Early music at school

Press, 6 May 1981, Page 26

Early music at school

The first residential school to be devoted entirely to early music will be held at Samuel Marsden Collegiate School under the direction of Robert Oliver. The school is being organised by the EarlyMusic Union of Wellington in association with the Wellington Polytechnic and will run from August 29 to September 6. Simon Tipping, course supervisor of music at Wellington Polytechnic, said: “Early music includes all compositions written before the end of the eighteenth century. The early music movement is concerned to perform these compositions on authentic instruments of the period and in the style of the time. In doing this, they are reviving ideas and practices which are still alive in many parts of the world, but have been forgotten in the mainstream of western music.” Entry to the school is open to anyone with an interest in early music, regardless of technical standard. Activities .planned include classes for viols, keyboard instruments, baroque and . rennaissance woodwind, dance, lute and singing, a baroque orchestra, renaissance groups, and daily concerts by students and tutors.