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Some Updates

Our March Song Workshop was postponed until April because of the poor weather, popularly known as the “Beast from the East”. It was moved to April 21st, and we had a great day exploring Italian, French and German song repertoire.

Stephen will be the keynote speaker at the two-day conference on singing entitled Transfigured Voices: Vocal disorders, disruptions and impersonations at the University of Caen on May 17 & 18.

July sees Stephen travelling to the southern hemisphere where he will be leading a week-long series of masterclasses in Melbourne, Australia, with Graham Johnson from July 7 at part of the Melbourne International Festival of Lieder and Art Song.

Don’t forget to read the details of our 2018 Ansells Summer Music festival, to be held in June.

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Ansells Summer Music June 29th-July 1st 2018

This year is our festival’s 10th anniversary, and it promises to be a truly wonderful weekend of world-class entertainment.

Friday 29th June 8pm we welcome back the brilliant actor Andy Harrison to share the stage with baritone Stephen Varcoe and pianist Christina Lawrie in a light-hearted programme of words and music around the theme of ‘The Turning Year’.

Saturday 30th June 8pm fabulous, internationally acclaimed chamber ensemble The Fibonnacci Sequence return to the Ansells barn to bring us some delectable musical treats. Those who heard their astonishing violinist Daniel Pioro play here two years ago will be thrilled that he will once again be part of the group, this time playing Vaughan Williams’ ethereal The Lark Ascending. Cellist Ashok Klouda will play one of music’s most gorgeous works for solo cello, Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata, and pianist Kathryn Sturrock & Stephen Varcoe (speaker) will match Tchaikovsky’s short piano pieces The Seasons with poems and readings. All this and more!

And, of course, on Sunday July 1st afternoon there’ll be our traditional short concert by the weekend’s singing students followed by tea & cakes in the garden at Ansells. (£5 incl)

To book seats (£14 each evening concert or all three for a special price of £30) contact svarcoe1@gmail.com, or ring 01787 269570.

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9th Summer Music at Ansells Weekend, June-July 2017

The 9th Summer Music at Ansells Weekend will take place from June 30th to July 2nd 2017 – workshops, concerts, food and fun. There are places for eight participants, and if all eight places become filled, we keep a waiting list, so don’t be afraid to enquire if you’re interested in taking part.

Singer Stephen Varcoe and his wife Melinda have been running extremely successful Song Workshop Days at Ansells Farm, Alphamstone for fourteen years. And this summer for the ninth time they’re presenting a whole weekend of musical delights, in conjunction with workshops for solo singers, all taking place in the barn at Ansells.

The weekend begins with

“Town mouse and Country mouse – the pleasures and perils of being either”

at 8pm on Friday June 30th, a programme in songs and words exploring all sorts of city and rural delights, with baritone Stephen Varcoe, pianist Christina Lawrie and, to our great delight, a return visit from actor Andy Harrison who was such a brilliant success in the previous two years. Programmes for this are available from Ansells at £14.00, to include a glass of wine.

Why not bring a picnic and enjoy it in the garden before the concert, from 6pm?

On Saturday July 1st, also at 8pm, Stephen Varcoe will present “Just for the Record: Music and stories from a life spent singing”, illustrated by his own recordings and those of his friends and heroes. Programmes are on sale from Ansells at £10.00, to include a glass of wine.

Again, any concert-goers who want to enjoy a picnic beforehand are welcome, from 6pm.

Lastly, the informal concert by course participants will be on Sunday July 2nd at 3pm. This is a chance for each of our course participants to perform the songs on which they’ve been working with Stephen, accompanied by pianist Susi Morrow. Tea and plenty of homemade cakes (which are the real reason for the popularity of our workshops!) are included in the admission cost of £5.

This promises to be a really special weekend, and space is limited, so book your seats for these musical treats as soon as possible; and for those who choose to come to all three, we offer a special price of £25, a saving of £4.00!

Contact: Stephen and Melinda Varcoe
stephen@varcoe.com
Ansells Farm
Alphamstone
Bures
Suffolk
CO8 5HN

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Singing Workshop at Ansells Farm, Saturday April 22nd 2017

It’s Spring again, the season above all others which is devoted to song. The birds are waking us at dawn, the bees are buzzing, and everything is bursting with new life. There’s an enormous repertoire of songs to celebrate this time of year, so why not celebrate it with us?

As always, we offer a whole day workshop for singers 9.45am – 5pm, including the services of our accompanist. A two-course lunch with wine, coffee and tea breaks with homemade cakes are also provided.

Date: Saturday April 22nd 2017
Price: £110

Contact us at stephen@varcoe.com for more information.

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8th Summer Music at Ansells Weekend, June 2016

The 8th Summer Music at Ansells Weekend June 24th-26th 2016 – workshops, concerts, food and fun. All eight participants’ places are already filled, but we keep a waiting list, so please enquire if you’re interested.

8th Summer Music at Ansells Weekend, 2016
June 24th-26th 2016

Singer Stephen Varcoe and his wife Melinda have been running extremely successful Song Workshop Days at Ansells Farm, Alphamstone for thirteen years. And this summer for the eighth time they’re presenting a whole weekend of musical delights, in conjunction with workshops for solo singers, all taking place in the barn at Ansells.

The weekend begins with “Saints & Sinners – or does the devil really have all the best tunes?” at 8pm on Friday June 24th, a programme in songs and words exploring all sorts of delights sacred and profane, with baritone Stephen Varcoe, pianist Christina Lawrie &, to our great delight, a return visit from actor Andy Harrison who was such a brilliant success last year. Programmes for this are available from Ansells at £14.00, to include a glass of wine.

Why not bring a picnic and enjoy it in the garden before the concert, from 6pm?

On Saturday June 25th, also at 8pm, we welcome once again the fantastic Fibonnacci Sequence, the renowned chamber ensemble, with music for violin,cello and piano. Programmes are on sale from Ansells at £14.00, to include a glass of wine.

Again, any concert-goers who want to enjoy a picnic beforehand are welcome, from 6pm.

Lastly, the informal concert by course participants will be on Sunday June 26th at 3pm. This is a chance for each of our course participants to perform the songs on which they’ve been working with Stephen, accompanied by pianist Susi Morrow. Tea and plenty of homemade cakes (which are the real reason for the popularity of our workshops!) are included in the admission cost of £5.

This promises to be a really special weekend, and space is limited, so book your seats for these musical treats as soon as possible; and for those who choose to come to all three, we offer a special price of £28, a saving of £5.00!

Contact: Stephen and Melinda Varcoe

stephen@varcoe.com

Ansells Farm
Alphamstone
Bures
Suffolk
CO8 5HN

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Singing Workshop at Ansells Farm, 2nd April 2016: “The flowers that bloom in the spring, tra la, breathe promise of merry sunshine…”

So sings Nanki Poo in The Mikado, and this gave us the idea that floral felicity and burgeoning buds would make a very good theme for our spring Song Day at Ansells. The vocal repertoire is full of flowers – lilies, violets, roses with and without thorns, to name but a few – and if you stretch the imagination to include other plants and trees too – well, where to start? Even if by April this year all the daffodils will be over, and we’ll have reached Storm Zoe in the extreme weather league, it’s still a wonderful time of year and has inspired poets and composers from Chaucer to Cole Porter. Why not make a day of singing and study at Ansells one of your post-Easter treats?

As always, a whole day workshop for singers 9.45 -5pm, including the services of our accompanist. 2 course lunch with wine, coffee and tea breaks with homemade cakes.

Price £110

Contact us at stephen@varcoe.com for more information

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Singing Workshop at Ansells Farm, 7th November 2015: Written on Water

You are welcome to join us for our Singing Workshop on November 7 at Ansells Farm. Our theme is anything connected with water, from the smallest raindrop to the mightiest ocean via a whole landscape (waterscape?) of marshes, streams and rivers. Nor should we forget the ever-popular poetic teardrop.

£110 for the workshop, £35 to bring your own accompanist, with a deposit of £30 on booking a place. We also encourage observers if people really aren’t ready to take part as singers – this costs £55, including lunch.

Tel: 01787 269570
Email svarcoe1@googlemail.com

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Recent and forthcoming events, autumn 2015

As well as the events listed below, details of the November 2015 Singing Workshop at Ansells Farm are now available.

September 2015. Ten days in Munich adjudicating the presigious ARD International Music Competition with fellow panellists Anja Silja, Robert Holl and Helen Donath among others.

October 10: Conducting “Come and Sing” performance of Karl Jenkins’ Armed Man in Long Melford church.

October 18: Lecture recital with Graham Johnson at the Oxford Lieder Festival on the late songs of Fauré.

October 25: Celebration of the life and work of Australian poet Michael Thwaites at King’s Place, London, with Timothy West and Penelope Thwaites.

October 30 and December 6: Recitals in Trinity School, Dundee and Chelsea Arts Club, London, with Christina Lawrie.

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7th Summer Music at Ansells Weekend, 2015

June 26th-28th 2015

Singer Stephen Varcoe and his wife Melinda have been running extremely successful Song Workshop Days at Ansells Farm, Alphamstone for twelve years. And this summer for the seventh time they’re presenting a whole weekend of musical delights, in conjunction with workshops for solo singers, all taking place in the barn at Ansells.

The weekend begins with “The Golden Bough” at 8pm on Friday June 26th, a celebration of the chiaroscuro world of legend, myth & fantasy in songs and words, with baritone Stephen Varcoe & distinguished actor Andrew Harrison, and pianist Christina Lawrie. Programmes for this are available from Ansells at £14.00, to include a glass of wine.

Why not bring a picnic and enjoy it in the garden before the concert, from 6pm?

On Saturday night June 27th, also at 8pm, we welcome the fantastic Mellstock Band, with their programme of songs, dances and stories from the Thomas Hardy Songbook, ‘Sing Melodious all the Day’. All sorts of country instruments (including a serpent) plus surprise contributions from Stephen Varcoe, mean this is going to be a real treat and great fun! Programmes are on sale from Ansells at £14.00, to include a glass of wine.

Again, any concert-goers who want to enjoy a picnic beforehand are welcome, from 6pm.

Lastly, the informal concert by course participants will be on Sunday June 28th at 3pm. This is a chance for each of our course participants to perform the songs on which they’ve been working with Stephen, accompanied by pianist Susi Morrow. Tea and plenty of homemade cakes (which are the real reason for the popularity of our workshops!) are included in the admission cost of £5.

This promises to be a really special weekend, and space is limited, so book your seats for these musical treats as soon as possible; and for those who choose to come to all three, we offer a special price of £28, a saving of £5.00!

Contact: Stephen and Melinda Varcoe

stephen@varcoe.com

Ansells Farm
Alphamstone
Bures
Suffolk

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Singing Workshop at Ansells Farm, 21st February 2015: The Italian Spirit

[Update] This workshop is now fully booked.

We invite you to join us for our first Singing Workshop of 2015. Our theme this time is Songs & Arias in Italian, that most musical of singing languages. Here’s your chance to be a Pavarotti or a Sutherland for a day (though no concessions for celebrities); or maybe you love the gentler baroque cadences of the Aria Antiche or the wonderful traditional songs of Naples and the Commedia dell’arte? However your love of the Bel Paese and its music grabs you we want to hear it!

£110 for the workshop, £35 to bring your own accompanist, and £30 deposit. We also encourage observers if people aren’t ready to take part as singers – this costs £55, including lunch.

Tel: 01787 269570
Email svarcoe1@googlemail.com