After the success of the past three years, Allan Withington’s Conductor Summer School (CSS) will take place again in June.

Work and fun

Conductors from all over Europe will descend upon Leeuwarden, Holland, and with the help of Soli Brass will experience a week of hard work, good fun and a programme designed to promote and inspire personal musical development.

The course starts on Saturday 23rd of June with a fantastic reception and ends on Thursday 28th with a concert at which the delegates help exhibit the fruits of their week’s work.

Aims

Course organiser Anje Abma told 4BR: "The aim for the Conductors' Summer School is to give the possibility for people who share the passion to develop their conducting skills alongside the ability to plan effective rehearsals, improve score reading, solve musical problems as they appear and plan innovative programmes."

Anje continued: "The CSS is the ideal forum at which to observe, reflect and develop the communicative skills of all our students.

We, at the CSS, firmly believe that we have a moral obligation to pass on the techniques and experience we have gained over long and successful careers."

The aim for the Conductors' Summer School is to give the possibility for people who share the passion to develop their conducting skillsAnje Abma

One to One

Allan Withington will lead the course and give one to one help and advice. Student’s rehearsals will be video recorded and each student will receive a copy for his or her study. Robin Dewhurst will also be on hand to offer his unique views on programme planning and psychology of performance.

Water theme

Each course has adopted a theme to help channel thoughts and ideas to form the final concert, and Anje revealed that this year the inspiration comes from Holland’s intrinsic relationship with water — 27% of Holland's land mass is under sea level.

Ready, Steady, Wat...er?

Coupled with Leeuwarden being regarded worldwide as ‘The City of Water Technology’, this year`s theme goes under the working title `Ready , Steady , Wat ... er?’

As ever with Allan, innovation and invention is the key and once more the course finale will involve design students from Leeuwarden's Art College and also the use the fantastic network of canals to create those ever important surprises.

Popular

The course is becoming increasingly popular so be sure to enrol early.

Further details

Please apply with a short C.V. to:
Allan Withington: a.withing@c2i.net and/or Anja Abma: anja.abma@home.nl