classical improvisation for classical musicians
AUGUST exact dates to be confirmed soon!
St Paul im Lavantal, AUSTRIA
with Rupert Guenther (Australia) & Penelope Gunter-Thalhammer (Austria)
A new course for professional players, teachers, advanced students and pupils.
For all instruments including strings, piano, voice, guitar, harp, woodwind, brass and percussion.
Listen to a solo flute improvisation by a 13 year old student from the course
“After The Dust Has Settled” by Marco Di Giorgio (from Venice, Italy)
Listen to a solo violin improvisation from the founder of the course Rupert Guenther,
the 2nd movement from the 1st Sonata of “New Letters To Esterhazy”
LANGUAGES: German & English
COURSE DETAILS:
Dates: August 2012
Location: Musikschule, St Paul, Kaernten, Austria
Cost: 300 Euro plus very cheap & clean accommodation
Course website in German is available at
www.sommerkurse-st-paul.at/sommerkurse/_intro.html
ANMELDUNG / REGISTRATION & INFORMATION**
Please download a registration form by going to the website
www.sommerkurse-st-paul.at/sommerkurse/_intro.html and follow the links to Anmeldung and
download the Anmeldung Formular (registration form).
For all enquires please email or telephone/fax as detailed below:
Fremdenverkehsampt der Marktgemeinde St Paul
Hauptstrasse 10
A-3470 St Paul im Lavanttal, Austria
Tel: +43-(0)4357-201722
Fax: +43-(0)4357-201730
email: pauline.almasy@ktn.gde.at
**please register by 15th June 2011
moeglichst bis 15.6.2011 zu senden an
COURSE DETAILS
This year’s Mastercourse has 2 options -
Full Course (300 Euro)
Classes in all aspects of improvisation - how to do it, solo & ensemble improvisation, individual lessons, classes in healing stage-fright, practising in flow, and much more, plus two new classes this year: energy management (how to keep your energy field clear) and going electric (electric instruments and amplification).
Taster Course (135 Euro)
This is a short course of individual lessons for people already attending other courses at the 2010 St Paul Summer Course who wish to have a short taste of any of the following:
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• improvisation
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• practising in flow
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• going electric
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• energy management (how to keep your energy field clear)
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• individual lessons (violin, viola or cello only)
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• chamber music
* * *
Who is it for?
This course in improvisation is for classical musicians, chamber groups, teachers and advanced
students (14 years old and above). No previous improvisation experience necessary.
What do I learn?
You will find that you are able to make your own music right from the beginning of the course. The
whole mastercourse is based on a new, very simple, approach to improvisation as classical music.
It is easy to learn, and many students, teachers and professional players have learnt it already
throughout the world.
Throughout the course there are daily classes in improvisation, advanced improvisation
performance, chamber music skills for improvisation, and classes for concert repertoires through
improvisation. It all grows out of the basic method that you will learn on the first day.
Specialist Classes
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• improvisation
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• eliminating stage-fright
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• practising in flow
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• individual lessons and chamber music coaching
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• energy management classes
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• electric instruments & amplification
These are offered as part of the full course at no extra cost.
Chamber Music
Chamber music is an integral part of the course. It offers an opportunity to work in duos and chamber groups of all sizes, as well as your own solo playing. Existing ensembles are also very welcome.
Teachers
The course is a valuable training for teachers who want to begin to teach improvisation to their
pupils. Everything that you learn on this course you will be able to teach to your students.
Concerts
There will be opportunities for anyone who wishes to perform in public concerts throughout the
course with the other students, teachers, chamber groups and solo artists.
How does it work?
You will learn a simple, systematic approach which allows you to improvise freely and
expressively. It uses the classical playing skills that you already have, and shows you how to apply
them in your improvisation. As well as being an intensely creative experience, it allows you to
create your own new concert repertoires for solo performance and chamber music.
For younger players, it greatly enhances their musical development and creativity, and allows them
to make their own music with their friends and fellow students.
Anyone who can already play an instrument can do this course
This course is a hands-on way to make music with feeling, direction and imagination, music which is coherent and full of meaning, at the standard of music-making we expect for classical music. It is not musical doodling, but fully engaged, very imaginative classical music for the concert platform. And it is not beyond anyone - to the contrary, you will find how to make your own music and play with freedom, right from the start.
Background
This improvisation method grew out of a thorough traditional European classical music training,
and 25 years of professional playing experience and research. This new understanding was
developed into a simple step-by-step method that has been learned, performed and taught by
soloists, professional chamber musicians, principal orchestra players and university faculty in
Australia, Europe and the UK.
Rupert Guenther
Rupert Guenther is a violinist-composer and teacher. Since 2003 he has performed hundreds of
solo and chamber music recitals exclusively of original improvised classical works worldwide. He
has released over 20 CDs of his own works, and makes regular live to air broadcasts on ABC and
MBS networks in Australia. He has been commissioned for new works by concert series and
Festivals in Australia, the UK, USA and Europe.
He is Head of Music and Head of School at the Insight Foundation’s School of Creative Arts. His is regularly invited to teach masterclasses and perform at many universities and professional music associations, including Vienna University of Music & Performing Arts, The Guildhall School of Music & Drama (London), Monash University (Melbourne), University of Western Australia, University of Queensland, ESTA, AUSTA, and LMS Austria.
He graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts where he studied with Donald Scotts and Brian
Finlayson. He then studied with Helfried Fister in Klagenfurt, Austria. He has held principal
positions in many orchestras and operas in Europe and Australia.
Penelope Gunter-Thalhammer
Born in Australia, studied in Melbourne (Henry Touzeau) and Vienna (concert diploma with Andre
Navarra). She was the recipient of many scholarships, prizes and awards. Attended masterclasses
with Pierre Fournier, Anner Bylsma & Andre Navarra.
She has worked for many years with the principles of “flow” in life and in music.Influences include
Csikzentmihalyi, W Tim Gallwey and Andreas Burzik (Practice in Flow).
Since 1978 she has been professor at the Vorarlberg State Conservatorium in Feldkirch, Austria
(cello, chamber music, improvisation, flow in music, and the art of teaching). Founding member of
the Vorarlberg Symphony Orchestra, other orchestras include Camerata Zurich and the Melbourne
Symphony Orchestra. She has given solo, chamber music and improvisation concerts in Austria,
England, Switzerland, Italy, France, Germany and Australia.
Entire website contents are copyrighted ©2009 Rupert Guenther and are protected by international copyright laws
