Young musicians from across the Bath area are invited to join dynamic violinist Seona Pritchard and the Bath Strings Academy’s team of professional musicians for two half-term workshops full of musical discovery on 17 & 18 February 2020.
The workshops will allow musicians aged from six to 18 years to explore how to use musical grooves, hooks and riffs as starting points for creating their own music, learning techniques to develop their improvisation skills and unleash their creativity.
These are multi-level workshops open to those who already play a bowed string instrument or a woodwind instrument at the following levels:
· Violin, viola, cello or double bass: beginners upwards
· Flute, recorder, tin whistle, clarinet, saxophone, oboe, bassoon: Grade 2 level and up.
Players will be grouped according to age and experience level (approx ages 6-10, 11-13 and 14-18). Parents are welcome to attend alongside to support their child/ren and can specify this at the time of booking.
What will the workshops cover?
“Musicians trained in the Western Classical tradition rarely have the opportunity to ‘break free’ from printed music and spend time working solely by ear or experimenting, without the pressure of having to ‘play the right notes,” explained Ruth O’Shea from Bath Strings.
“The aim of the workshops is to provide the starting points, structure and support to create the conditions in which young musicians can develop their own ideas and explore the possibilities of their instruments.
“Less experienced players will find a warm, inclusive atmosphere and we will work both with and without instruments to develop vital musicianship skills, using our voices and bodies as part of the creative process.
“More experienced players will have the opportunity to work independently in groups to create their own compositions and will be encouraged to develop higher-level skills.”
Musicians can attend one day or both; each will be self-contained, with different materials being presented on each day. The workshops cost £40 per day, with sibling discounts available.
Bookings are available by clicking here