Summer Courses

During July and August the Hindhead Music Centre hosts a variety of musical holidays for which it has developed an international reputation. One year we had students from sixteen different countries! 2010 will be the thirty-first year of these courses which range from Discover Music! for children aged 6-10 who still may not play an instrument, to master-class courses for advanced adult performers.

Set in a comfortable Victorian country house with six acres of private gardens, the Centre has the atmosphere of a large family home (which in fact it is). The property is surrounded by hundreds of acres of National Trust land making up Hindhead Commons, an officially designated area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, centred round the famous Devil's Punchbowl.

A heated swimming pool provides opportunities for relaxation and fun. All food is freshly home-cooked on the premises, in fact the excellent food is one of the many highlights of the courses, and all meals (breakfast, morning coffee, lunch, afternoon tea and supper) are all included in the fees (except where stated below).

The Hindhead Music Centre is an idyllic setting for chamber music, concerts and general music study. The house has a beautiful Recital room, which comfortably seats seventy-five, with a superb Steinway concert grand piano.

Meals are taken in the Orangery, with views over the gardens to the South Downs. The Drawing room and Library are comfortable relaxing rooms with huge sofas; almost all the bedrooms have grand pianos and bunk-beds, with from two to five people, with a few single rooms, and three en-suite.

All courses which cater for children include excellent 24-hour pastoral and medical care under the watchful eye of Pauline Wilcox, our highly experienced and qualified SRN, and Ann Hughes-Chamberlain, for whom the Hindhead Music Centre is also her home.

Please note the course fees quoted below are exclusive of accommodation. For residential supplements please click the "Apply Now" links below.

Please click on the artists' names below for biographical details, where available.

Junior Wind Course

Course Director: STEPHEN O'REGAN

with a great team of tutors including
AMY WHITTLESEA (recorder) ALEX MITCHELL (saxophone)

For beginner Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Saxophone and Recorder players

Friday 16th July at 4:00pm to Monday 19th July at 11:00am
Age range: 8-12 years      Ability range: Grade 1-5
No. of places: approx. 36      Residential & non-residential
Course fee: £250. For residential supplements please click here.

An intensive and fun-packed course, with activities to motivate and inspire young flautists, clarinettists, saxophonists, oboists and recorder players. Our vastly experienced and specialist tutors will guide participants individually and in groups of similar ability. The course includes instrumental classes, chamber music, ensemble playing, aural, musical appreciation, concerts, games, sport and much more.

Flute Course

Course Director: STEPHEN O'REGAN

SUSAN MILAN   KEITH WAITHE   PAUL EDMUND-DAVIES
NINA ROBERTSON     Resident pianist:  ROY  STRATFORD 

Monday 19th July at 4:00 pm to Friday 23rd July at 12:00 noon
Age range: 12 - 22 years     Ability range: Grade 5 to Diploma
No. of places: approx. 36      Residential and non-residential
Course fee: £355. For residential supplements please click here.

This diverse course is packed with activities to stimulate and inspire developing flautists in a supportive and positive environment. Timetables are structured to meet requirements of varying abilities, and those preparing for exams/college/orchestral auditions will receive individual guidance and advice.

Classes and workshops with specialist guest tutors will explore various styles, to improve performance, posture, breathing tone-production, articulation and technique. Other activities include flute choirs, ensembles, piano accompaniment, musical awareness and aural classes, staff and student recitals, sports and games and end of course concert.

Music Makers

EDWARD REEVES, JO HUGHES-CHAMBERLAIN

and a full complement of instrumental tutors

For adult beginners playing orchestral instruments

Saturday 24th July at 6:00pm - Tuesday 27th July at 4:00pm
Age rage: Adult     Ability range: Approx. Grade 2-5
Number of places: Approx. 36      Residential & non-residential
Course fee: £255. For residential supplements please click here.

Four days of music-making with chamber-groups, orchestras, concerts, workshops, technique classes, choirs for those who enjoy singing, discussions on various aspects of musical performance, and an opportunity to meet and play with others of similar standard and interest.

Piano Course

JAMES LISNEY, SIMON NICHOLLS

Thursday 29th July at 10:00am - Sunday 1st August at 5:00pm
Age rage: Adult (18+)     Ability range: Grade 7 to post-diploma
No. of places: 16 performers + 16 observers
Residential and non-residential. For residential supplements please click here.
Course fees: performers: £370, observers £250

For the advanced student, teacher and competent amateur who wish to further their pianistic knowledge and enjoy four days of intensive study, with master-classes on technique and repertoire, workshops on improvisation, faculty recitals and participants' concerts, with special accent this year on the music of Chopin and Schumann.

Further information from James Lisney at info@jameslisney.com

Clarinet & Saxophone Course

Course Directors: PAUL SANDERS, KYLE HORCH

with VICTORIA MEDCALF, AMY DICKSON, ALAN ANDREWS
Resident pianist: ROY STRATFORD

Monday 2nd August at 6:00pm - Friday 6th August at 4:00pm
Age range: Adult and children over 12     Ability range: Grade 4 to post-graduate
No. of places: approx 36      Residential and non-residential
Course fee: £360. For residential supplements please click here.

The 16th year of this extremely popular course, with intensive and inspirational tuition, workshops, ensembles, concerts, reed choirs, general musicianship, piano accompaniment, etc.

Cello Course

Course Director: WILLIAM BRUCE

Guest artist: ALEXANDER BAILLIE
JEREMY HUGHES       ROBERT MAX        SELMA  GOKCEN             CAREY BETH HOCKETT                    DANIEL DAVIES     JONATHAN DEAKIN     DANIEL SWAIN

In association with The Cello Club of Great Britain

Sunday 8th August at 10:00am - Thursday 12th August at 4:00pm
Age range:12-21 years     Ability range: Grade 4 to diploma
No. of places: approx 40      Residential and non-residential
Course fee: £360. For residential supplements please click here.

Chamber music, master-classes, ensembles, technique classes, discussions on interpretation, performance, psychology, self-motivation, jazz, instrument care etc.

Little Cellos

JO HUGHES-CHAMBERLAIN

Sunday 15th August at 10:00am - Wednesday 18th August at 4:00pm
Age: 6-12 years     Ability: approx. Grade 1-5
No. of places: approx.24     Residential and non-residential
Course fee: £200. For residential supplements please click here.
Non-residents should bring packed lunches each day

Over the past six years this has proved to be an inspiring course for young cellists, and due to huge demand we are adding an extra day to the course this year. All four days are packed with music-making with cello orchestra, ensembles, tuition, concerts, etc.. combined with a fun holiday of games, swimming and much more.

Discover Music!

ANN HUGHES-CHAMBERLAIN

with JO HUGHES-CHAMBERLAIN, EDWARD REEVES, and others

For children with little or no previous musical experience

Thursday 19th August at 10:00am - Saturday 21st August at 4:00pm
Age range: 6-10 years     Ability: None or very little
No. of places: about 36      Non-residential only
Course fee: £140. Participants should bring a packed lunch each day

This is the 14th year of this unique course, which introduces every child to strings, wind, brass, percussion, harp and piano. They are encouraged to have a go at all the instruments to help them decide which instrument they may like to learn to play. There are choirs, orchestra for those who already play, percussion band, recorder groups and the beginning of learning to read and write music. Music is introduced in a fun and caring way. The staff are dedicated and very experienced with this age group, and all have an infectious way of passing on their own enthusiasm and love of music. They have all been with this course since it began in 1997.

Children's Holiday Music

EDWARD REEVES, JO HUGHES-CHAMBERLAIN

with a full complement of instrumental tutors

For children who play orchestral instruments

Monday 23rd August 10:00am - Friday 27th at 4:00pm
Age range: 6-12 years     Ability: approx. Grade 2-7
No. of places: approx. 45      Residential and non-residential
Course fee: £300. For residential supplements please click here.

Combining serious music-making with much fun, with orchestras, choirs, chamber-music, ensembles, concerts, barbecue, treasure hunt, competitions for piano, recorder and composition. A sense of fun pervades throughout the course, with an excellent pupil/teacher ratio, ensuring individual attention to each child.