For 38 years Heather Clemson has ran a residential Suzuki violin and cello course annually at Dunfield House in Herefordshire. Some of the participants get so excited for the course they set a countdown app after the final day, ready for next year.
At the course, each child and their accompanying parent get allocated to group lessons according to ability and they study each day with their group, ready for a performance at the end of the course. In addition to this they all get a place in the orchestra, steel pan class, a chance to perform a solo in the concert hall, a torch-lit pyjama walk, a midnight feast, a talent show, and a swimming pool party.
Miss Minchin was also attending the course, both as a parent and as a trainee for her level 4 suzuki qualification, and she has reported that our wonderful children did us proud! Aron and Abel Biro attended the course with their mum for the second time and played beautifully in their solos, groups and orchestra. Ben Whitham play a lovely solo piece and performed in two groups and orchestra. They also welcomed, for the first time, our past Highclarian Tara Sidhu, who attended unaccompanied and of course showed exemplary behaviour and a dazzling solo performance. Mantaj Sidhu came to the final concerts to support her big sister and was very excited to see what we had all achieved.
Mr Whitham attended the course as a parent and took an active role in the course, providing two very successful meditation and singing bowls workshops and also being our resident guitarist in the grown-up evening jazz sessions in the music room.
