Berwang in Britain – Day 1

Using Britain’s motorway system lead to some interesting journey times as the participants for the first ever Berwang in Britain course made their way to Derbyshire.
Sooner, or later, however everybody did arrive safely. We are staying at the Hayes Conference Centre in Swanick, which is in a beautiful countryside location and even have the use of a grand piano.

“But what is Berwang in Britain?” I hear you ask, well even if you’re not asking here’s the answer. Berwang is an idyllic Tyrolean village that plays host to a music holiday course, a perfect mix of music making, activities and good food. The aim of Berwang in Britain is to reproduce the Berwang magic in the beautiful Peak District.

After a trip to the bar and dinner we had our first music session with the choir and instrumentalists working together. For the second half of the evening we split into our two separate groups before once again retiring to the bar. Don’t worry a few people even had soft drinks!

Berwang in Britain

For 2015 we have an exciting new venture ~ Berwang in Britain  from 3rd – 5th July. This is a weekend course, being held in Derbyshire, based on the Berwang model. As in Berwang we will have a choir, a string group and a wind group and we will spend part of the weekend working in our separate groups and combine together for other sessions.The course will start on Friday evening in time for dinner and finish on Sunday afternoon.

During the course we will be looking at various styles of classical and light music. We also welcome partners, family and friends, who don’t play an instrument or sing, to come along as “Listeners” who can enjoy the Derbyshire countryside, paint, take photos, read a book or indeed pursue any relaxing pastime. “Listeners” are, of course, welcome to come and listen to any of the music sessions.

The Berwang Holiday Music Course mixes music making with a holiday in the Austrian Tyrol and so there will also be a holiday element to Berwang in Britain. On the Saturday afternoon everybody will have the choice of visiting Chatswoth, taking a fairly strenuous 5 mile walk, taking a relaxed 3 mile walk or having some free time.

Further details available on http://www.musicholiday.com or you can email me at bhmc@musicholiday.com

Here’s hoping you can join us for this very enjoyable weekend.

Jean

Happy New Year

Have a fantastic 2015

Berwang in Britain will take place on the weekend of July 3rd – 5th

Follow our blog over the next few days to find out more

It’s all go here!

Hotel Kaiserhof

It’s getting really exciting now that Berwang 2014 is finally here, after all the planning and preparation, we’re looking forward to welcoming everybody tomorrow.

Today I have been working with the Hotel Kaiserhof to make sure everything is ready for the arrival of the course members. Tim Brown, our choral director and Joanna Leslie, who directs the strings have also arrived in Berwang, as have two of our course members. I mustn’t forget Papagena, Papageno and Tamino, three bundles of fun with constantly wagging tails who begged Tim to bring them to Berwang with him.

We only have a short time here in Berwang to make sure everything is in place for the start of the course, so we have a busy time ahead of us tomorrow morning.

We’re still looking for a cellist, there must be somebody out there who wants to join this fantastic mix of music making and holiday making in the Austrian Tyrol! If you are interested you can look at our website http://www.musicholiday.com, if you would like to know more about the course email bhmc@musicholiday.com or text me on 07718-586134.

Jean

Berwang 2014 is nearly here

In just 48 hours this year’s Berwang Holiday Music Course will be underway. For me it has already started, I’ve been in Berwang since yesterday evening and the people at the Hotel Kaiserhof are making me feel really at home. The Kupplehuber family are really pulling out all the stops to make Berwang 2014 one to remember. In fact there’s still time to join us, we still have some vacancies. Indeed if you play the cello we might even be able to offer you a bursary.

Jean

Good News, Bad News

Ok, let’s get the bad news out of the way – Annina, one of our Berwang regulars, won’t be able to join us this year. We’ll definitely miss her infectious smile around the place, as well as the fact I now have to find somebody else to lead the morning walk!

The good news is that the reason she isn’t coming to Berwang is because she has a new man in her life – Jörg. I meet Annina in London this morning as she was passing through on her way to a course in Cambridge. Being in love definitely suits her, she looks really well and happy. We had a great chat and I saw a picture of Jörg on her phone, I liked the look of fun in his eyes. It’s on the cards we all might get to meet Jörg in 2016.

Roll Up, Roll Up

The string group from the 51st course enjoying the village square

We have 50 people coming to the Berwang Holiday Music Course this year, but would love to have more. We are sure you would have a great time if you joined us. We still have vacancies and if you sing tenor or bass, play the viola, cello, horn or bassoon we would particularly like to hear from you.

Join the music holiday of a lifetime!

The string group from the 51st course enjoying the village square

With just over 3 months to go to the start of the 52nd Berwang Holiday Music Course the course directors are getting really excited about leading our music making this summer so we thought we’d take this opportunity to tell you a little more about ourselves.

We have a great mix of music making with walking (if you feel energetic) and sightseeing in the Austrian Tyrol. Our directors are Tim Brown – Choir, Samuel Becker – Wind and Joanna Leslie – strings. All are very experienced, you may even have heard the Clare College Choir being conducted by Tim on ClassicFM, if you haven’t you’ve missed a treat.

This summer we have 50 people signed up so far but are particularly looking for some more tenors and basses, violas, cellos, a horn and a bassoon. Don’t fit into these categories? You’ll still be very welcome – so far in our 51 year history we haven’t turned anybody away! We even have a category called “Listeners” which is for spouses, partners, friends or relatives that would like to come with you, but not take part in the music making.

To find out more about the course go to http://www.musicholiday.com or contact us at bhmc@musicholiday.com.

Looking forward to hearing from you
Jean

Addicted to Berwang

It doesn´t matter where I travel things remind me of Berwang so I think I must declare myself officially addicted to the Berwang Holiday Music Course. Whilst travelling in Peru and Ecuador I have heard various local bands playing and they reminded me of the Berwang Band we hear on a Wednesday evening during the course. The music is different, of course, but the style and panache that local bands put into playing local music is what I enjoy. At various places on my travels I have seen “toy” trains that take people around a small area and that put me in mind of the little yellow train we use in Berwang. Why not join us for the Berwang Holiday Music Course in 2014 and try these things out for yourself? Dont forget you can also join us for Berwang in Britain in January 2014. Details for both events can be found on our website http://www.musicholiday.com.
Jean

It´s a small world

My sister and I are currently travelling in Peru and whilst waiting for the train back from Maccu Piccu an Austrian couple asked me the time. This gave me a chance to practise my german and I found out that they came from Reutte which is the nearest large town to Berwang. As I say it is a small world.

Jean