01460 258648 
Guitar Summer School
Description
After 28 years under the dedicated stewardship of Peter Rueffer, the Dillington Guitar Festival has gone from strength to strength. We are pleased to announce that from 2021 the Eden Stell Guitar Duo (Mark Eden and Christopher Stell) will take up the helm and move the Festival forward with an exciting line up of artists and musical activities throughout the week.
This popular event now in its 28th year, (2020 Classical Guitar Summer School and Festival was cancelled) offers classical guitarists a unique opportunity to participate in a varied programme of music making that also allows time to develop playing and music reading skills. The emphasis is on participation with students working in a non-competitive and supportive environment, performing in ensembles both large and small. The course is suitable for players of all levels of ability but please note that it is not suitable for complete beginners.
Students work in small ensemble groups (8–10 players) and in a guitar orchestra (30+ players) and parts, which range in difficulty from intermediate (grade 3) to advanced (grade 8+), are allocated in accordance with students’ technical standard and music reading ability (see standard of play questionnaire).
There will also be an opportunity for all to participate in a guitar duet class directed by the Amadeus Duo. The class is open to all participants but you will be asked to register for this in advance. A timetable for the week together with all the music required will be made available approximately one month before the course allowing some advance preparation to be made.
There will be performance opportunities for all in daily lunchtime recitals as well as in the student ensemble concert on the last day. A party for students and invited guests follows this concert and marks the end of the course.
Each evening you will join the audience of the Guitar Festival to relax and enjoy the concerts given by a fantastic line up of international artists. Tickets to all concerts are included in the course fee for both residents and non-residents.
All concerts start at 8.00pm
Come and be part of a week of fun, friendship and performance – you’ll get hooked!
Residential Fees From: £938. Non Residential: £623
Course runs from Dinner on Sunday to Breakfast on Saturday.
Tutor information
Mark Eden and Christopher Stell graduated from the Royal Academy of Music as recipients of the Principal’s Prize and the Julian Bream Prize and continued their studies in Brussels with the Brazilian Guitar Duo, Sérgio and Odair Assad with the aid of a grant from the Worshipful Company of Musicians.
Soon after, the Duo were selected to perform for the Park Lane Group’s Young Artists’ Concert Series and won the South East Musicians’ Platform competition, giving them debut concerts at London’s Wigmore Hall and Southbank Centre where they have since become regular artists, performing at both venues for music organisations such as ‘Live Music Now!’, the Kirckman Concert Society, Classical Guitar Magazine, and the International Guitar Foundation. The duo were the first guitarists since Julian Bream to be Editor’s Choice in Gramophone magazine with their ‘land mark recording’ of works by Stephen Dodgson.
Mark and Chris are founder members of the VIDA Guitar Quartet who have rapidly become one of the most celebrated guitar ensembles in the last few years with concerts in Europe and USA and rave reviews for their debut CD ‘Love, the Magician’ (BGS118). They are also artistic directors of the Winchester Guitar Festival.
Mark and Chris were elected Associates of the Royal Academy of Music in recognition of their outstanding musical achievements and they both currently hold teaching positions at the Royal College of Music, Birmingham Conservatoire, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Your questions answered
All course participants will be sent further instructions prior to the course date.
Please see our Terms and conditions for more information.