon. Dartmoor and Exmoor National Parks, the Jurassic Coast of Devon and Dorset and the unspoilt beaches of two coastlines are a few miles from the city centre.

Concerts:- Vida Guitar Quartet brings together four guitarists of exceptional ability and virtuosity sharing a passion for chamber music. After their spectacular debut at the first World Youth Guitar Festival in 2007, the quartet are rapidly gaining a reputation as one of the most exciting guitar ensembles in the world.  Stephen Gordon will perform a programme of music on Baroque guitar and 19th century guitar illuminating a sound world unique to these delicate and historic instruments. Alison Smith - her recent performance at the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain was hailed as enthralling…demonstrated sheer virtuosity…superb technique and sensitivity” David Cottam has established himself as one of the UK’s leading guitar composers. His music features widely in the ABRSM examination syllabus and his best selling collections Zebramusic and Zebracadabra are rapidly becoming standard repertoire for student guitarists. David will be playing a programme of his own compositions followed by a class on composing for guitar. The Mandolinquents:- virtuosic playing from the world famous and multiple award winning Simon Mayor, Hilary James, Richard Collins and Gerald Garcia. The final concert will feature the rehearsed ensembles.

Exeter Quay

Fees:- £595 residential, £340 non residential. The fee includes all tuition and ensemble coaching, concerts, accommodation, breakfast, lunch, morning and afternoon coffee/tea, with use of the house kitchens. This does not include an evening meal – the accommodation is 5 minutes walk from the city centre where there are plenty of really excellent restaurants, cafes and bars – this is reflected in the price. Accommodation can be arranged before/after the course.

To book a place or any enquiry email your name and contact details to esgmusic@googlemail.com

or phone  44 (0)1392 254097.