Summertime Thoughts for 2026
A group of passionate cellists from far and very wide have just finished a wonderful week at the Unsung Heroes Summer School here in Lewes. I loved every minute of our time.
The combination of these warm-hearted, very dedicated, friendly people created some magical sounds and incredible flow in our playing and development together. We worked with focus and good humour, and the performance we gave for ourselves and a few friends was moving.
Several players have already popped next year’s summer course dates in their diaries – book Unsung Heroes Summer School 2027 (July 25th–30th 2027).
Now I’m missing them and looking ahead to getting back to normal in a couple of months. This year has been coloured and changed by one hip replacement in May and another coming at the end of this month, which is why I have had to cancel online classes. So I need to make a couple of changes – Bach at All About My Bow on October 3rd is postponed until next year when I’m creating a series of Bach classes. These will be announced soon.
However, the Couperin All About My Bow class on November 28th still stands. If you don’t know this suite, I think you may love the recording made by Casals at The White House in the 60s, when he performed for the Kennedys. Once you listen, you will be forever hooked.
If you would like an Autumn technique fest, do join me for the newly created class, Your Tool Kit, on Saturday, October 31st from 6 – 8.15 pm GMT for focus, clarity, and magnification around the whopper of a subject: string-crossing, with some thoughts on articulation. As always, I send some material ahead and then follow up with detailed notes so you don’t panic about retaining the information. I always aim to make sense across the varied levels of experience within the classes, and it does work, so if you were about to rule yourself out (typical cellist behaviour!?) then stop and join us.
Two one-day ensemble workshops are remaining this year, and I have changed the repertoire for October 17th so we are now playing riveting music by John Wilbye, who was himself stunned when he first heard John Dowland’s song Flow My Tears of 1596. This song became a hit across Europe. Everyone wanted to sing it and study its magic, and Wilbye possibly created the first re-mix, as his five-part madrigal Weep, weep mine eyes is based on a direct quote of Dowland’s melody. Both are hauntingly beautiful, and usually players are bowled over by the profound sound and the experience of playing such moving music. As always, your score is sent out when you book your place.
Winter Music is the last ensemble workshop on November 21st, and I draw different elements together to help you build a picture of how varied, ancient (and now modern) this music is. We play by candlelight in the afternoon, and it feels a lovely way to conclude our year.
As I get back to normal, there will be some interviews coming to my podcast The Nagra Series, and I will announce these on Facebook and Instagram. I have some interesting people to talk with.
If you are looking for music for cello ensemble, you can find historically wide-ranging music in download form and in the beautiful Unsung Heroes series in four volumes, which make lovely presents.
There is now a range of pieces by contemporary composers for you to enjoy. There is a fabulous cello duet by Christopher Fox called Heliotropes and an exquisite solo piece In the Shape of a Rose. There are big tunes by Mark Sinclair (One chair in a room), an Elegy by Julian Broughton, several ensemble and duo pieces by Joanna Borrett whose gorgeous music is now trending on Spotify, and various pieces (for advanced players) and imaginative, accompanied position studies by Peter Copley.
I hope you are all having a good summer and time to refresh. With warm wishes
Catherine x