There is a nice interview with me in the Birmingham Post today. Chief critic Chris Morley managed to take the conversation to a few places I’d  never been asked about, particularly my affection for the music of William Walton, whose Facade I’m conducting with Orchestra of the Swan on May 31st in Compton Verney as part of the  Spring Sounds festival.

“I’ve always loved Walton’s music. He and Elgar have held a special place in the pantheon for me since I was very young.

‘‘I doubt you would find many people who listened to the Walton Cello Concerto (composed in Ischia) more times between the ages of 14 and 18 than I did.When my cello teacher finally told me he would work with me on it, I was overjoyed.

‘‘The only tragedy with Walton is that there isn’t a huge output, and most of the works are both very difficult and written for quite a large orchestra. That makes his music a tough sell in America, where he’s not well known.

“Still, I adore the three concertos, the First Symphony is an absolute masterpiece, and so are the Variations on a Theme of Hindemith, which I’m conducting for the first time this summer. I’ve been trying to programme that piece for 15 years,” Kenneth adds.

“Facade really stands apart from the rest of his output because of the extremely witty and colourful poems, which he sets with incredible sharpness and fantasy. You wouldn’t expect the man who wrote the last movement of the Cello Concerto to be so good at comedy, but genius is like that.

‘‘It’s a pity he didn’t get more commissions that would have pointed him towards other unexpected paths during his life – he was one of those rare talents who could just compose whatever a situation demands.

Read the whole thing here.

Details on Orchestra of the Swan Spring Sounds Festival and my concert on the 31st.

Date : Monday, 31 May 2010

The final orchestral concert of Spring Sounds 2010, join us at this beautiful Palladian house set in the rolling Warwickshire countryside.

Walton’s Facade
Monday 31st May 2010, 3pm
Compton Verney

Joanna Lee: The Chronicles of Archy – world premiere
Walton: Facade – an entertainment

Sarah Leonard: soprano
Ken Woods: conductor

A pre concert talk will take place at 2.15pm

Tickets: £15 – includes gallery admission
Compton Verney Members: £5 - includes gallery admission
Available at www.comptonverney.org.uk or 01926 645500

A few places remain for the 2010 Orchestral Summer School at Harlech College in North Wales. We’re working on an astounding collection of repertoire in a truly idyllic setting, complete with castle and the most beautiful beach in Britain.

See below for registration details and course information. The workshop is open to advanced students over the age of 18 (or those accompanied by a guardian), young professionals and amateurs of high standard.

Orchestral Summer School – course details

August 7th – 14th 2010

Conductor: Kenneth Woods
Course Organiser: Janet Minot

How to Apply

Book and Pay Online

Application forms should be returned as soon as possible along with the appropriate non refundable deposit (£25 resident, £10 non resident) to Julie Roberts, Student Admissions Officer at Coleg Harlech. If you prefer to pay by cheque you can download an application form here.
Please note the minimum standard required for wind and brass is Grade 8, for all other players Grade 7.

Applicants should be 18 or over, unless accompanied by an appropriate adult. The closing date for applications is 30th April 2010, and those who are accepted will be notified soon after this date. Late applications may be accepted if there are still vacancies in the relevant section. Acknowledgement of a deposit does not necessarily mean acceptance.

The Orchestra

The symphony orchestra usually has over 80 players. The age range is wide and many different occupations and backgrounds are represented. Over the years this established orchestral summer school has been host to a number of distinguished conductors, such as, Baldur Brönnimann, Michael Lloyd, Gareth Jones, Vilem Tausky, John Pryce Jones and Wyn Davies. This year we are delighted to welcome Kenneth Woods with whom the orchestra will be meeting twice daily.

Daily Sectionals

In addition to the full orchestra rehearsals, the specialist tutors take the daily sectionals.

Chamber Music

A wide selection of musical groups meet each day, such as chamber, string and wind orchestra, and brass ensemble. Some of the items rehearsed are performed in the concerts. There is also the opportunity to play chamber music informally (participants should bring their own chamber music). If you play more than one instrument, you may be able to play in both string and wind orchestras so bring as many as you can carry! A pianist will be available to play trios, piano quartets etc. These sessions are not officially timetabled and afternoons are often free for relaxation and exploring the beach and the fascinating village of Harlech itself.

Repertoire August 2010

The repertoire for full orchestra will include the following works:

• Arnold- The Inn of Sixth Happiness
• Hoddinott – Investiture Dances
• Janacek- Taras Bulba
• Mahler – Symphony No 5
• Nicolai- Overture to the Merry Wives of Windsor
• Prokofiev- Selections from Romeo and Juliet Suite no.2
• Rachmaninov – Isle of the Dead
• Ravel – La Valse
• Rozsa – Suite from Ben Hur
• Shostakovich – Symphony No 6
• Walton- Variations on a Theme of Paul Hindemith

There will also be a wide selection of music for Chamber, String and Wind orchestras and brass ensemble.

Wind Orchestra
Amongst the varied repertoire for the week will be a specially commissioned item by Duncan Stubbs.

String Orchestra
There will be the opportunity to play a number of pieces including Variations on a theme by Tchaikovsky (Arensky) and Five variants of Dives and Lazarus (Vaughan Williams).

Chamber Orchestra
The two main works will be Czech Suite (Dvorak) and Pelleas and Melisande (Fauré).

Concerts

There will be two public concerts during the week:
a Chamber concert on the Wednesday, performed by the professional tutors with some items from students, and a symphony concert on the Friday evening.

What to bring with you?

Please note that participants are required to bring their own music stands. Cello and double bass players must also bring end-pin rests. Evening dress is not required for the concerts. Dress code is smart casual. Please remember to bring a bath towel. Hand towels are provided.

Accommodation

Accommodation for all residential guests will be in the Hall of Residence. All rooms have washbasins and there are bath and shower facilities on each floor. Launderette facilities are also available.
There is a communal lounge in the halls of residence, which is available to short course guests this has an occasional residents’ bar subject to demand. If you prefer to look for alternative accommodation details can be found on www.secretsnowdonia.co.uk.

For more information about the following tutors follow the links below

• Return to booking page
• Conductor – Kenneth Woods
• Course Director – Janet Minot
• Violin 1 – Nic Fallowfield
• Violin 2 – Peter Lilley
• Viola – Philip Heyman
• Cello – Dale Culliford
• Double Bass – Mary Condliffe
• Woodwind – Chris Swann
• Brass – Bob Hughes
• Deputy Course Director and Co-Librarian – Fiona Hughes
• Co-Librarian – Huw Hughes
• Alexander Technique – Patrick Grundy-White

One of the disappointments of the previous summer was the forced cancellation of my first summer as conductor of the Harlech Orchestral Academy in North Wales. Asbestos was discovered in the housing facilities of the campus, so everything had to be closed for cleanup. Fortunately, everything has been made safe, and we’re now able to announce dates for 2010- August 7-14. The repertoire for the 2010 course will be

Arnold- The Inn of Sixth Happiness
Janacek- Taras Bulba
Mahler – Symphony No 5
Niccolai- Overture to the Merry Wives of Windsor
Prokofiev- Selections from Romeo and Juliet Suite No.  2
Rachmaninov – Isle of the Dead
Ravel – La valse
Shostakovich – Symphony No 6
Walton- Variations on a Theme of Paul Hindemith

Participants work under the guidance of a distinguished team of coaches, and the workshop culminates in a final concert, which this year will include La Valse and Mahler 5. The Academy is known for fine playing and a spirited atmosphere.

The course website will be updated in a few weeks, meanwhile, email the office at info@kennethwoods.net if you are interested or have any questions.