Fabulous tutors! I welcomed the opportunity to try a range of sessions and the flexible approach.
Rebecca Austen-Brown
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Since studying at the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Rebecca has been recognised for her work as a performer on recorders and early string instruments with an ARAM.
She has recorded and toured with many ensembles; most recently The Sixteen, Glydebourne Touring Opera, the Dufay Collective, The City Musick, I Fagiolini, the CBSO, La Nuova Musica and is a founder member of the Fontanella Recorder Quintet with whom she has recorded for BBC TV, Radio 3 and 4. She has toured with Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and the Young Vic. Having developed an obsession with electronics in recent years, she is devising programmes exploring the sounds of historical instruments with loop pedals and effects. She is a regular film session musician and can be heard on soundtracks including The Hobbit, Les Miserables, Grand Hotel Budapest and Mary Queen of Scots. Rebecca teaches at the Royal College of Music Junior Department, and has given classes in Oxford University, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Birmingham University and Conservatoire. She tutors in Benslow and is in demand both as an external examiner in UK Conservatoires and as regular guest adjudicator in the UK. |
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Due Corde was formed by Amelie Addison (cello) and Anne Marie Christensen (violin) in the spring of 2008 while both were studying at Trinity College of Music, London. They were winners of the Richard III Prize for Historical Performance 2009 at the Royal College of Music, and of Trinity College of Music Early Music Competition 2010. Anne Marie and Amélie have continued to explore eighteenth century string repertoire as a duo. Their programmes have often been shaped by their research interests, with Anne Marie completing a DMus on London-based Italian violinist-composers at the Royal College of Music in 2017, and Amélie currently working towards a PhD at the University of Leeds on the English theatre composer William Shield and his use of traditional songs and dance tunes. They have also worked together in numerous baroque ensembles, exploring the trio sonata repertoire with Akenside Players and performing sacred music on period instruments with Dei Gratia. Both have extensive experience of instrumental teaching and ensemble coaching across age groups and genres. |
George BartleSackbut, voice, ukelele
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George Bartle has been making noise since he became a chorister in Ely Cathedral as a boy. Since then, he has graduated from the Royal College of Music in London and the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Switzerland as a singer and sackbut specialist. He has performed with many early music ensembles in the UK and abroad and has regularly worked as a musician with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. He is also a virtuosic ukulele player with his duo Opera-lele and as a solo act Renaissance Uke Man. He is a member of The City Musick and George can be heard playing sackbut, slide trumpet, renaissance guitar and recorder as well as singing.
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Graham Coatman
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Graham Coatman is a composer, conductor, choral trainer & keyboard player. He has worked as vocal coach, education animateur & continuo player with The English Concert, Charivari Agréable, BBC Philharmonic, Orchestra of St John's Smith Square & most UK opera companies. He is Director of 20,000 Voices, promoting the benefits of singing of all kinds across north east England and beyond. Formerly Senior Lecturer in Performance Studies & Composition at Leeds College of Music, on his recent move to the south west he took up a part time Lectureship at Bath Spa University. His research into medievalism in contemporary music at Huddersfield University led to papers delivered to the inaugural Middle Ages in the Modern World (MAMO) Conference 2013 at St Andrews, and a "special lecture" at the International Medieval Congress, Leeds in 2015, and proceedings of the British Academy (pub OUP 2017). He has most recently been leading the EU Erasmus+ choral conductor training programme ADDUP, with colleagues in France, Italy and Poland. He also directs three choirs in the southwest. His violin concerto Bakolo Drom, based on traditional Balkan themes, commissioned for Harriet Mackenzie, was premiered at Swaledale Festival, and is scheduled to be recorded for Nimbus. |
Vivien Ellis
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Born on a small Essex farm, I trained as an English teacher, and dreamed of being a performer. After a life-changing apprenticeship to Frankie Armstrong, I discovered folk & early music, encountered village music in Bulgaria, learned to run voice workshops and joined an award-winning early music ensemble. I toured and recorded with early music groups Sinfonye, The Dufay Collective & The Carnival Band for many years. I currently sing in a duo with Giles Lewin. I believe that everyone is creative, and I'm passionate about discovering how the arts can help us to meet challenges in new ways. I've run a weekly, free, drop-in singing group at The Dragon Cafe in the London Borough of Southwark for seven years. I have research interests in Arts and Health, and I've developed a new training for GPs which is being scaled up in Yorkshire & elsewhere. I love teaching at HISS. It's a wonderful opportunity to learn more about early and folk music, collaborate with lovely participants & fellow tutors, and discover the hidden history of East Yorkshire through local Ballad Walks. |
Stewart Hardy
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Stewart Hardy is both classically trained and steeped in traditional music of Northumberland & Scotland. He has toured worldwide in pop, rock, folk, jazz, country & western swing music. He taught on folk degree at Newcastle University for eight years and now runs the North East Fiddle School as well as the popular JSArts workshop weekends. He occasionally breaks cover to perform in public with the fiddle quartet Bottle Bank Band and together with his long-term musical partner, guitarist Frank McLaughlin. |
Jacob Heringman
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For 32 years now, the American-born lutenist Jacob Heringman has made his home in England, where he has established himself as a leading soloist, song accompanist and chamber musician. As a soloist, Jacob has released several highly acclaimed CDs of renaissance lute repertoire. As an accompanist, Jacob has had the good fortune to work regularly with many fine singers, including Emma Kirkby, Barbara Bonney, Michael Chance, John Potter and Clare Wilkinson. Regular instrumental collaborators in recent years include the Dufay Collective, Theatre of the Ayre, Ariel Abramovich, Adel Salameh, and The Dowland Project. Susanna Pell and Jacob appear as the duo Pellingmans' Saraband. Jacob also appears on many film soundtracks (including Harry Potter III, The Hobbit, and Robin Hood), and has recently become increasingly active in the area of improvised and crossover music, as well as transcription and arrangement. Jacob also teaches (and uses) the Alexander Technique. Since 2010, Jacob has been a no-fly musician, as a result of which he is getting to know the continental train system intimately. |
Caius LeeKeyboards, choral training
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Caius is currently the Organ Scholar at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge studying music, having previously held positions at Leeds Cathedral (Assistant Organist, Idlewild Choral Conducting Scholar) and Bradford Cathedral (Organ Scholar). Whilst at Cambridge he has been co-President of the Music Society, hosted ‘Come and Sing’ events for the Cambridge community and further afield, and become a tutor on the Oxford and Cambridge singing school. Caius was a recipient of Future Heroes Award and two consecutive Robert Lewins Scholarships from Awards for Young Musicians (AYM). He is now on the board of AYM - a charity that aims to fund disadvantaged children through music - as Alumni Trustee.
He is passionate about outreach and conducting in communities, which can be seen in his projects even from a young age. At 15 he held a summer workshop to get disadvantaged children into singing, and this led to it forming an ongoing choir, subsequently recording a CD that placed first in its class at the 2016 Mrs Sunderland Music Festival. More recently, he and Professor David Baker co-delivered a series of organ and singing workshops to primary and secondary schools around Great Ayton, funded by the Heritage Lottery trust. Following the success of this, they were invited to lead a similar project in Cornwall, which has resulted in the Cornwall Organ and Choral Academy. Caius met first met Graham on the ADDUP (Artistic Directors Developent - Upskilling) course in which he participated as one of the UK conductors. |
William Lyons
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William Lyons is one of the leading figures in the field of historical performance and is well-known for his performances and recordings with leading period music groups. He is artistic director of The Dufay Collective and The City Musick, both ensembles having achieved critical acclaim for their concerts and recordings. William is a Leverhulme Research Fellow and Professor of Medieval & Renaissance Studies at the Royal College of Music and a visiting tutor at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. He has taught regularly at Dartington Summer School and for Jackdaws Music Trust for many years. William is also a composer for theatre and film, having worked for many years at The Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and at the Royal National Theatre. For film he has composed, arranged and acted as historical advisor on several major films including Pride & Prejudice, Harry Potter III, Elizabeth: Golden Age, The Favourite, Mary Queen of Scots, The Kid Who Would Be King and most recently the new production of Emma. In 2019 William won the award for Best Original Score at the International Film Sound & Music Festival for his work on The Favourite. |
Susanna Pell
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Once upon a time I lived in London and travelled all over the world giving concerts, making recordings, taking part in film sessions. Most of my professional life was spent with Fretwork and The Dufay Collective and I was a member of both ensembles for 20 years or more. The rest of my time was spent teaching and taking on freelance performing work. Then in 2005 I completed a 3 year training course in the Alexander Technique and in 2007 moved, with my husband Jacob Heringman and daughter Edie, to North Yorkshire. This relocation, along with my decision in 2011 to reduce my carbon footprint by quitting air travel, has redefined my career. My focus is now on teaching and performing close to home whenever possible. The vibrant early music scene in the North East of England and enthusiastic student viol consorts at the University of York and Durham University are providing me with ample opportunity to do just that. |
Richard ThomasCornett, natural trumpet
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Richard performs regularly with the UK's leading period instrument ensembles (e.g. English Baroque Soloists, The Sixteen, OAE) as well as chamber music with the QuintEssential Sackbut and Cornett Ensemble, The City Musick and the Prince Regents Band. Richard is also enthusiastic about teaching (Royal College of Music, Trinity Laban, Birmingham Conservatoire) and coaching having been involved with courses run by Jackdaws, Charlemie, Dartington, Beauchamp and of course HISS. |
Mary Tyers
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Mary Tyers is an experienced and enthusiastic teacher, conductor and performer. She delights in helping the amateur musician develop their technical and interpretive skills through exploring the music they both love to play. Mary has over thirty years experience as an instrumental teacher, maintaining an extensive private teaching practice across the north of England. She also tutors on residential courses and summer schools, including NORVIS and HISS; coaches ensembles at Durham University; leads workshop days; and is in demand as a popular visiting conductor to SRP branches and festivals. Based in the north-east of England, Mary performs regularly with local period instrument orchestras; including Newcastle Baroque, the Yorkshire Baroque Soloists, the Durham Singers Ensemble and the Bishop’s Consort. Having recently ‘retired’ from the classroom she is also enjoying the luxury of having time to perform baroque chamber music and to return to her folk roots, the latter including collaborating with fellow tutor, Stewart Hardy (fiddle). |
Great tutors, fun sessions and a chance to meet a lot of amazing and friendly people - what more could you want! |
Best moments? Almost too many to pick – but the tutors concert must be the highlight! |