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Firmly established as one of Europe’s foremost early music courses, BAROQUE WEEK is now celebrating its 45th year. The course offers inspiration and guidance to both singers and players of baroque music from an expert team of leading specialists in historical performance.

The theme for 2023 is The Grand Tour: France, exploring repertoire from the 17th and 18th centuries with the focus on Paris and Versailles.  We will feature music by Lully, Charpentier, Campra, de Lalande and Rameau as well as exploring repertoire by lesser-known composers. There will be tutor-led projects on this theme for both singers and instrumentalists, but chamber music-making with your own choice of repertoire remains fundamental to the course.

BAROQUE WEEK is for baroque wind, string and continuo players and up to ten singers, but there are also opportunities for instrumentalists to sing.  Plucked continuo as well as keyboard players will be welcome.  String players should use gut strings and a baroque bow. You should be a competent sight-reader and confident playing or singing one-to-a-part.  Most of the repertoire will be played at A415 although there may be some opportunities to play at A392.  For singers the course offers a rare chance to sing arias, cantatas and solo motets with small groups of instruments as well as working in vocal consorts.  Full or part bursaries may be available for those who would otherwise be unable to attend.

“Everyone is so friendly, standard is high, tutors fantastic, well organised - a great experience”

Registered Charity No. 1161774

Latest update:

The 2024 course will be 11th-18th August, when our theme in the tutor-led sessions will be "Fairest Isle: A Musical Journey Around the British Isles" although you can play any baroque music of your choice in the chamber music groups.

Booking will open on 1st December.  This website will be updated soon, but meanwhile you can get a good idea about the course from the 2023 details here.  Please email admin@baroqueweek.uk to be added to the mailing list for when full details go out in November.

Queen Anne’s School, Caversham, Berkshire

13th-20th August 2023

Residential Baroque Music Summer School