It's been another day full of excitement and memorable stories!
Waiting for Wicked
Our orchestral players continued their dedicated work on this week’s material, harnessing their young energetic spirits in classic Haydn and reaching for new tones and colours in pastoral Honneger. Conductor Dionysis Grammenos could see the potential for great things from the students so the expectations were high. Opportunity also flourished for some of our young musicians to conduct the orchestra, having Dionysis coach them and give them tips to progress. The players responded well to each of the conductors, supporting them and providing the framework for great music to carry on.
Orchestral rehearsal with Dionysis Grammenos
Sophia Papoulis worked with the choir again today to achieve the very best from each of them. In a range of music from ear and with notes on the page, the singers were tested on their abilities to work together as a team to gain the right balance for each piece, and to use the technique they have covered so far to maximise a blended and supported sound. Some sang solos too, giving them the chance to carry a part on their own and project independently from the rest of the section.
Sophia Papoulis guiding our choir
It was back into full ensemble rehearsals for our saxophones today. Led by Sarah Markham, the players delved into more challenging repertoire and dissected technique, discussing openly the benefits of certain fingerings and what each of them could do to improve for their own instrumental setup. To debrief they enjoyed running through material they have learned so far, creating first potential peformances for Saturday’s final concert.
Baritone saxophone student
Piano players had a mixture of individual lessons and sight reading sessions this morning, as well as a whole class on higher education. The musicians were keen to find out about the potential short term and long term paths after their Ingenium experiences and importantly, how to get there. Some of our musicians have been with us for almost four weeks now, so for them this has arguably been life changing and hugely shaped their aspirations!
Whole piano class on higher education
As the final minutes ticked down on the morning’s hive of activity, the buzz of excitement grew in each of the rehearsal spaces. There could only be one reason for this: it was almost time to head to London. Once the final notes had been played, we enjoyed a quick lunch in the boarding houses before heading to the big city. There, some of the group took a fascinating trip to the British Museum, experiencing some more authentically British culture and learning the history behind the country they have come to call home over the last four weeks. For the rest it was free time around the luxurious Covent Garden, taking in the sights and picking up souvenirs at the gift shops.
Students outside The British Museum
After some more time for the students to grab a quick bite to eat, it was to the theatre we went, ready for the main event: Wicked. We took our seats in the stately Apollo Theatre, Victoria, and as the lights went down there were gleeful whispers from all directions. This was for good reason, as the show was electrifying from the opening curtain rise. The levels of commitment and performance were something to aspire to and we all left with much inspiration.
It was then time to head back to Winchester for a well deserved night’s sleep, as the music continues tomorrow!
We are halfway through the week already and there is still so much more to come! Find out tomorrow as we continue this exciting adventure.
See more photos from this summer on our Facebook page.
Our Programmes
More information on our seven programmes: Chamber Music, Composition, Conducting, Orchestral, Piano, Saxophone and Vocal.
Programmes range from 1 week to 4 weeks long. Students can attend one immersive programme, or broaden their experience by combining programmes to suit their interests.
Any Questions?
We love speaking to young musicians, teachers and families from around the world - so don't hesitate to get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!
Email: info@ingeniumacademy.com
Phone: +44 (0)20 7060 4076
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