AUGUST 2014

BENSLOW MUSIC NEEDS YOU

We are always looking to extend a
welcome to other amateur musicians who
are not aware of the great courses and
concerts we have on offer.
Are you able to support Benslow Music by
distributing posters or course brochures
in your local area?
Please contact Vicky on 01462 459446
or email vicky@benslowmusic.org as she
would be delighted to speak to you.
www.benslowmusic.org
UZZ
THE
Welcome to the
August edition of The
Buzz.
During July and
August all attention
is turned to our
summer schools and
summer concerts. We
are very pleased to
say that this year our
programme has been
very well subscribed
with full houses in July for the viol summer
school, big band and big band singing summer
schools, as well as a good take up for our
series of advanced summer schools for viola,
violin, cello and composing. The series of
accompanying concerts is also proving to be
popular, the highlight being another sell-out for
our annual Night of Jazz. As we move through
August we do still have spaces remaining for
many of our courses and summer schools, so
if you are interested in booking please get in
touch soon.
During July weve also had some exciting
developments. The frst of which is the
appointment of a new CEO, Peter Hewitt, who
will be joining us in September. Further details
of Peters appointment can be found inside,
and the staff at Benslow are really looking
forward to working with him. The other
exciting development was the recent flming
which took place at Benslow Music as part of
a forthcoming Channel 4 mini-series James
Rhodes: The Great Instrument Amnesty. In
the series, internationally renowned classical
pianist James Rhodes aims to get Britain playing
again and demonstrate the power of music
to change lives by launching this countrys
biggest ever campaign. Benslow Music was
asked to feature in the production and flming
took place on 11 July with clarinettist and
Benslow tutor Paul Harris who worked with a
Basildon school teacher in the early stages of
learning the clarinet. The series is expected to
air later this year.
As well as plenty of activity within the
Benslow Music campus we have also had
the opportunity to spread our reach beyond
our walls. During the Summer Saxes course
a group of students were able to perform in
Hitchin town centre for a morning. The event
was a huge success and really helped raise our
profle locally, as well as adding an interesting
dimension to the course.
As many of you will already know, booking
opened for Jan-Jul 2015 courses to members
of the trust on 1 July, with the ballot for the
high demand courses being taken on 14 July.
We are delighted with the take up so far and
Id like to take this opportunity to thank all
our members for their continued support.
Booking opens to non-members on 4 August
at 9am by telephone or post. We look forward
to taking your bookings and hope to see you
at Benslow Music very soon.
Fane Henderson Head of Music
James Rhodes to strike a chord with The
Great Instrument Amnesty
COURSE PLACES AVAILABLE
We still have places available on the following
August courses.
Clarinet Summer School
(Code 14/SS5, 4 - 8 August)
Conducting Summer School
(Code 14/SS6, 4 - 8 August)
Harp Summer School
(Code 14/SS6, 5 - 7 August)
Oboe Summer School
(Code 14/SS9, 4 - 8 August)
Summer Guitar Weekend
(Code 14/335, 8 - 11 August)
Summer Madrigal and Partsong School
(Code 14/336, 8 - 11 August)
Janet Myatts Summer Winds
(Code 14/405, 11 - 15 August)
Sarah Leonards Vocal Summer School
(Code 14/406, 11 - 15 August)
Benslow Summer String Orchestra
(Code 14/338, 21 - 24 August)
Purcells Verse Anthems
(Code 14/340, 31 August - 3 September)
On most courses we can usually squeeze in a few more
so even if the course youre attracted to isnt on this list
why not ask in any case?
INFO@BENSLOWMUSIC.ORG OR T: 01462 459446 TO
BOOK YOUR PLACE
NEW CEO ANNOUNCED
We are delighted
to announce the
appointment of
Peter Hewitt as
Benslows Chief
Executive. He will
join us formally on 1
September, although
he has already
started to acquaint
himself with the
detailed running of the organization, and with
the staff.
Peter will be responsible to Council for:
providing leadership for all aspects of
Benslows operation, including the Instrument
Loan Scheme; developing proposals regarding
Benslows strategic direction, and for ensuring
the delivery of strategic objectives, once agreed;
managing the working relationships between
the Council of Trustees and staff, and between
staff, members and other stakeholders; and
for acting as an ambassador for Benslow, both
locally and in the wider musical and educational
worlds. As part of his responsibilities, Peter
will provide strategic leadership for the course
programme, supported by Head of Music Fane
Henderson, who will be responsible to Peter
for the programmes successful delivery.
Peter brings enormous experience of the
worlds of music and music education, gained
variously as artistic director, conductor,
performer (fute, viol and voice), teacher and
department head in various major schools,
examiner, adjudicator, consultant, and, most
recently, through 23 years distinguished
leadership of the Royal College of Musics
Junior Department, where he led a team of
125 staff. He read Music at Durham University
and undertook postgraduate study at
Emmanuel College, Cambridge; amongst his
many affliations within the musical world, he
is a member of the Royal Society of Musicians
and the Incorporated Society of Musicians,
Patron of Pro Corda, and a Fellow of the Royal
Society of Arts.
Peter and his family live near to Hitchin and he
has been aware of Benslows work for many
years, having attended various concerts and
events here. He is completely committed to
Benslow Musics vision and principles and to
those of the Instrument Loan Scheme. He
intends to maintain a highly visible presence,
operating an open-door policy, so please
take an early opportunity to introduce
yourself to him.
BENSLOW LIBRARY NEEDS YOU
Do you live near enough to Benslow to give a
couple of hours a week (or more!) to help run
the library? The Library Team would welcome
another volunteer who would be free to
choose in which section of the Library to
work. The main gap is for someone interested
in piano music but there is plenty of work in
all sections. New Librarians work alongside a
colleague until confdent of procedures. You
could then choose your regular slot on the
rota. Simple computer skills are an asset!
Come in and talk to anyone on duty in the
Library which means Monday morning or
most afternoons except Sunday. As it is the
holiday season you might want to phone frst
to check a librarian is there. Or email any
questions to library@benslowmusic.org.
BOOKING OPENS TO NON-MEMBERS FOR
ALL COURSES ON MONDAY 4 AUGUST AT
9AM BY TELEPHONE OR POST.
Q & A WITH SEBASTIAN MUELLER
- BENSLOW VIOLIN TUTOR
You obviously have real
enthusiasm for teaching, what
is it that draws you to working
with so many students?
I love the complexity
of it. For me, teaching
violin means thinking
in mechanical -
physiological structures
and combining them
with psychoanalytical
skills and strategic planning - whilst relating it all to
what you believe is your musical/artistic horizon.
Given your extensive experience working with specialist
groups and lecturing across Europe, what specifcally drew you
to work with Benslow Music Trust?
I recognise the importance of adult learning, both
in terms of keeping classical music rooted in society
but mainly because it can be life changing to many
people. Towards the end of a course I am often
under the impression that participants suddenly
became 10 years younger. The combination of
simultaneous physical, emotional and intellectual
effort seems to keep individuals agile and
optimistic.
Your teaching values seem very rigorous and technical; is Violin
practice a science or an art?
Both. To reach a certain artistic freedom and
format, you have to go through quite a restrictive
conceptual or scientifc phase in your practice.
The most artistic ideas are worth nothing if
played technically poorly. I like to compare the
learning process of violin playing with speaking
in a foreign language: It is hard to express your
thoughts convincingly in another language if you
are constantly looking for the right vocabulary
or syntax. Same in violin playing: its diffcult to be
musically convincing if your brain is constantly
occupied navigating around technical cliffs. Certainly
you can learn a language to a certain degree by just
throwing yourself into a foreign environment, but
the quality of your language wont develop beyond
a certain point, unless you start looking analytically
at your skills to develop them further. Look at the
nature of a crescendo for example: usually we
associate it with an increase of energy of some
sort. Instinctively, violinists at an early stage do the
same - they use more physical force to press into
the string to create an increase in sound. But in fact
you have to do the opposite: you reduce the effort
of keeping your arm up against gravity because you
use its weight to dig into the string. So you see,
our (musical) instinct can jeopardise economic
violin technique in some cases. As a result, part of
my job is to help students translate their musical
ideas into concrete violinistic actions, which can
be indeed quite scientifc. Whilst these things are
common knowledge amongst advanced players,
those new to the violin often expect things to be
more intuitive then they actually are, so working
with me might come across as strict and technical
as mentioned in your question, but its just a vehicle
towards an unoccupied mind which can then
potentially develop true artistry.
You are working very successfully as a soloist, how do you feel
about the old vs new debate thats reared up again concerning
the instruments players use? Would you encourage younger
musicians to adopt their instruments based on age or other
qualities?
You have to fnd out for yourself. An instrument
has to sound and function. Some modern violin
makers are doing an amazing job. If I compare newly
made instruments of established makers with
older instruments in the same price range - lets
say 10-20k -, then I often prefer the new ones. That
does not mean that you can not fnd a good old
instrument which works for you or that all newly
made instruments are of good quality, but I always
encourage students to compare objectively.
Do you fnd theres much of a difference teaching in the UK
versus the rest of Europe?
I can only compare the UK to Germany, my
native country. The arts and education are funded
differently, which has an impact on how you work
as a musician and teacher. Although sociopolitically
highly interesting, I wont go into detail here, only
that much: UK musicians have to work a lot more
then their German colleagues to make a living,
resulting in much tighter schedules. Things have to
go quickly in the UK, which has its positive facets:
you learn to be effective and economical with
your time, prioritise etc, but on the other hand,
working in depth is not always easy. I think there
is a reason why made in Germany is associated
with a certain solidity: people take time. This clearly
refects on education, also in instrumental teaching.
However, I love working in the UK - the system
is more fexible then in Germany. If you have
innovative ideas you fnd always open ears here!
2014 seems like its been a busy year for you, with you
joining Chethams and the Birmingham Conservatoire as well
as maintaining your current roles lecturing at Guildhall, Leeds
College of Music and Sheffeld University; do you anticipate
having to slow down at all in the future?
I dont feel the need to slow down. However, I
hope to be able to reduce my travel at some point
and fnd more time to practice.
Where are you off to next?
To Lisbon, working with the National Youth
Orchestra of Portugal. Tempted to take my swim
shorts instead of the scores...
Seeing as your Late Starter Violins Course at Benslow has just
wrapped up, can you give us an idea of the kind of approach
you take with adult learners who are just now getting into the
violin?
The aim of these courses is to give people an
overview of what violin playing consists of and
provide them with enough ideas and strategies
to continue working after the course. Secondly,
experiencing this rewarding musical fow through
playing in a group is important, as it motivates
people to practice.
Interview by Sam Larkin
Benslow Music, Benslow Lane, Hitchin, Herts SG4 9RB
T: +44 (0)1462 459446 I E: info@benslowmusic.org I W: www.benslowmusic.org
INTERNATIONAL RECITAL SERIES
An enticing series of concerts of music given
by world class artists. Programme details are
available on our web site.
TUESDAY 5 AUGUST, 8PM
PHILIPPA DAVIES fute, JAN WILLEM NELLEKE piano
TUESDAY 12 AUGUST, 8PM
SARAH LEONARD soprano, STEPHEN GUTMAN piano
WORKS BY SCHUBERT, STRAUSS, QUILTER AND GURNEY
SATURDAY 6 SEPTEMBER, 8PM
ORIGINAL WORKS AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR ONE, TWO AND
THREE CLARINETS AND PIANO
TICKETS 12 I BOX OFFICE: 01462 459446
FREE ENTRY TO MOST CONCERTS FOR UNDER 25S
AND CARERS ACCOMPANYING A DISABLED VISITOR.
CONCERTS TAKE PLACE IN PETER MORRISON HALL,
BENSLOW MUSIC, BENSLOW LANE, HITCHIN HERTS
SG4 9RB
DAVID CAMPBELL AND FRIENDS
SETTINGS OF WORDS BY SHAKESPEARE
AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES
RECENT COURSE COMMENTS
SUMMER QUARTETS WI TH NI C
FALLOWFI ELD AND FRI ENDS
What a glorious week you and your fellow
Tedescas gave us! We found the coaching from
each of you outstanding in every way: attentive,
sensitive, constructive and encouraging. It
built on what each of you knew from earlier
coaching: in January - and, from your own
many years of hearing and helping us onwards.
This at the heart of the week, and alongside
your workshops on Haydn and Beethoven
as inspiration and total delight. Bernards
presence at the frst and Jens at the second,
was welcome evidence of the Tedescas
continuation of the best Macnaghten tradition.
With perfect English summer days, and
the ever more amazing garden, an idyllic
Benslow experience. All hopes that Benslows
incomparable role in amateur music-making
may live on for generations to come!
SUMMER RECORDERS
Very relaxing and attractive environment, all
contributing to the enjoyment of the course.
Good food and attractively served with a smile.
A well planned course and a very enjoyable
and stimulating few days.
STRING QUARTETS WITH THE ALLEGRI
A very enjoyable course. My frst time with
the Allegri, they were all the best tutors I have
ever had on a course.
A great atmosphere of hard work and
sociability. The Allegri Quartet are superb
coaches and amazing players!
The whole Beethoven project has been
a great success and the Allegri have been
outstanding, both in their performances and
their coaching
Everything has been superb. Room lovely,
staff friendly, food delicious.
Very enjoyable course. Excellent tutors and
nothing too much trouble for them! More
please.
NIC FALLOWFIELDS STRING ORCHESTRA
Jenny and Nic are excellent - encouraging
and patient. It was really useful to have
sectional sessions and then be able to play the
challenging bits!
THE VIRTUOSO FLUTE