Musical Activities

Course Directors

The course will be directed by the internationally renowned choral director Timothy Brown (formerly Director of Music at Clare College, Cambridge), assisted by the distinguished organist David Dunnett (until September 2025 Organist and formerly Master of the choristers of Norwich Cathedral, UK.).

​

Musical Ensembles

An innovation for Berwang ’26 will be the creation of two ensembles: a Main Chorus (for all participants), and a Vocal Ensemble for singers who enjoy working at a more advanced level. See booking form for information regarding the vocal ensemble.

​

The course rehearsals will take place in Berwang Gemeindehaus, the well-appointed community centre at the heart of the village, which lies at the crest of a hill - so some uphill walking will be involved, depending on the location of your accommodation (see Accommodation Page).

​

​​​​​​Repertoire

The Main Chorus will study Beethoven’s Mass in C, which will be performed liturgically, with organ, at the end of the course in the stunningly beautiful Cathedral of St Jacob in Innsbruck, on the Feast of the Assumption (15th​ August). If you wish to prepare the music in advance, the edition available at https://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Mass_in_C_Major,_Op._86_(Ludwig_van_Beethoven) 

can be downloaded free of charge. In addition, and as time allows, the main chorus will explore a variety of secular motets and part-songs, the precise repertoire to be decided (and published) once we know numbers and distribution of voice parts.

 

The Vocal Ensemble will rehearse motets and partsongs by e.g. Monteverdi, Schütz, Bach and Brahms.

​

Please note that though music may be purchased in advanced (details of editions will be available by the end of December), scores of all music studied during the week will be available in Berwang for a small hire fee.

 

Vocal Standard

There are no formal requirements for the main chorus, though singers will be expected to have had substantial choral experience, be able to hold a vocal line on their own, and to enjoy to have a reasonable level of sight-singing.

 

Singers may apply to join the Vocal Ensemble at the same time as making a general application to the course. Those selected for this group (which will have a maximum of approximately 16-20 singers) will be expected to be strong sight-readers and must supply a written resumé of their choral experience and an undertaking to prepare the repertoire in advance of the course. This will enable rehearsals from the outset to be about musical interpretation rather than note-learning from the outset.

​

Solos

Participants are invited to audition for solos in the course repertoire. Please write to Tim Brown (tcb21@cam.ac.uk) for information about available solos. Please note that everyone is warmly invited to audition, which will take place on the second full day of the course (Monday) and there will be opportunities to have solo coaching before auditioning.

 

There will opportunities for further solo opportunities in informal concerts (see below).​

​

Singing ‘Scholars’.

There will be four singing ‘scholars’, one for each voice part, either undergraduate or graduate singing students, who will be part of the main chorus, leading their sections and assisting sectional rehearsals.

​​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

​

​

​

​

 

​​​​​Timetable

Apart from one free day, rehearsals occur each day (a mixture of sectional and full rehearsals), two for the full chorus (directed by Tim Brown, accompanied by David Dunnett) and two divided into Main Chorus and Vocal Ensemble, directed by both Tim and David. There will be one completely free day in the middle of the week when course members may explore the local area, go on an excursion, or simply relax and do their own thing. Each day will begin with some simple vocal instruction.

 

Singers will enjoy a mix of intensive but fun-filled music sessions, interspersed with plentiful breaks to relax and explore the surrounding area, culminating in two public performances. Rehearsals will be a mixture of sectional and full rehearsals.

​

‘Off-grid’ Singing

There will be opportunities for small singing groups to work on their own, either for their own pleasure, or for performance in informal concerts. Anyone wishing to do this is invited to contact Tim Brown in advance of the course.

​

Singing Tuition

Singing tuition will be given throughout the course, with morning warm-ups and technical vocal advice offered throughout the course.

​

Solo Singing

There will also be opportunities for private solo tuition; anyone interested in having lessons is invited to state this on their booking form.

​

Listeners

Listeners will be welcome to attend rehearsals and concerts and be able to enjoy all the social life of the course. 

​

...An inspirational week of singing in the most beautiful of settings...

Jane, UK