Courses & Workshops
We offer a variety of courses and workshops as part of the IIMA.
Strings Courses
Tuesday 20th June 2023 – Saturday 24th June 2023
We are delighted to announce that for our 2023 season we will be partnered by the world-famous Dudok Quartet from Amsterdam who will join with international violinist Ishani Bhoola and accompanist Helen Leek in providing a week of world-class instruction.
This is your chance to join like-minded enthusiasts for one-on-one mentoring with a world-renowned Quartet during a week-long break in France’s idyllic Dordogne.
To top it all you can experience the thrill of being a professional musician by playing with them in a public concert at the end of your stay.
Itinerary & Travel
As well as providing a rewarding musical experience, we aim to give participants the opportunity to enjoy a truly memorable holiday. We will be able to recommend many local visitor attractions and are happy to arrange personal wine tasting to local vineyards.
Participants are required to book their own travel and accommodation.
We recommend checking on Airbnb, FrenchConnections and VRBO for self catering accommodation and Booking.com and for hotels and guest houses.
Nearest airports are Bergerac(15mins), Bordeaux (1.5hrs) and Toulouse (2.5hrs)
Driving from Caen / Le Havre is 7hrs and from Calais is 8.5hrs
We will be pleased to help with any questions you might have with travel accommodation or any aspect of your visit to this lovely corner of the Dordogne. Please ask anything by completing the contact us page.
Recent Event
Come & Sing – Rossini, Petite Messe Solonnelle
Tuesday 18th April 2023 – Saturday 22nd April 2023
A great opportunity to immerse ourselves in this quintessentially Italian work, learning from renowned musician John Alley.
The course was 4 half-day, morning rehearsals building up towards a public performance on Saturday 22nd in the magnificent St Félicien church in the centre of Issigeac.
We had the opportunity to attend the two Masterclasses that Nelly Miricioiu gave as she coached the soloists from The Royal Northern College of Music. The masterclasses took place on Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th April. Nelly Miricioiu’s extraordinary career has taken her to most major opera houses of Europe.
The rehearsals took place at Maison des Services, Chemin des Ecoliers, Issigeac and the concert was great success and was extremely well attended by friends and family, local residents and from further afield. The St Félicien Church in the centre of the village as alive with music and people.
The course was led by
Conductor, pianist and now local resident John Alley who was with the London Symphony Orchestra for 25 years, as well as performing and recording with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, English Chamber Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and many others.
John has worked closely with renowned maestros including Boulez, Bernstein, Solti, Mehta, Haitink, Masur, Berio, Lutoslawski, Gergiev, Colin Davis.
Nelly Miricioiu ran masterclasses for the soloists which we were able to attend as member of the course. She has worked with some of the most prestigious conductors and directors, and opposite leading artists of the day, such as José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, José Cura, Roberto Alagna, to name but a few.
The course and concert were accompanied by Jennifer Carter on piano and Michael Veazey on Harmonium
Soloists
Our four soloists, all from the Royal Northern College of Music, were
Soprano – Taylor London
Mezzo – Rachel Garland
Tenor Henry Strutt
Bass – Adam Christie
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