Chamber Music for Wind and Piano

Join pianist Stephen Gutman, horn player Sue Dent, clarinettist Ian Mitchell, and bassoonist Robert Codd for an immersive journey through some of the finest repertoire for piano and wind instruments. This course offers in-depth exploration of ensemble music-making, with a focus on the unique repertoire for piano and wind, including Poulenc and Thuille’s glittering Sextets, Mozart’s Quintet and Octets, and Janáček’s Mládí. You’ll have the opportunity to work in various groupings from trios to sextets, mixing and matching with other musicians on the course. We’ll cover articulation, phrasing, intonation, and harmonic awareness, while deepening your understanding of how each instrument interacts within the group. Expect a stimulating weekend of collaboration and professional guidance - the perfect environment to challenge yourself and experience the joy of playing together with other passionate musicians.

By the end of the course you will: Enhance your ensemble playing skills and musicianship. Gain deeper awareness of ways to achieve good ensemble, harmonic structure, texture, intonation, articulation and pedalling. Play a range of pieces for wind and wind and piano, deepening your knowledge of this unique repertoire. Experience the joy of playing chamber music in a range of different size groups and meet like-minded musicians in a beautiful and relaxed atmosphere.

You’ll have the chance to work in different groupings for each session, working in both smaller and larger ensembles. Expert coaching is provided throughout, tailored to the needs of each group, with a focus on musical communication and expressive collaboration. Come the evening we host relaxed larger group wind sessions - a chance to unwind and make music together. The course finishes with an informal sharing concert to celebrate all you have worked on during the course.

This course is for skilful woodwind and piano players of at least Grade 8 standard, with strong sight-reading skills. For pianists, you’ll need to be capable of playing works such as Beethoven's Piano and Wind Quintet.

For pianists: you’ll need to select chosen works for wind and piano in advance - we’ll put you in touch with tutor with Stephen Gutman to discuss your choices at least a month before the course. Please prepare your chosen works to a fluent level and bring scores with you. For wind players: you are also welcome to bring your own scores if there is something you would particularly like to play (please let us know if this is the case). Otherwise, scores will be provided.