Latest News - FATB 3

It's been a brilliant week away in the Peak District, in our own little flute-world! Firstly, the scene was set by the backdrop of beautiful countryside, peaceful nights, birdsong and the sheep calling to each other. There was plenty of time for a leg-stretch and to enjoy the surroundings - for instance, tea and cake on the terrace - but the musical agenda all took place inside; we packed in so much! Three participant concerts, individual lessons and accompanist rehearsals, masterclasses, chamber music, flute choir rehearsals, a listening workshop, tutor concert and numerous warm-up sessions focussed on technique... that lot certainly got everyone's playing into tip-top condition! By Thursday, the progress was evident, as the course culminated in performances from everyone - individually and together - and a huge congratulations to each performer; the concert featured music by Bach, Handel, Faure, Donjon, Reinecke, Donizetti, Ian Clarke, Florence Price, Delibes... and Bohemian Rhapsody for flute choir too! Lots of laughs, and delicious dinners and snacks aplenty (chocolate mints seemed to be the favourite treat this week!), it was sad to say goodbye after such a friendly and musical time together.

Currently, there are no further residential courses to book up to... yet! But, do check out the FATB Online classes and forthcoming Flute Days, for more of the FATB spirit in the meantime!

What a wonderful time we've just enjoyed, a really special week for the first ever Special Edition FATB residential course! We've been waiting for this one for a few years now, so it was terrific to finally get to enjoy the activities you'd expect from a brilliant flute course, all tailored - in this instance - to just six participants, our smallest ever course! This allowed for increased teaching and rehearsal time, longer performance opportunities and so much more! A huge congratulations to those who took part, who unquestionably rose to their own challenges, resulting in an impressive course list of core solo repertoire for flute, wonderful chamber pieces and fabulous flute choir works!

This was our first visit to Cliff House, stunningly perched overlooking the Monsal Trail - sightings of herons, cranes, hares (and more) were common as we stretched their legs between playing activities; we were also lucky enough to have sunny breaktimes on the patio as well as an audience of interested cattle for the pre-dinner concerts each night! There was good cheer throughout, and we had to stop making each other laugh to play our flutes (!), then focussing the majority of our time on targeted techniques to underpin the art of performance, an intensive workshop on creative practising and lots of tutored rehearsals. The masterclasses and performances were the focal points, culminating in two concerts on the final day, the first given by the tutors, Zoë and Rachael, and the second filled with the participant solos, chamber music and whole ensemble pieces that had been developed throughout the week. Music, music, music - what a thrill! All in all, it provided an excellent excuse to raise a glass to a very special week on Thursday night!

Way back in 2003, we had no idea what the future held for us all and for Flutes at the Barns - we certainly never imagined we'd be celebrating our 60th residential course in 2022, nevertheless here we are! (You can read the whole history of FATB by visiting Our Story.) Happy 'birthday' to us! (NB Please note that Zoë has not been running these courses for 60 years!)

Last week was spent at the wonderful Lapwing Barns venue, a quiet retreat (except for the birdsong!) overlooking Derbyshire countryside. It was a fantastic week from start to finish, beginning with an excellent dinnner and celebration cake - courtesy of chef David - and ending with lots of fun and celebrations on the final evening... and with HEAPS of music packed in between! The flute players on the course were a mixture of participants who had attended before and three who were first-timers to FATB, and all eight rose to the various musical challenges on the way, taking part in warm-ups, a rhythm workshop, masterclasses, chamber music, conducted rehearsals, individual lessons, accompanied sessions and even up to three further performances each - a huge congratulations to everyone who took part, for your company and your wonderful playing!

When departing Cruck'd Barn at the end of the residential Flutes at the Barns course of October 2019, of course no-one knew it would take so long for the next FATB to take place... but now we're back! The last week of March was spent at Lapwing Barns with a wonderful group of eight flute-playing participants, enjoying a safe and musical experience! We arrived in bright sunshine, experienced mist and snow, but continued to laugh (and eat) through it all, when we weren't busily engaged in all those lessons, masterclasses, rehearsals and concerts! There was just a short warm-up and rehearsal on the first evening after chef David's dinner; we then started in earnest on Tuesday morning, packing in a workshop on melody-playing as well as culminating in the first participant concert that day. Wednesday added the first of the masterclasses into the mix, and everyone had had their individual sessions with FATB Tutors Zoë (flute) and Mark (piano) by then. The FATB Tutors kicked off the performing on the Thursday, and then it was everyone else's turn - after a few more rehearsals of course - and what a triumphant success it was to hear everyone playing together in flute choir as well as all those wonderful solos! There were huge congratulations and thanks to all in the evening celebrations, as we toasted FATB March 2022!

Happy New Year to flute players everywhere! It is FATB tradition to open booking for new events on 1st January, and 2022 is no different, as we welcome applications for the array of online workshops that will run throughout January and into February! If you're new to FATB Online, the week of 10th January will allow you to catch up with classes from the FATB Online archives; if you're a seasoned FATBer, then you can join your favourite classes again! We'll start the year with thorough practice sessions on fingers and sound, a chance to consider all-things-rhythm and a revisit to some famous W F Bach for the duet play-along. There will be new workshops too, including a class with a focus on ear-training, a masterclass on unaccompanied repertoire and a piano-accompanied play-along workshop of a famous Faure favourite! The jewel in the crown of FATB Online this term will be the five linked, weekly classes on J S Bach's stunning Sonata in B minor BWV 1030 - we can't wait for this one!

For more information, click here.

It's now the end of a busy term of online events with Flutes at the Barns, and it's been wonderful to welcome participants from all over the UK to a range of classes. Weekly masterclasses have kept a focus on performing, whether trying out repertoire choices chosen by the participants or broadening the musical choices to meet the themes of Taffanel and Gaubert, Baroque Music or Story and Musical Description. The repertoire classes have been special too, taking some of the world's best flute music through linked workshops on every detail, large and small - Syrinx by Debussy, Fitzwilliam Sonata in B-flat major by Handel and the Arpeggione Sonata by Schubert have been under the spotlight this term, rounded off particularly beautifully in the case of the latter, as each participant contributed to a performance of the work in total in one of the final masterclasses of the term. Whilst much real-life playing has still been a bit tricky to now, the chance to play along with FATB Online course tutor Zoë Booth has continued to prove popular - what a wide range of music we've included, including opportunities for alto flute and piccolo too! There were also classes for live playing along for practice purposes too - the Proficient Practice workshops - most recently focussing on breathing; we've also covered French music, Interpretation, Trills and so much more!

As we say goodbye to the weekly schedule of eight classes a week, it's time to welcome the future of FATB Online and FATB in-person once again! Throughout August 2021, look out for several day events to be held in St Albans, to include all the things we've been missing, such as playing with the piano, performing live to one another and rehearsing and playing together (the supportive and friendly atmosphere will be retained of course)! To ensure everyone's safety, we're taking a belt-and-braces approach to COVID security - by being strict on adopting all guidelines, we can then relax and enjoy the music-making. There will also be some online one-off events, for those who can't join us in person - details of those are not yet released, but look out for three-session days where we 'learn-a-piece-in-a-day' through description, demonstration, playing along and more! We can't reveal any more just yet, just the names of the first composers on our list... JS Bach, Donjon and Telemann!

Join a class (no more than four for any workshop) to connnect with others whilst indulging your love of music. Click here to read more and book your place.

Places can go quickly, so don't miss out! In particular, check out the new Special Edition course for next June, which will be FATB's most exclusive course yet; limited to just six participants, and in a fabulous new venue too! 2020 already promises much, with two trips to Croatia planned, three return visits to favourite venues in the beautiful Peak District and our continued programme of amazing themed Flute Days in St Albans - whether this year or next, we look forward to welcoming you to Flutes at the Barns!