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Song, Poetry & Partnership: A Singer’s Journey through Stanford’s Legacy
with Louise Winter and William Hancox
Charles Villiers Stanford was not only a major composer, but one of the most influential teachers in British musical history. From his studio emerged a remarkable generation of composers who shaped the English song revival of the early twentieth century. While Stanford himself remained wary of modernism, his students forged bold and distinctive musical voices, embracing a rich spectrum of styles, techniques, and influences.
Among them were Arthur Bliss, Gustav Holst, Herbert Howells, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Rebecca Clarke, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Arthur Benjamin, Frank Bridge, John Ireland, Ivor Gurney, and Muriel Herbert — composers whose songs continue to offer singers some of the most evocative and rewarding repertoire in the English language.
Over this weekend a rich programme of masterclass style sessions, group sessions, and contextual discussions will be led by eminent course leaders Louise Winter and Will Hancox.
They’ve chosen Stanford as a paradoxical figure standing at the centre of a fascinating period in British musical life. With his extreme conservatism, his hatred of ‘vulgarity’ and his abrasive personality he was much feared as a teacher – yet, even as they rebelled against him, his instruction formed the technical bedrock on which the craft of his extraordinary circle of pupils was based. Working on the songs of these composers, together we will trace the many and varied forms which those rebellions took.
In supportive sessions, participants will have the chance to perform prepared repertoire, receiving detailed coaching on vocal technique, diction, stylistic nuance, and historical context. Observers are equally encouraged to learn through listening, reflection, and discussion.
