• Course Dates
    February 20, 2026 6:30 pm –
    February 22, 2026 4:00 pm
  • Observer Pass
    February 21, 2026
    11:00 am - 1:00 pm

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Level: All
Fee: £395

English Song

with Stephen Varcoe and Nigel Foster

There is a wealth of song to explore and discover in the English language: from Purcell to Britten by way of Barber, Copland and Sondheim. Please prepare a minimum of three English or American songs and workshop them with from a singer’s perspective with Stephen Varcoe – one of Britain’s most distinguished singers in this field – and from a pianist’s perspective with Nigel Foster, pianist and Director of the London Song Festival, who has a wealth of knowledge about the repertoire.

We asked our course leaders to answer a few questions about their course and teaching:

  1. Increased confidence in their singing
  2. A deeper understanding of what they are singing
  3. A sense of joy and well-being

“I love working with amateur singers because they are doing something which they love and which enriches their lives.”

Some course feedback:

It was a very enjoyable weekend – Stephen was extremely interesting about repertoire, singing in English and English vowels. Nigel was superb and was very constructive musically – a wonderful accompanist!

insightful and inspiring!

Read more about what participants say about Jackdaws Courses.

A £100 deposit is required to secure your place on this course. The balance of fees, including accommodation, is due 3 weeks before the course start date.

You can also buy an Observer Pass for this course. The Observer Pass entitles you to attend on SATURDAY from 11am–1pm as an observer only and costs £10. This can be redeemed against a subsequent course booking. Places are limited. More info and terms and conditions here.

Details Price Qty
Attendee - Deposit £100.00 GBP  
Observer Pass £10.00 GBP  

Venue:  

Venue Phone: 01373 812383

Address:
Jackdaws Music Education Trust, Great Elm, Frome, Somerset, BA11 3NY, United Kingdom

Description:

Course Information

Is this Course right for me?

The answer is probably yes as we welcome musicians of all abilities and backgrounds on our courses but if you would like to find out more before you book please read about our course levels, or email or call our office manager Karolyn on 01373 812 383 / music@jackdaws.org and she will be able to offer further guidance.

If you are still unsure then maybe consider one of our “Try before you buy” Observer Passes which enable you to come and see one session in action.

Full Observer places may also be bookable for a whole weekend subject to availability. Call / email the office for more information.

Please see our General Course Information pages for further details and schedule information.

Our Courses are for adult musicians (except where stated) and take place at Jackdaws in Great Elm, near Frome in Somerset. The Course Fee includes all tuition, meals and refreshments at Jackdaws. Courses take place in the main studio, with Steinway piano, and generally follow a masterclass format. There are several practice rooms here, too.

Repertoire

For Voice, Piano & Wind courses; participants are usually requested to prepare 2 – 3 pieces in advance. We will ask you to provide a repertoire list for the tutor (& accompanist) ahead of the course.

For Ensemble courses; direction will be given by the course leaders.

Accommodation

If you require B&B, we can arrange that for you; accommodation fees are payable in addition to the course fee.

Meals and Refreshments

Lunch, Supper and morning/afternoon refreshments will be prepared on site by our dedicated Cooks.  If you are vegetarian/vegan, or have a food allergy, you must let us know in advance, so that our cooks can plan the meals for the weekend accordingly. We are ‘allergy aware’, but we rely on participants letting us know if they have specific food allergies. Please also let us know if you carry any emergency medication.

By booking onto a Jackdaws course you agree to abide by our Terms and Conditions and understand the Privacy Policy regarding our handling of your data.