HANDS ON MUSIC WEEKENDS are an opportunity to develop your musical skills and find out more about styles and musical traditions. The courses are for people who already have a basic competence on their instrument (see below on Ability Levels). To help students get the most out of the weekend, a music pack is sent beforehand, containing some of the material the tutors will be using during the weekend and other advice on preperation. Students register in advance for two course units, one for each day, giving alternative choices in case either group is full.
WHAT HAPPENS?
First you need to book for the weekend - choose your units from the booking form and send it in. A few weeks before the weekend, you'll get your information pack with the timetable and some of the music to be used during the weekend. If you can make it on the Friday night, there's a friendly pub session to join in or listen to, which is open to anyone. On Saturday, meet up at Henry Box School, register, and start working on your chosen unit. You'll be in a group of like-minded people, with an experienced tutor covering a particular aspect of your instrument and its music. At the end of the day, there's a gathering, to find out what other groups have been doing, then an evening concert where the tutors entertain. On Sunday, you do it all again with a different group and probably a different tutor, have a farewell gathering, and go home. We hope you will depart having learnt something new, full of ideas to work on for the rest of the year, with new friends and the memory of having had a great time.
return to top of page
WHY WITNEY?
The weekends are held at HENRY BOX SCHOOL in Witney, a pleasant market town twelve miles west of Oxford, just off the A40 and with good public transport links. The school has excellent facilities and plenty of parking space. The town is well provided with accommodation and eating establishments to suit all pockets. It has plenty for non-musical spouses, partners and parents to do, and is near to Oxford, Woodstock, and many other beautiful and interesting places.
COURSE FEE
The fee for each course is £90.00 (£93.00
overseas), which includes teaching and workshop sessions, copies of music and
information, and admission to the Saturday night concert. The course is non-residential, and an
accommodation list is available on this site. All applications must be on a booking
form (available by post or from this site - see individual courses). Please note that one-day bookings are not available until three weeks before the date of the weekend (apart from Sunday Bands - see below.
SUNDAY BANDS
Every course includes an Open Band unit on the Sunday, for other instruments in addition to those specific to the weekend. Players of any accoustic instrument are welcome to register for these sessions, provided that they can play in standard keys. Sunday only bookings for these sessions will cost £50.00.
return to top of page
THE CONCERT SERIES
Even if you don't come for the course, you can catch some great performances by a unique range of artists. Every weekend includes a public concert featuring the course leaders. Tickets cost £9.00 for adults (£10 on the door), and £7.00 for under 18's and senior citizens.
YOUTH BURSARIES
We are able through the generosity of sponsors to provide a limited number of subsidised places for young people at the reduced price of £45.00. These places are available to students aged between twelve and twenty-one who are not in full-time employment. Please note that all students must be at least twelve
years old, and that students under sixteen must be accompanied by a parent or responsible
adult. There are also a small number of free youth places provided by the Bill Bailey Memorial Fund. These are for people under 21 who live locally and have a proven interest in traditional music. Full details are available by post.
return to top of page
TRADE FAIRS
Most weekends include a trade fair, with stalls for instruments, sundries, books and CDs.
STEWARDS
There are a limited number of free places for people prepared to act as stewards, carrying out duties such as serving teas and coffees at break times, staffing the admissions desk, and setting out rooms. Being a steward may mean arriving early and missing part of some sessions. Prospective stewards need to be over 18. Please phone or
for email if you would like to be considered.
return to top of page
TRADE FAIRS
Most weekends include a trade fair, with stalls for instruments, sundries, books and CDs.
ABILITY LEVELS
It is important to choose course units suited to your ability. To make this possible, we have defined three ability levels as follows:
Basic Level - Musicians who can play a few tunes, know their way around
the main notes of the instrument, and have some knowledge of note-names, written music
and/or chord-symbols. On accordion and melodeon, they will have begun to use the left-hand
chord buttons.
Intermediate Level - Musicians who can play in the usual keys of the
instrument, have knowledge of where to find the notes, a fair idea of rhythm, and can
follow at a reasonable pace. They will have started to learn to control the sounds (i.e. loudness and attack), to consider musical style, and perhaps to experiment with harmony and ornamentation.
Higher Level - Musicians who can play with a degree of fluency,
understand the layout of the instrument, can find notes as required, and keep a fair
rhythm and pace. They will be exploring various aspects of their music such as style,
phrasing, dynamics, accents, rhythms, harmony, ornamentation and technique.
On the booking form, the level for which a unit is suitable is marked with the initials B, I, H, or a
combination of these.
If units are to be taught mainly or entirely by ear, or require particular expertise, this will be indicated.
return to top of page return to terms & conditions Specimen programme home