CHORAL COURSE 4: YORK
Monday 12th August - Monday 19th August 2024
Fee: £975* - BURSARIES AVAILABLE
ST PETER’S SCHOOL, YORK
COURSE VENUE
Ralph Allwood MBE DMus was for 26 years Director of Music at Eton College and is now a freelance choral director, teacher and conductor. He is the Director of the Rodolfus (ex-Eton) Choral Courses, which he founded in 1980. He co-founded the Junior Choral Courses in 2012. Ten thousand 8 to 20 year-olds have since been students on courses. In recent years he has launched courses in Texas, Shanghai and Shenzhen. The Rodolfus choir has produced over 20 CDs since he founded it in 1982.
Ralph is co-founder and conductor of Inner Voices, made up of singers from state schools in London. He was until recently a Supervisor for harmony at Jesus College and Queens’ College, Cambridge, Director of the only conservatoire chapel choir in the world, the Old Royal Naval College Trinity Laban Chapel Choir and an Honorary Fellow of University College, Durham.
Ralph has conducted choirs for over 40 broadcasts for BBC Radio 3. He has composed much music for Extreme Music Ltd, heard worldwide on radio, films and television. He teaches at his old grammar school, Tiffin and is a co-founder of the National Youth Music Theatre.
In 2015 he co-founded the Pimlico Musical Foundation to enable children from Pimlico Primary Schools to sing in choirs, particularly at St Gabriel's Church.
In 2017, the Archbishop of Canterbury presented him with the Thomas Cranmer Award for Music and Worship. He is Chair of the Choral Evensong Trust.
RALPH ALLWOOD
COURSE DIRECTOR
SARAH MACDONALD is a Canadian-born conductor, organist, pianist, and composer, living in the UK. She is Fellow and Director of Music at Selwyn College, Cambridge, and Director of Ely Cathedral’s Girl Choristers. She has been at Selwyn since 1999, and was the first woman to hold such a post in an Oxbridge Chapel. Sarah came to the UK from Canada in 1992 as Organ Scholar of Robinson College, Cambridge after studying piano, organ, and conducting at The Royal Conservatory of Music’s Glenn Gould School in. Sarah is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, and an examiner for the RCO and the University of Cambridge. She tours internationally every year, has made over 35 commercial recordings, and has over 60 published works for choir and organ. Her liturgical music is sung and played around the world. She is a sought-after conductor, and teacher, especially for young singers and organists. She was recently appointed University Organist at Cambridge, and is the first woman to hold that prestigious ceremonial role, which dates back to 1670. In July 2023, it was announced that she has been appointed President-elect of the Royal College of Organists, and will take office in 2024. In her spare time Sarah is a keen amateur photographer.
SARAH MACDONALD
COURSE DIRECTOR
THE TEAM
ADAM FIELD is in his third year at Selwyn College, Cambridge, reading for a degree in Music. He holds the Percy Young Senior Organ Scholarship there, accompanying the choir in its three weekly services, and assisting the Director of Music in the running and direction of the choir. With Selwyn Choir, he has been engaged in concerts and services across the country and internationally, including live on Radio 3 and on Radio 4. He has played the organ and piano for commercially recorded CDs of music by individual living composers, for which Selwyn has found its niche. He is also the organist for King’s Voices, King’s College’s mixed-voice choir, for whom he plays Evensong once a week in its iconic chapel. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, has previously held organ scholarships at Whitgift school, Croydon Minster, and Portsmouth Cathedral, and next year will be the organ scholar at Exeter Cathedral.
ADAM FIELD
PRINCIPAL ACCOMPANIST
London born soprano Elinor Rolfe Johnson, possesses a ‘commanding stage presence and the voice to match’ (Seen and Heard International) and has been praised for her ‘superlative singing’(The Guardian) . An RCS scholar and Britten-Pears Young Artist, Elinor has been a Finalist in various competitions, including the inaugural Sing Finzi, London Welsh Singer of the Year and International Handel Singing Competitions.
Elinor has worked with companies including Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Chelsea Opera Group, Opera Up Close, Nevill Holt Opera, The Mozartists, Regents Opera, Clonter Opera and the London Handel Festival; her roles include Contessa (Le Nozze di Figaro), Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus), Desdemona (Otello) and Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni). Directors include Olivia Fuchs, Wiliam Relton, Robert Chevara, Bruno Ravella, Simon Butteriss and Christof Loy.
Elinor has performed in venues including the Carnegie Hall, Berlin Philharmonic, Royal Opera House, Het Concertgebouw, Palais de Versailles, Royal Festival Hall, Royal Albert Hall, the Barbican and La Scala. Broadcasts include appearances on In Tune for BBC Radio 3 and BBC Proms performances.
In demand on the concert platform, Elinor has performed with ensembles including Britten Sinfonia, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Monteverdi Choir and Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Israel Camerata Jerusalem; her repertoire includes the passions of J.S. Bach, Handel Messiah, Mendelssohn Elijah, Mozart Mass in C minor, Strauss Vier Letzte Lieder, Mahler 4th Symphony and Rückertlieder, Vaughan Williams Sea Symphony and Serenade to Music, Rossini Petite Messe Solonnelle and the Requiems of Brahms,Verdi, Mozart and Fauré. Elinor has worked with conductors including Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Sir Antonio Pappano, Laurence Cummings, Anna Lapwood, Nicholas Chalmers and Raphael Pichon.
In recital, performances include Cambridge Summer Music Festival, competition recitals for the International Wigmore Hall/Bollinger and International Handel Singing Competitions, Gregynog Music Festival and Fitzwilliam College Music Festival. Collaborative partners include Ian Tindale, Graham Johnson, Gavin Roberts, Audrey Hyland, Robin Ticciati and Mark Padmore. Upcoming recitals include French Song recital ‘Du Banal à l’extase’ for the St Clement Danes Song Series and ‘Licht in der Nacht’ at the Bernstein Hall, both with Ian Tindale.
This June Elinor makes her Marschallin debut (strauss Rosenkavelier) for the Lewes Chamber Music Festival. Further upcoming highlights include Wild Arts Opera Evenings Summer Tour and Verdi Requiem at York Minster.
ELINOR ROLFE JOHNSON
SINGING TEACHER
Paul Keohone is one of Scotland’s leading vocal coaches and singing teachers, working with singers and actors from every genre from opera to pop. As well as this he is the musical director of the award winning Mackintosh Choir, a non auditioned community choir based in Glasgow, and is currently the interim music director of The City of Glasgow Chorus.
Paul studied singing at the Royal College of Music, London and has worked with Scottish Opera, English National Opera, The Royal Opera, Covent Garden, La Scala Milan, Opera West (Norway), Opera de Nancy, Théâtre du Châtelet and Les Arts Florissants (Paris), and at countless Festivals from Edinburgh to Bermuda. He has worked with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Scottish Opera Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Peking Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Northern Sinfonia, and recorded with EMI, Naxos, Chandos and Deutsche Grammophon record labels.
PAUL KEOHONE
SINGING TEACHER
MASTERCLASSES & WORKSHOPS
Eamonn Dougan is an inspirational communicator with a wide-ranging repertoire and is a renowned vocal coach and baritone. “Dougan and his team [Britten Sinfonia] displayed masterly control… Singing without blemish; playing that leapt straight from the heart: here was a sterling performance” (The Times - MacMillan Seven Last Words); Eamonn is Associate Conductor of The Sixteen, founding Director of Britten Sinfonia Voices, Music Director of the Thomas Tallis Society, and Chief Conductor for Jersey Chamber Orchestra.
Alongside Eamonn’s regular conducting, upcoming projects include debuts with: Chorwerk Ruhr in a programme celebrating the 400th anniversary of Byrd, Polish Radio Choir & Orchestra (Wroclaw Philharmonic Choir), a Christmas tour with Ars Nova and conducting Handel Messiah in two performances at Auditorio Nacional de Madrid with Orquesta Barroca de Sevilla and Chamber Choir Ireland, Bach St Matthew Passion and a new project with soloist Natalie Clein. Eamonn returns to Cumnock Tryst to conduct its Cumnock Tryst Festival Chorus in the world premiere of Phillip Cooke’s Gloria (commissioned especially for the Tryst), and Lambert’s Rio Grande – in 2024 Eamonn will return to conduct MacMillan’s All the Hills and Vales Along for the Tryst’s tenth anniversary. Other returns include forging a new young artist scheme for Chamber Choir Ireland, mentoring and leading Genesis Sixteen, and conducting The Royal Academy of Music in two concerts from its new season Sounding Isle series (Purcell).
Recent highlights have included earning a distinguished Diapason d’Or for the first disc in a 12-album series of Morales’ complete Masses and Magnificats with De Profundis on Hyperion - “We can feel confident that the future of this bold project is in the best possible hands.” (Gramophone); advising on and directing performances for the Royal Academy of Music’s Bach the European series; his debut with English National Opera for Haydn Seven Last Words of our Saviour on the Cross “This was a triumph. Dougan clearly loves the work and brought a real sense of style to the orchestra while finding lightness from the large chorus” (Seen and Heard), Handel Semele at Sibelius Summer Academy and Handel Acis and Galatea for Ryedale Festival Opera, for which he was invited back to conduct this year’s production of Venus & Adonis.
Notable successes have included the world premiere of James MacMillan All the Hills and Vales Along at the Cumnock Tryst Festival with Ian Bostridge, conducting the off-stage chorus for Berlioz L’Enfance du Christ with The Hallé, Britten Sinfonia Voices and Genesis Sixteen for BBC Proms 2019 at the Royal Albert Hall. He assisted Sir Mark Elder for Opera Rara’s world premiere concert and recording of Puccini Le Villi with London Philharmonic Orchestra and their recent recording Zingari. Eamonn directed The Sixteen’s highly acclaimed tour of Australia and Singapore, Messiah with Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León and Cappella Amsterdam, made his Spanish debut with the Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa and Real Orquesta Sinfónica de Sevilla, and in Paris at the La Seine Musicale with renowned ensemble Accentus and in Copenhagen with Danish National Symphony Orchestra, VokalEnsemblet and KoncertKor. Eamonn directed De Profundis on their Hyperion release Juan Esquivel’s Missa Hortus Conclusus to critical acclaim: “passionate singing to create an extremely enjoyable and atmospheric recording." (Gramophone)
Founder of Britten Sinfonia Voices, he has conducted the ensemble in several world premieres including Sir John Tavener Flood of Beauty, Ēriks Ešenvalds Aqua, Nico Muhly Looking Forward for the Britten Sinfonia’s 20th birthday and the choral premiere of Jóhann Jóhannsson Orphée at the Barbican. Other projects with the Britten Sinfonia have included Bach St John Passion, MacMillan St Luke Passion and Seven Last Words, Britten Curlew River, Birtwistle Yan Tan Tethera, Possibly Colliding: Session Six and a programme of Stravinsky & Mozart at Milton Court as part of the Barbican’s Esa-Pekka Salonen composer focus. He has assisted various conductors including Sir James MacMillan, Martyn Brabbins, Andreas Delfs, Adam Fischer and Sir Mark Elder.
Eamonn has conducted BBC Singers, Narodowe Forum Muzyki Choir, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Orquesta y Coro de la Comunidad de Madrid (ORCAM), Irish Baroque Orchestra, Corinthian Chamber Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Trondheim Barokk, Wroclaw Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Orchestra North East and London Chamber Orchestra. Eamonn curated and conducted a ‘A Weekend of Excessively Good Taste’ (French Baroque) at Kings Place, London and his developing opera work has included Dido and Aeneas, Mozart La finta giardiniera, and Cosi fan tutte with Ryedale Festival Opera.
Eamonn has a highly successful five-disc Polish Baroque series with The Sixteen. The first disc, music by Bartlomiej Pekiel, was met with widespread critical acclaim and was shortlisted for a Gramophone Award (‘Richly dramatic’ – The Observer; ‘A delightful performance’ – BBC Music Magazine). Subsequent discs in the series include The Blossoming Vine, music by Gorczycki, and Helper and Protector. The fifth disc, music by Marcin Mielczewski, was released in 2017. “The sound is radiant throughout and well balanced … each work is finely shaped by director Eamonn Dougan.” (Limelight Magazine).
Eamonn is consultant coach for the Royal Academy of Music and a Visiting Professor to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, where he teaches ensemble singing and directs the Guildhall Consort. As Associate Director of The Sixteen, Eamonn also leads the Genesis Sixteen courses as tutor and mentor. In the Autumn 2020 term, Eamonn was Acting Director of Music - Choir of The Queen’s College, Oxford. Eamonn read music at New College, Oxford, before continuing his vocal and conducting studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Eamonn Dougan is managed worldwide by Percius. www.percius.co.uk
📷: Benjamin Harte
EAMONN DOUGAN
CONSORT WORKSHOP
Born in Liverpool, Kathryn completed her studies at the Royal Northern College of Music with Susan Roper in 2011. She was a BBC New Generation artist from 2015-17, an ENO Young Artist and a YCAT Artist between 2010-13. She has won numerous awards, including the MBF Sybil Tutton Award, the Bridgitte Fassbaender Award, the Joyce and Michael Kennedy Strauss Prize, the RPS Susan Chilcott Scholarship and Kathleen Ferrier Bursary.
Previously featured by The Times as ‘A Rising Star of Classical Music,’ Kathryn made her operatic debut as Cherubino in Fiona Shaw’s new production of Mozart’s ‘Le Nozze di Figaro’ (ENO/2012) and has since performed in principal opera roles including; Rosina in Rossini’s ‘The Barber of Seville’ (ENO), Cherubino ‘Le Nozze di Figaro’ (Glyndebourne), Dorabella in Mozart’s ‘Cosi Fan Tutte’ (Garsington Opera), Zerlina in Mozart’s ‘Don Giovanni’, Hermia in Britten’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream,’ Sesto in Handel’s ‘Guilio Cesare’ and Annio in Mozart’s ‘La Clemenza di Tito’ for (Opera North). Kathryn performed the title role in Bizet’s ‘Carmen’ with Charles Hazlewood and the British Paraorchestra at Glastonbury Abbey. Erika in Barber’s ‘Vanessa,’ Helena in Offenbach’s ‘La Belle Helene’ (RNCM), Olga in Tchaikovsky’s ‘Eugene Onegin’ (Haddo House). She has also performed and recorded Leoncavallo’s ‘Zaza,’ Bellini’s ‘Adelson e Salvini,’ (BBCSO) and Donizetti’s ‘Il Paria’ conducted by Sir Mark Elder (Opera Rara).
On the concert platform, Kathryn works regularly with all of the BBC orchestras and as soloist with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra; working with conductors including Vasily Petrenko, Carl Davis CBE and John Wilson. Kathryn made her BBC Proms debut with Rossini’s ‘Petite Messe Solennelle,’ and performed Mozart’s ‘Requiem’ with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales at the BBC Proms conducted by Nathalie Stutzmann (BBC4). Kathryn has also worked with conductors including; Bramwell Tovey, Paul McCreesh, Barry Wordsworth, Daniele Rustioni, Renato Balsadonna, David Hill, Sir Andrew Davis, Maurizio Benini, Yan Pascal Tortelier and Sian Edwards.
Concert and oratorio performances also include; Beethoven’s ‘Symphony No.9’ with the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Paul Daniel at the Royal Festival Hall, Mahler’s ‘Das Knaben Wunderhorn’ at Bridgewater Hall, Berio and Hesketh songs with the RLPO Ensemble 10/10 and Clark Rundell. Vaughan Williams’ ‘Serenade to Music’ with the Orquesta Sinfonica de Castillo y León and The Hallé Choir and Mahler’s ‘Symphony No.2’ at Kings College Chapel, Cambridge conducted by Andrew Gourlay. Schoenberg’s ‘Gurre-Lieder’ and Richard Strauss orchestral songs with BBC NOW/BBC Radio 3. Berlioz ‘Les nuits d'été’ with Philharmonia Orchestra at Gloucester Cathedral for The Three Choirs Festival with Martyn Brabbins. Chausson’s ‘Poeme de l'amour et la mer’ with the BBC Scottish Orchestra and Ben Gernon. Mendelssohn’s ‘St Paul’ for Huddersfield Choral Society, Duruflé Requiem at St Alban’s Cathedral, ‘Missa Solemnis' with BBC NOW, Tippet’s ‘A Child of Our Time’ with the RLPO, and Britten’s ‘A Charm of Lullabies’ with Britten Sinfonia for Aldeburgh Festival. Mendelssohn’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ at Edinburgh International Festival with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Thomas Søndergård and Handel’s ‘Messiah’ at the Royal Festival Hall. Kathryn has performed the role of the Angel in Elgar’s ‘Dream of Gerontius’ for Easter at Kings College Cambridge (broadcast by BBC Radio 3) and with Hamburg Symphoniker at the Rheingau Festival, Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra at Birmingham Symphony Hall and The Bach Choir at the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford. Kathryn’s first performance of Elgar’s ‘Sea Pictures’ was with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in Malvern (broadcast by BBC Radio 3) and she has since performed the songs with the Orchestra of Opera North, English Symphony Orchestra, and in concerts conducted by Vasily Petrenko with the RLPO, RPO and Dresden Philharmonie.
Kathryn has performed at the Houses of Parliament (BBC Radio 3), Westminster Chapel with the Band of the Household Cavalry (Classic FM) and as the guest soloist for open-air concerts with the Northern Chamber Orchestra and with the RLPO conducted by Carl Davis CBE at Southport Festival and Leeds Castle. She was a soloist for ‘Liverpool the Musical’ at the opening of the Liverpool Arena for the Capital of Culture 2008 and the RLPO ‘Spirit of Christmas’ soloist at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall in 2023. UK national concert tours include Noah Stewart's ‘Without a Song Tour’ and several tours with Sir Karl Jenkins, including; ‘The Armed Man’ and his new work ‘One World’ - which premiered at The Brucknerhaus, Linz, UNESCO Concert for Peace 2023.
Sought after for her work in the song repertoire, Kathryn’s recital performances have included concerts at venues and music festivals, including; Wigmore Hall, Bridgewater Hall, Brighton, City of London Festivals, and Cheltenham Festival. With recent and future engagements including recitals for Lake District Summer Music Festival, Ryedale Festival, Royal Northern College of Music, Chester Festival, Lammermuir Festival, Oxford Lieder Festival, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Chamber Music Series, Champs Hill, Norfolk and Norwich Festival, Leeds Lieder, Pembroke College Cambridge, Portico of Ards, Windsor Festival, Live at St Wilfrid’s, Richmond Live Festivals, Opera North Kirklees Concert Season, Northern Ireland Opera Festival of Song and a tour of staged concerts of ‘Wolf’s Italian Songbook.’ Kathryn has recently performed a recital of Richard Strauss songs at York’s National Centre of Early Music and new works by Roxanna Panufnik ‘My Man’ at Wigmore Hall and ‘Love Sought’ for Royal Shakespeare Company/BBC Radio 3, songs by Brain Elias at Wigmore Hall and Rhian Samuel’s ‘The Moon and I’ for Ludlow Festival of Song. Michael Nyman’s ‘Two Sonnets for Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz’ for BBC Radio 3 and ‘Symphony No. 11: Hillsborough Memorial’, in which she sang the names of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster and performed at Liverpool Cathedral with the RLPO (MNRecords). Kathryn’s debut recital recording ‘Love’s Old Sweet Song‘ with pianist James Baillieu was released by Champs Hill in 2014 and she has also recorded; Orchestral songs by Elgar ‘The Hills of Dreamland’ with the BBC Concert Orchestra, Eric Coates Songs (Somm) ‘Songs by Donald Swann’ (Hyperion) and Hamilton Harty Songs with Christopher Glynn (Somm). Gary Carpenter's songs ‘Love’s Eternity’ with RLPO/Rundell (Nimbus), Roussel's ‘Evocations’ with the BBC Philharmonic/Tortelier (Chandos). Parry’s oratorio ‘Judith’ with London Mozart Players (Chandos). Elgar’s ‘Sea Pictures’ and ‘The Music Makers’ with Vasily Petrenko and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir (Onyx).
Recent and future performances include song recitals and concerts at; Trinity College Oxford, Uppermill Summer Music Festival, Oxford Song Festival, Brahms ‘Alto Rhapsody’ with London Mozart Players and Elgar’s ‘The Dream of Gerontius’ with Chester Philharmonic. ‘Sir Karl Jenkins in Concert’ Tour and Elgar’s ‘Sea Pictures’ with The Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie in Limburg and Koblenz. The title role in Holst’s ‘Sāvitri’ with Britten Sinfonia and Sir Mark Elder at the Barbican, which will also be performed at the 75th Aldeburgh Festival of Music and the Arts in Summer 2024. Forthcoming recordings include Schumann Songs with Christopher Glynn, Roderick Williams and Ailish Tynan (Signum), Sir Karl Jenkins’ new work ‘One World’ (Decca) and ‘The Armed Man’ (Signum).
KATHRYN RUDGE
VOCAL MASTERCLASS
Ellie Slorach is the Founder and Artistic Director of Kantos Chamber Choir and the Engagement Conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. She specialises in large scale multi-media and educational projects across all genres including orchestral, operatic, choral and dance.
In the 2023-24 season, Ellie makes her debut with the Royal Northern Sinfonia at The Glasshouse as part of the BBC Proms in Gateshead, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures production of Edward Scissorhands at Sadler’s Wells and with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. She also returns to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, BBC Singers, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Orchestra of Opera North and Manchester Camerata.
Specialising in concerts for schools and young people, Ellie has worked with orchestras including The Hallé and the Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège, where she was the Assistant Conductor to Gergely Madaras in 2021-22. She is often invited to work with youth and student orchestras and choirs, including having been Musical Director of the Hallé Youth Orchestra.
Ellie regularly works on opera productions; she conducted Northern Opera Group’s production of Handel’s Silla in 2022 and returns as Musical Director for their headline production of Sherlock Holmes and The Sign of Four in 2024 at the Leeds Opera Festival. She was co-Musical Director for the Royal Opera House’s production of Lost & Found at St Pancras International station in 2022 and was the Assistant Conductor for Opera Holland Park’s Rigoletto in June 2023.
In 2015, Ellie founded Kantos Chamber Choir; this trailblazing vocal ensemble is at the cutting edge of choral singing in the UK. Kantos performs unique and innovative concerts, devised by Ellie, to sell-out audiences, in venues ranging from nightclubs to concert halls. Kantos has an artistic partnership with Manchester Camerata.
Ellie studied Conducting at the Royal Northern College of Music; she was awarded Associate Membership (ARNCM) in 2023. She previously studied Music at the University of Manchester.
ELLIE SLORACH
CHORAL WORKSHOP
Julie brings more than 30 years of experience to her teaching of the Alexander Technique.
For the past 12 years, she has been teaching at the Music Department of the University of York, working with, among others, the Solo Voice Ensemble Singing (SVES) Masters students, and the MA Vocal Studies (Performance) students. She has also collaborated with Robert Hollingworth’s iFagiolini and Thomas Guthrie assisting on a performance with some of the Music Students.
“It really has been a pleasure to work together, I appreciated what you brought enormously and also learnt so much. Thanks for being both flexible and insightful, on so many levels. I really appreciated how you got what we were trying to do too.” Thomas Guthrie. Thomas is a former Jette Parker Young Artist Stage Director at the Royal Opera House in London, artistic director of Music and Theatre for All, Guest Artistic Advisor to the York Early Music Festival, was Belknap Fellow at Princeton University, New Jersey in 2017
She also sings with the University of York Choir.
Most recently, Julie has worked with singers at Teatro Regio in Torino, Italy, running workshops and giving individual sessions - in Italian (!) having taught herself mainly on duolingo!
She was also recently the recipient of an Interdisciplinary Research Grant from YORVOICE in York, investigating how changing the perception of singing ability also impacts on general communication skills and confidence.
Prior to her move to York, marriage took Julie to Cumbria, where her work involved training Alexander teachers, working at LIPA (Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts), work at her local GP surgery in the NHS, and maintaining a private practice.
Following her training in Cape Town and London she was one of the pioneer teachers working in Business and Health, working with BP International, Johnson & Johnson, the Harley Street Clinic, the Sarah Key Back Pain Clinic and the Cavendish Street surgery.
Julie has run workshops and lessons Internationally in Italy, France, Ireland, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Australia. She was on the Education Panel for the 2016 International Alexander Technique Conference.
“Through Julie's guidance, I discovered a newfound awareness of my body and its intricate connection to my voice.The subtle adjustments and mindfulness fostered by Alexander Technique have not only enhanced the quality of my singing but have also translated into a more profound sense of presence and confidence in everyday life.” Yumin Zhu, MA Vocal performance
JULIE PARKER
ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE
Thomas Leech enjoys a reputation as an outstanding and inspirational choral director with a passion for education and widening access to musical opportunity. Educated at Cambridge University, where he held the Organ Scholarship at Downing College, he is the Director of the Diocese of Leeds' internationally acclaimed Schools Singing Programme, leading one of the most innovative and successful choral programmes in the country, involving over 70 schools and over 6500 children weekly, with its choirs broadcasting regularly on BBC radio and enjoying international competition and concert success. Tom combines this with his roles as a consultant for the National Schools Singing Programme and as Musical Director of the award-winning Bradford Festival Choral Society, together with frequent appearances as a guest conductor and workshop leader. His numerous recording credits include the complete choral works of Duruflé and complete organ works of Arvo Pärt for Brilliant Classics and he has broadcast on BBC1, Radio 2, Radio 3, Radio 4, Classic FM and Radio France. Solo recitals have included many of the major UK venues, including Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral and King's College, Cambridge. In 2018 he was the Artistic Director for the Association of British Choral Directors’ Annual Convention; his educational work has been recognised by the Worshipful Company of Educators' Masters' Award and most recently with a 2020 Royal Philharmonic Society Award for the work of the Diocese of Leeds Schools Singing Programme.
Follow him on twitter @thomas_leech
'Leech's outstanding performance...these performances would meet with Pärt's unqualified approval' [gramophone]
'Leech steers his choir to extract as much as possible from Durufle's perfumed harmonic writing' [choir and organ]
TOM LEECH
VISITING DIRECTOR
SERVICES
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YORK MINSTER
COMPLINE
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LEEDS CATHEDRAL
MASS & CONCERT
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BURSARIES
The Rodolfus Foundation offers generous bursaries to help with the costs of our courses. You can apply for a bursary as part of the online application process, and all details provided will treated confidentially.
REFERENCES
As part of your application, we request a brief reference from a singing or music teacher. Please note that this reference does not impact your acceptance onto the course. Its purpose is solely to provide our directors and singing teachers with some additional insight about you and your musical experience so far. Please be aware that references are only accepted through our online portal.
AGE RANGE
To attend this course, you must be in year 11 or above and between the ages of 16 and 21 as of 31st August 2024.
UPDATE 19TH MARCH 2024
This course now has limited places for sopranos. Please contact Helen on helen@therodolfusfoundation.com to find out how to join the waiting list
*INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS: We can only take payments for international applicants through Stripe this year. Course fees will have an approximately 3% card processing fee.
NON-RESIDENTIAL OPTION: This course is able to offer a limited number of non-residential places. You can let us know on your application if you would like to stay off site. As the days during the course start early and finish late, we only recommend this for local applicants. COURSE FEE: £820 (includes all meals and tuition)