Exploring Lieder

Forming part of our new Vienna Weekend, this course offers a welcoming space to deepen your knowledge and understanding of Lieder. Led by Anna Tilbrook, one of the country’s foremost art song specialists, you will work on prepared songs in masterclass-style sessions, receiving encouraging insights on every aspect of performance – from text interpretation and the partnership between singer and pianist, to phrasing, tone, and expressive nuance. The course aims to build your confidence as a communicator and help you bring greater sensitivity and colour to this rich repertoire. As part of this special themed weekend, we are delighted to welcome renowned British tenor James Gilchrist, who will join Anna for a Saturday evening recital featuring Schubert’s Winterreise, a cycle they have recorded together for Orchid Classics. We are also pleased to host Dr Katy Hamilton, BBC Radio 3 regular and specialist in 19th-century German song, as guest expert-in-residence on the Saturday. With her trademark insight and humour, Katy will lead an engaging session exploring the history and performance traditions of Lieder.

By the end of the course, you will: Perform Lieder with greater confidence, communicating text and character effectively through vocal and musical expression. Apply accurate German pronunciation to enhance phrasing and clarity. Interpret the interaction of poetry and music, bringing insight and nuance to your performance. Collaborate more effectively with your pianist to open up new expressive possibilities. Contextualize Lieder through engagement with historical and performance insights, deepening appreciation and understanding of the repertoire.

The course will be taught in masterclass-style sessions. You should be comfortable performing in front of others and happy to receive feedback in this setting. The course mostly runs to the standard timetable, with a small variation on Saturday afternoon to accommodate the concert. In a deviation to the Saturday timetable, you will have a coached session after lunch rather than free time, with the session following afternoon tea led by Katy Hamilton. Supper will be at the earlier time of 6pm and is followed by the concert, which starts at 7.30pm with an introduction to Winterreise and then the performance by James Gilchrist and Anna Tilbrook.

A repertoire list for the course will be provided in advance. You should come having prepared 2–3 of the songs you would like to work on during the course.