Sherborne International Summer School for Wind Conductors

Formerly Canford

5th - 12th August 2012

Sherborne School

Details of courses and booking now available on line from CANFORD SUMMER SCHOOL even though the course is at Sherborne.

Sherborne Summer School Wind Ensemble Conducting Course Sherborne Summer School, formerly Canford, is probably the most international conducting course in the world. Only £500.00 (Euro 580.00 $775.00) for seven nights full board, and full tuition fees

Class Of 2011

THE CLASS OF 2011 from Austria, Canada, England, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, Scotland, South Africa, Switzerland, Wales, Royal Marines, Royal Air Force, the Guards.





BASBWE Wind Band Conductors' Course

in association with the BASBWE Education Trust

5 - 12 August 2012

Timothy Reynish, Mark Heron & Russell Cowieson

This course is for conductors at the intermediate and advanced levels with an interest in wind music. Up to twenty-five students will be accepted as "active" participants. Observers are also encouraged and will be fully involved in general technique sessions, discussions and playing in the class ensemble, but they will only conduct at the discretion of the tutors. An important feature of this course is that all active participants receive podium timeon each day of the course.

The class will explore conducting techniques, score preparation, rehearsal and training skills. A CD and score library will be available for reference and special emphasis will be placed on extending the knowledge of repertoire at all levels. One session of the week will be devoted to grade 1 - 3 pieces. All conducting sessions will be videod for review during the course and participants receive a DVD of their work at the end of the week. The course will run concurrently with the Wind Ensemble and there will be close liaison between the two.

Saint Saens Orient et Occident, Ticheli Postcard, Woolfenden Gallimaufry, Vaughan Williams English Folk Song Suite, Bennett Morning Music, Strauss Suite in B flat, Op.4, Gorb Dances from Crete, Mozart Serenade in C minor, K375, Ellerby New World Dances, Ticheli Concerto for Clarinet.

Four sessions a day
Free concerts every evening and most lunchtimes
Podium time every day
Midweek formal dinner and dance
Sherborne School, set in one of the loveliest old Dorset towns
Swimming pool and sports facilities, bar and local pubs
All sessions recorded on DVD, free copy sent after course
Repertoire for study;
Tutorial Staff Mark Heron, Russell Cowieson, Tim Reynish


Comments from previous students:

From Israel:

I want to use this opportunity and thank you all for the wonderful time I had, which you all had a contributing part. I thank you for your friendship and for the sense of mutual aid; I thank you for the kind and supportive words and your actions too. I think only now I am beginning to have an idea about the course and I am sure as I will see the DVD's I'll get even more and more.


From UK

Just wanted to echo comments already made & to say thanks to everyone for a terrific week at Sherborne, especially Tim, Mark & Phillip for their amazing patience with me!!


From USA

Just a note to thank all of you for allowing me to share a truly wonderful week with you. The musical experiences were superior, but I think that they will prove to be even more significant because of the non-musical ones that enhanced them. It's always great to be able to participate in making music. I'm still one of those "band geeks" (American term?) who is struck by our ability to translate dots from a page and communicate with others. After this week, I find myself touched even more deeply by the universality of what we're able to do.


From Singapore

Going to the UK, from the other side of the world (Singapore) requires 13 hours on a plane. Transiting to Canford requires a vigilant mind and carries certain risk to life and limb as London has just been hit by twice (bomb attacks) by terrorist and bracing for another attack. But it was all well worth it.!

There was much to learn, the discussions were lively and engaging. By the end of the week, under the supervision of the course instructors, my conducting was transformed.

I now have renewed vigor in music and imbued in me a higher level of confidence. But most of all, I gained memories. Wonderful memories and friends from all over the world. Its the people in Canford that makes the place so special.

By the end of the course, everyone wished that TIME would not have been so cruel and let us linger on for a while more and everyone wished that we could come back to Canford again every year, to make new friends and renew old ones for as long as canford still exist


From UK

Having finally got back to my desk I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the course this year and to thank you for all your kind words of encouragement and advice throughout the week. Having already performed some of this year's repertoire I shall definitely try and programme Marshall's Auefor this coming year. Finding British repertoire that stands up to the critical opinions of students and audiences alike remains a challenge.


From USA

I wanted to take some time to thank you all for giving me such a FANTASTIC opportunity. My trip to England for the International Conducting Symposium turned out to be even more than I could have imagined. The most interesting thing to me was interacting with all of the participants. There were people from not only the U.S. and U.K., but Holland, Germany, Israel, and China as well. It was very enlightening to "talk shop" with everyone about how things are in their country, and likewise they were just as interested to hear about life and music in the U.S. The great thing about Tim, Mark and Phillip was that they all had different, but not opposing views on conducting. They were able to give constructive criticism to the whole gamut, from the seasoned conductor to the obvious beginner. But no matter who they were working with, the MUSIC was always the most important thing.


Wind Ensemble in association with BASBWE

5 - 12 August 2012

Timothy Reynish, Mark Heron & Russell Cowieson

The Wind Ensemble is designed for experienced amateurs and students to play and study significant repertoire written during the last four centuries. A regular feature will be chamber music as well as wind ensemble playing. Some of the repertoire will be studied in depth and form the basis for one or more of the several concerts the Wind Orchestra gives during the week. The remainder will be played in repertoire sessions. Reference should also be made to the pieces listed for the BASBWE Wind Band Conductors' Course.

Only £500.00 (Euro 580.00 $775.00) for seven nights full board, and full tuition fees

Gorb, Dances from Crete, Bennett Morning Music, Stravinsky Symphonies of Wind Instruments (1947), Ellerby New World Dances, Holst Suite in E flat, Op.28, No.1, Saint Saens Orient et Occident, Binney London Pageant, MyoshiSecret Rites, Copland Emblems, Meecham The Karman Line.

Preparation and Repertoire Selection

Participants are not expected to thoroughly prepare all of the repertoire, although you may if you wish. It is far better to learn 3 or 4 pieces very well than to have only a very superficial knowledge of them all.

Everyone should prepare a movement of Holst or one of the Grainger pieces as these will be used in the first session of the week during which everyone will conduct for a few minutes in order that a quick assessment can be made of each participant. The Mozart will be covered in a couple of chamber music sessions during the week, and it is certainly worth preparing all or some of that work.

Participants may find some of the articles on conducting, score study and rehearsal technique available in the articles section of this site, at www.timreynish.com and at www.markheron.co.uk useful.

Course Structure

The course is essentially egalitarian. To a large extent, all participants receive equal amounts of podium time and generally most people conduct every day. Most of the sessions are with the class ensemble, which is often augmented by extra players. Some of the more advanced students will have the opportunity to work on occasions with the Symphonic Wind Orchestra. Unlike many conducting courses, this one where you will actually have the chance to conduct!

Any questions or enquiries about repertoire, preparation or the course content can be directed to Mark Heron.

All applications or other administrative enquiries must be made through the Sherborne Summer School website, where information about cost, location, administration can be found along with application details.

Symphonic Wind Orchestra

The Symphonic Wind Orchestra is designed for experienced amateurs and students to play and study significant repertoire for Wind Orchestra and Wind Ensemble. A regular feature of the course will be chamber music as well as wind ensemble playing. Some of the repertoire will be studied in depth, the remainder in repertoire sessions.

For further information, including how to apply, please visit the Sherborne Summer School site

Timothy Reynish

Timothy Reynish held principal horn positions with the Northern Sinfonia, Sadlers Wells Opera and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra before joining the Royal Northern College of Music as Tutor in Conducting and later Head of School of Wind and Percussion. He studied conducting with George Hurst, Dean Dixon, and Franco Farrara, was a prizewinner in the Mitropulos International Conducting Competition, and has conducted orchestras and wind ensembles in Canada, Scandinavia, Europe the Middle East and North and South America.

Since leaving the RNCM he has worked unstintingly to raise both the performing standards and the quality of music played by wind orchestras and ensembles around the world - indeed he has commissioned a copious number of major works himself. Following a term as President of the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles he currently spends much of his year commuting between America and the UK with the occasional trip to Australia!

Mark Heron

Mark Heron studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama, the Royal Northern College of Music and in international masterclasses with Neeme Järvi and Jorma Panula. In 2005 he won the Neeme Järvi Conducting Competition and the following year was selected by the London Symphony Orchestra to participate in their mentoring scheme for young conductors. Mark is Music Director of the Nottingham Philharmonic Orchestra, Liverpool Mozart Orchestra, Manchester University Symphony Orchestra and the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Israel. He is a member of the conducting faculty at the RNCM where he works with all of the college's orchestras and ensembles and regularly records contemporary music with the RNCM Wind Orchestra. As a guest conductor Mark works regularly with orchestras in Finland, Estonia, Germany and Israel as well as in the UK. Increasingly well regarded in the field of conductor training, Mark teaches at the RNCM, Manchester University, the Royal Air Force and Canford Summer School. You can find out more about his activities at: www.markheron.co.uk

Russell Cowieson

Russell Cowieson studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and the Guildhall School of Music. Conducting studies were undertaken with Tim Reynish, Baldur Brönnimann and George Hurst. He is Musical Director of the Edinburgh University Symphony Orchestra and the newly formed Scottish National Wind Orchestra which is in residence at the RSAMD.

In 2007 Russell was appointed Artistic Director of the BASBWE International Wind Festival held at the RSAMD and in 2008 served on the faculty of the Royal Northern College of Music Conducting Weekend. Russell has worked with Young Sinfonia, the RNCM Junior Orchestra, the RSAMD Wind Orchestra, the RSAMD Junior School and Cambridgeshire Youth Wind Orchestra.