Pick and Mix Sessions
These are the other classes that you can sign up to on the day. Unlike progressives, you can ‘pick and mix’ which classes you want to go to throughout the week and therefore can experience a wide range of activities with different tutors, depending on your preferences. Most of these sessions last around 1 hour and 20 minutes, unless otherwise specified on the sign-up sheets (for example if it is a two-parter you will be expected to attend both parts).
Pick and mix sessions for 2025 will be updated as bookings come in and the balance and preferences of participants are noted.
Please check back or get in touch for the most recent information
Ballads, Divisions and Grounds
For Plucked Strings, Bowed Strings, Wind and Voice
‘More than a mash-up.’ Exploring ways to fillet a ballad, season with divisions and serve on a complimentary, well-seasoned bed of ground bass. Precise repertoire to be announced in due course.
With Mary Tyers and Lynda Sayce
Gibbons: Cries of London (Part 1)
For Mezzo-Soprano and Baritone voices, Bowed and Blown Instruments
A contribution to the celebration of Gibbons’ 400th Birthday with a transcription (by Mary) of this humorous and spirited piece, for mezzo-soprano and baritone voice(s), bowed & blown instruments. Parts available in treble, alto & bass clefs as appropriate, check with Mary for range.
With Mary Tyers
Dowland Songs
For Lutes, Viols and Voices
Two sessions on Dowland songs. Whilst these are self-contained (one song per session), it would be ideal for those attending the first to also attend the second, so that similar forces are available.
With Lynda Sayce and Alison Kinder
Roman Ouvertures and Suites (2 sessions)
For Woodwind and Strings
A chance to explore the more complex settings of Roman with wind parts.
With Anne Marie Christensen and Catherine Strachan
Using the Fiddle to Make Accompaniments
For Strings
Breath new life into a tune, lift a performance and push the boundaries of a tune with these techniques.
With John Dipper
Learning By Ear
For all Instruments
Looking at how to pick up a tune in a session, or to do something meaningful if the tune is out of reach.
With John Dipper
OR
Ways in and tips for developing your learning by ear skills. We'll look at a couple of simple tunes and try out some easy tools for picking up the melodies by listening.
With Hazel Askew
Renaissance Dance Music
For all Instruments
A selection of dances from sixteenth century French and Italian publications, suitable for all instruments, including bagpipes and hurdy gurdy. Easy reading of some lively repertoire, mostly in four part harmony.
With Tim Bayley
Facsimile Reading
For all Instruments
Back by popular demand: an opportunity to dip your toe into the world of original notation. Richard Thomas & Claire McIntyre will run a session focussing on Lieto godea (from 1587 Concerti) Giovanni Gabrieli (in 8 parts) reading facsimile alongside modern notation - for all instruments. (knowledge of clefs preferable)
With Richard Thomas and Claire McIntyre
Gibbons – 400th anniversary Madrigals (2 sessions)
Probably everyone has heard, heard of, or even sung The Silver Swan by Orlando Gibbons - but he wrote more! We will look at some of these. They are mostly in 5 parts, and so instrumentalists are welcome to come any play these with singers in a kind of “broken consort”, mixing voices and instruments.
One session will be with Alison Kinder & Graham Coatman for voices with viols and recorders on What is our life?
With Graham Coatman
Two Tunes/Song from HISS Tunebook/Songbook
Develop your session skills and build confidence to join or lead a set in the bar, with simple instrumental or vocal harmonies.
With Hazel Askew, John Dipper, Mary Tyers
English Popular Tunes c1600
for mixed consort
Melodies such as Go from my Window, Packington's Pound, Rowland, All ye who love Good Fellows etc were arranged by the likes of Praetorius, Haussmann, Lutkemann. Also included are settings of The Earl of Oxford's March and Hackney.
With Tim Bayley
Recorder Big Band
For all sizes of Recorders
A magnificent 3 choir ‘Magnificat’ by Zielenski (pub. 1611). At 8’ or octave doubled if enough tenor, bass, great bass and contra bass players OR Duo Seraphin in 3 choirs by Hassler (pub. 1591). A sumptuous motet setting of this heavenly text. At 8’ or octave doubled if enough tenor, bass, great bass and contra bass players.
With Rebecca Austen-Brown and Mary Tyers
To Arms!
For Wind and Brass
Join the Picards, Bourginons, Scaramella and L'Hom arme for this foray into La Bataglia. Wind and brass essential for an exploration of familiar and less well known renaissance musical warfare.
With Tim Bayley
O Clap Your Hands
For all Strings and Voices
Celebrating the 400th anniversary of the death of Orlando Gibbons we look at his 8-part anthem O Clap Your Hands, and maybe some other treats too!
With Anne Marie Christensen, Catherine Strachan, and Alison Kinder
Folk Collab
For all Strings
More details to follow
With Anne Marie Christensen, Catherine Strachan, and John Dipper
Sea Shanties
For Voices
Come and learn a couple of sea shanties and have a go at adding harmonies.
With Hazel Askew
The “Art and Terror of Continuo” - the fun version (maybe 2 sessions)
For bass line & chord playing instruments (harpsichord, lute, etc) – but we also need top line voices or upper instruments!
Explore “The Continuo Principle” - the filling in the Baroque sandwich between melody lines and bass, and its development out of the Renaissance towards the Classical era. What is figured bass, and how to figure it out.
We will work on practical examples of music from, eg Caccini, Campion, to Vivaldi and Handel, etc
With Graham Coatman
Renaissance Big Band
For Wind, Brass and Strings
An exploration of music from the Renaissance, including works by Jakob Handl.
With Richard Thomas, Claire McIntyre Tim Bayley
Palestrina
For Recorders, Winds and Brass
Working on 8-part music by birthday boy, Palestrina.
With Rebecca Austen-Brown, Richard Thomas and Claire McIntyre
HISS Songbook – come and try these well known songs
The HISS Songbook was produced for the 2022 course, as a companion to the HISS Tunebook, for use at the evening “sessions” in the bar. Here is a chance to come and try some of these out, mostly folk songs , and some rounds, etc. Instrumentalists are invited too!
With Graham Coatman
Jean-Féry Rebel - “Chaos”!
For Woodwind and Strings
“Play Chaos” focuses on the opening movement of Les Élémens, a ballet score by Jean-Féry Rebel, composed 1737-38. It will be open to all strings and wind. It is great fun to play!
With Anne Marie Christensen and Catherine Strachan
Lute Repertoire Class
Bring your own piece; shared technique session (or 2 sessions)
with Lynda Sayce