| Over the weekend of February 17th-18th the University of Chichester will be hosting its fourth annual Cello Weekend, an event endorsed by the Violoncello Society of London as one of their special events.
This is an opportunity to bring together cello players of all ages and abilities from across the country in a weekend of music making. The weekend is geared both for musical participants and for a public audience. The two days will be filled with rehearsals, workshops and performances.
Organiser Laura Ritchie, lecturer and coordinator of the Instrumental or Vocal Teaching programme at the University, runs the main rehearsals while sectional rehearsals will be led by Jean Graham-Jones and Caroline Ritchie. Course participants will also have the chance to attend drop-in Alexander Technique sessions with the University’s Alexander Technique teacher, Graham Elliott.
On Saturday, Tania Lisboa, acclaimed as one of Brazil’s foremost cellists and currently a Fellow of the Royal College of Music, will be presenting an illustrated lecture/workshop on Memory in Musical Performance and an evening recital which will include works by Debussy, Faure and Villa-Lobos. Both of these events are open to the public.
On Sunday, rehearsals will continue for the course participants and there will be a public master-class given by Richard Harwood, who is said to be "probably the greatest young 'cello talent since Jacqueline du Pré" (The Strad). Since his critically acclaimed concerto debut at the age of ten, Richard has performed concerti and recitals in major British concert halls including the Royal Albert Hall, all of the South Bank Centre venues, St. John's, Smith Square, St. George’s Brandon Hill and the Wigmore Hall.
Applications for participants are welcomed until 1st of February. This will be a fantastic musical event for the beginning of the February half-term. The course fee of £25 includes lunches and all events for participants. A retiring collection will be taken at all of the public events. For a detailed schedule of events or an application, please contact Laura Ritchie on l.ritchie@chi.ac.uk or the University music office on 01243 816185.
Cello Weekend Programme:
Saturday 17th February
10.00am Advanced (GR5 and above) players arrive
12.00-1.00 Memorising and Bach – Tania Lisboa
1.00 All other cellists arrive (Gr0-4)
4.00 Rehearsals finish
4.00-6.00 Drop-in Alexander Technique session/sectional help available
7.00 Cello recital – Tania Lisboa
Sunday 18th February
10.30 Rehearsals begin (advanced players)
12.00-1.30 Master-class with Richard Harwood
2.00-3.30 Rehearsals for all players
4.00 Final concert
5.00 End
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