ELLSO Residential Summer School

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from porters lodge

Uppingham School, Rutland

Provisional dates for 2025: 3rd August - 9th August

For many years now, the acclaimed and highly experienced team from the East London Late Starters Orchestra has been hosting a week-long residential String Summer School, which attracts enthusiastic participants from many countries.

String players come together from far and wide to experience the fun, friendliness and breadth of music-making on offer from some of the best tutors in the UK, all with active professional careers and extensive experience of working with and inspiring adult players.            

Many of our participants come back year after year. This is what some of them have said about us:

Friendly and supportive atmosphere

Amazing generosity of spirit and time by the tutors

Absolutely met more than my expectations!

Exhausted but happy

A rewarding, worthwhile musical experience

Very encouraging ethos, very friendly staff

Great to meet so many musicians from other countries

This Summer School just gets better and better!

The ELLSO Summer School week  

The week will begin with Sunday lunch and ends after breakfast on the following Saturday.

Each day offers a packed timetable of full orchestra and sectional sessions, technique classes and different string ensembles to choose from such as groups playing baroque, classical, romantic or contemporary music.

There will be opportunities for you to put down your instrument and do something else - swim, try your hand at some art work, explore the local beauty spots, attend a talk or a gentle exercise class.

Some individual practice rooms will be available for participants to use. All the music for the week will be circulated 2-3 weeks before the course, and we ask players to print their own parts and bring them along.

During  the evenings most people like to gather in the bar and socialise or enjoy some live music-making; there will be a film night in the theatre and a Tutor Concert in the School Memorial Hall. 

On the last day there will be a "play-through" when everyone can demonstrate what they have learned and see what others have been working on.

A good time is invariably had by all! 

See more information about the 2024 event