The Parley of Instruments and Philip Thorby will direct a week of Baroque music, focusing on the work of J.S. Bach and his friends, family and contemporaries. This course will give participants the chance to study a wide range of vocal and instrumental chamber music and large-scale pieces. Repertoire will include sections of Bach's St John Passion (BWV245); the Kyrie from Bach's B minor Mass (BWV232), and Actus Tragicus (BWV106) as well as other cantatas. Singers may like to prepare a relevant (18th-century German) solo work to study in a masterclass context. Please bring two copies of the chosen work, if possible in a facsimile or Urtext edition.

Each day will offer technique workshops, choral and orchestral sessions for large-scale works, and one-to-a-part chamber music exploring unusual repertoire in various combinations of voices and instruments. (It may not be possible to include weaker players or singers in these chamber music sessions. If you think you might fall into this category, please prepare a piece of chamber music in advance and bring the parts, so that we can try to fit you into the coaching schedule.) Singers who would like to may prepare a relevant (C17th or C18th German) solo work to study in a masterclass context. Please bring two copies of the chosen work in a good (facsimile or Urtext) edition, and a translation of the text.

Tuition will stress historically-informed techniques and style. A large selection of music for all sorts of combinations of instruments and voices will be provided, but you are also invited to bring your own sets of parts and scores. Please indicate on the form if there are particular pieces or composers you would like to study.

Coaching will be given by members of The Parley of Instruments: Peter Holman, Judy Tarling and Mark Caudle, with guest tutors Gail Hennessy and Philip Thorby. The Parley of Instruments is a pioneering ensemble, specialising in the rediscovery of lost Baroque music. The group performs throughout the world, makes numerous BBC broadcasts, and records prolifically for Hyperion.

Course director Peter Holman (keyboard) is a distinguished academic and performer. Author of four acclaimed books and numerous articles and editions, and Professor of Historical Musicology at Leeds University, Peter is a particular champion of English music and early instrumental music. He directs The Parley of Instruments from the keyboard, and is an expert in continuo realization.

Judy Tarling (violin, viola), leader of The Parley of Instruments and formerly principal viola of the Hanover Band and The Brandenburg Consort, is the author of the indispensable Baroque String Playing for Ingenious Learners and The Weapons of Rhetoric.

Mark Caudle (cello, viol, bass violin) lives and teaches in Poland, and frequently plays with all the leading European early music ensembles.

Gail Hennessy (oboe, woodwind) plays regularly with the Parley and many other ensembles, as well as her own group Musetta.

Philip Thorby (voice, viol, recorder) was until recently Professor of Recorder and a Senior Fellow of Trinity College of Music, London, and is always in great demand as teacher and choral director. His own ensemble Musica Antiqua of London has given many courses for Cambridge Early Music.

Applications are invited from proficient singers (we can accept about four each of soprano, alto/countertenor, bass and tenor), and from confident players of violin, viola, cello, bass violin (Baroque or modern instruments, gut-strung, with Baroque bows); bass viol, violone, recorder, flute, oboe, bassoon; and lute family, harp and harpsichord (playing continuo from figured bass). Pitch: A=415.

Players should have a good mastery of instrumental technique, but not necessarily any experience of Baroque playing. Wind players should be prepared to sight-read solo parts. Singers should have good sight-reading skills, and will be able to sing in small ensembles and occasional solos as well as in a chamber choir. Instrumentalists may also have opportunities to sing chorus parts: please tick your voice part on the application if you would like to do some singing.

Pre-existing groups of at least four players are welcome to apply together, and may offer prepared music for coaching in some of the chamber music sessions. It may be necessary to limit the number of such groups.

Concerts

The course will begin with a recital at 4.00 pm on Sunday 1st August, given by the course tutors. On 4th August The Parley of Instruments and soprano Philippa Hyde will give a concert of ensemble music by Bach and Telemann. On the final evening all course members will participate in a concert, in which we will perform a selection of the pieces studied during the week. All concerts are open to the public, and participants attend them free of charge.

Participants should arrive in time for the concert at 4.00pm on Sunday 1st August. Most days there is a free period of 2-3 hours after lunch, for practice or rest, but the remainder of each day is filled with music - and meals - from morning to night! The course ends with breakfast on Sunday 8th August (or after the Saturday night party for non-residents).

'Cambridge Day', 8-9 August

If you would like to spend an additional day or two in Cambridge before or after the course, accommodation can be provided. This could be an opportunity for sight-seeing, punting, shopping or visiting libraries or museums. There will be a lute recital on the Sunday afternoon (see Concerts for our 2010 season).

Sheet music

Singers need, if possible, to bring their own vocal scores of the Bach pieces; copies are available in advance from Brian Jordan Music, or can be downloaded from http://imslp.org/wiki/Category: Bach,_Johann_Sebastian. Other vocal scores and parts will be provided. .

Fees

The residential charge, including all meals, tea and coffee, tuition and concerts, for the week is £760. The supplement if you would like an en-suite room is £23 per night, a total of £161 for the week. Local residents and others finding their own bed and breakfast accommodation pay £650. Observers pay £720 (resident) or £610 (non-resident). Daily charges and half-board rates are available on request. Some financial assistance may be available: please see Bursaries.