We are pleased to announce a brand-new day-course for singers aged 13-19 led by award-winning vocal ensemble The Gesualdo Six.
The Gesualdo Six is an award-winning British vocal ensemble comprising some of the UK’s finest consort singers, directed by Owain Park. Praised for their imaginative programming and impeccable blend, the ensemble has also harnessed the power of social media to make classical music accessible to millions worldwide, creating captivating videos from beautiful locations while on tour.
Are you a singer wishing to expand your horizons, learn new techniques and develop your skills to a higher level? Then this course could be just what you are looking for.
Saturday 11 January 2025 9:30am-5:00pm
- Open to singers aged between 13 and 18 on 1 September 2024 (Year 9 to Year 13 in full time education and gap year students)
- The course will be delivered by The Gesualdo Six, directed by Owain Park, in Lichfield Cathedral and will focus on developing singing techniques, exploring different genres of choral music and providing experience of working with a professional group.
- Cost is £85 per participant
- Day includes lunch, and refreshments.
Financial support towards the fees and/or travel costs can be applied for to try to ensure no student is unable to attend for financial reasons.
Through this day-course participants will benefit from
- the experience of working with the award-winning The Gesualdo Six, and their director, Owain Park, in the awe-inspiring setting of Lichfield Cathedral
- nurturing your talents and building your confidence in your own abilities
- tuition which can make a lasting impact on your future
- meeting like-minded musicians
- expanding your horizons in the world of singing
- obtaining an impressive addition to your musical CV and/or university application
- accessing membership of an alumni network through which details of musical opportunities, and upcoming concerts and events will be shared
As a non-competitive event, the focus of the day is building on your strengths and helping you address weaknesses through smaller group sessions and, working in a collaborative and supportive environment, to make music to a high standard with industry professionals.
Provisional outline for the day:
- 9:30-10:00 Registration
- 10:00 Session 1: Welcome and Introductory Class
- 11:15 Break
- 11:30 Session 2: Small group workshops
- 12:30 Lunch and Informal session of Further Education and Careers in Music with members of The Gesualdo Six
- 13:30 Session 3: Small group workshops
- 14:30 Break
- 14:45 Session 4: Full rehearsal
- 16:15 Break
- 16:30 Informal concert given by the participants and The Gesualdo Six in the Cathedral (open to parents and visitors)
- 17:00 Departure
Who can apply?
The course is aimed at everyone aged 13-19 who has experience of, and a passion for, singing, whether through individual singing lessons, membership of a choir, involvement in musical theatre, or preparing to apply for choral scholarships at university.
We want to reach young singers, who may not necessarily see themselves as choral singers, or have had any experience of high-level choral singing, but want to be inspired to take their talent seriously and are willing to work hard and learn quickly.
How do I sign up?
- Applications for a place can be made via the this online form from 2 September 2024 until 2 December.
- Early booking is strongly advised, as places are limited;
- Once we have offered you a place, payment will be due within two weeks. A late payment may result in your place being offered to another applicant.
- Financial support towards the fees and/or travel costs can be applied for separately via this link to try to ensure no student is unable to attend for financial reasons.
The Gesualdo Six
“Ingeniously programmed and impeccably delivered, with that undefinable excitement that comes from a group of musicians working absolutely as one.” – Gramophone
The Gesualdo Six is an award-winning British vocal ensemble comprising some of the UK’s finest consort singers, directed by Owain Park. Praised for their imaginative programming and impeccable blend, the group formed in 2014 for a performance of Gesualdo’s Tenebrae Responsories in Cambridge and has gone on to perform at numerous major festivals around the world.
Notable highlights include a concert in the distinguished Deutschlandradio Debut Series, performances at renowned venues including Wigmore Hall (London), Miller Theatre (New York), the Sydney Opera House, and their debut at the BBC Proms in 2023. In 2024, The Gesualdo Six made their South American debut in Colombia, and will appear in Japan, China and Singapore for the first time. The ensemble has collaborated with Fretwork, the Brodsky Quartet, and Matilda Lloyd, and tour a work of concert-theatre titled Secret Byrd with Director, Bill Barclay.
The Gesualdo Six is committed to music education, regularly hosting workshops for young musicians and composers. The ensemble has curated two Composition Competitions, with the most recent edition drawing entries from over three hundred composers worldwide. The group recently commissioned new works from Shruthi Rajasekar and Joanna Marsh, alongside coronasolfège for 6 by Héloïse Werner.
The ensemble has harnessed the power of social media to make classical music accessible to millions worldwide, creating captivating videos from beautiful locations while on tour. The group released their debut recording English Motets on Hyperion Records in early 2018 to critical acclaim, followed by seven further albums (Christmas, Fading, Josquin’s Legacy, Gesualdo’s Tenebrae Responsories, Lux Aeterna, William Byrd’s Mass for five voices, Morning Star). Their latest album, Queen of Hearts was released at the end of June 2024.
Performers
Guy James countertenor
Alasdair Austin countertenor
Joseph Wicks tenor
Josh Cooter tenor
Michael Craddock baritone
Owain Park director and bass
About Owain Park
"Exciting, inventive, vibrant” – MusicWeb International
Owain Park was born in Bristol in 1993. As well as directing The Gesualdo Six, Owain is Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Singers, and maintains a busy schedule of conducting projects with ensembles including Southbank Sinfonia, Ensemble la Sportelle and Cappella Cracoviensis.
Owain’s compositions are published by Novello and have been performed internationally by ensembles including the Tallis Scholars and the Aurora Orchestra. While at Cambridge University he studied orchestration with John Rutter, before undertaking a Masters degree in composition. He is composer-in-residence for the London Choral Sinfonia, and was one of BBC Radio 3’s 31 under 31 Young Stars. The Choir of Trinity College Cambridge recorded an album of his compositions which was nominated for the BBC Music Magazine Awards. In 2023, Battle Cry, a collaborative album from Helen Charlston (mezzo-soprano) and Toby Carr (theorbo) featuring Owain’s composition as the title track, won the Gramophone Award for Best Concept Album.
Owain is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists (FRCO), and was awarded the Dixon Prize for improvisation, having been Senior Organ Scholar at Wells Cathedral and Trinity College Cambridge. He was a Tenebrae Associate Artist for two seasons, and has worked with ensembles including The Sixteen, Gabrieli Consort, and Polyphony. Owain is a keen gardener, and when he’s not on stage he can be found raking, pruning, or picking cherry tomatoes.