Saturday 29th July to Saturday 5th August 2023 at Barnard Castle School, County Durham.
See photo gallery.
Following the triumphant return of NORVIS in the long-awaited Jubilee NORVIS 50 course in 2022, it was a huge delight to welcome the same fine team of tutors and a significantly larger group of participants to NORVIS 2023, again in our fine surroundings of Barnard Castle School. This year, we were able to discover some different areas of the school and decided that we enjoyed concerts in the main ‘Big School’ hall. What a friendly course it was this year, with 25 new participants and around 60 returners. A rail strike could not stop the hardy folk that found alternative ways to Darlington and our coach link or direct to the school – many thanks to those who offered lifts.
Saturday evening saw the first meeting of tuition groups after a general welcome meeting. Sunday morning heralded full steam ahead with tuition classes and the various second-session ensemble groups, then lunch followed by choir / orchestra / recorder ensemble and the choice of delights offerings before the evening meal. The evening concert was an homage to William Byrd (400th anniversary of his death), To all true lovers of Musicke: Psalmes, Songs and Sonnets (1611).
Monday’s concert was another special event – a second visit to the next-door Bowes Museum and the concert in the blue gallery, a huge high-ceilinged room filled with paintings. The programme From Darkness to Light ranged from Dowland, Purcell, Telemann and up to J S Bach, with a delightful guitar piece by PiIkington. Fine playing by the tutors, singing from the Singing Class and one or two extras; the whole course singing the well-known chorus Jesu, joy of man’s desiring brought the concert to a conclusion. It had been preceded by a refreshing glass of wine and thoughts of absent NORVIS people absent or no longer with us, as well as a toast to NORVIS now and in the future.
Tuesday continued the power march that is NORVIS, with continued tuition, ensemble groups, rehearsals, Prom concerts and informal playing. Throughout the week, there were lovely choices to delight participants in the late afternoon. The concert, in the chapel, was a substantial programme of ‘shorts’ from participants with some assistance from tutors. A reflective epilogue closed the evening’s official events. The honesty bar afterwards proved to be popular again.
Wednesdays at NORVIS are slightly different because the afternoon is completely free of the normal routines. Thirty of the course members opted to visit the Bowes Museum, benefiting from the group entry price and many of them enjoyed a guided tour explaining the complex history of John and Joséphine Bowes and their legacy to the nation of a remarkable museum in the middle of the countryside. The evening was lightened by a very enjoyable Dance with a Difference historical dance evening with a home-grown band of course members and led by tutor Elizabeth.
Thursday included the (brief) Annual General Meeting of the NORVIS charity, of which all participants in NORVIS are members for the following 12 months. The evening’s participants’ concert was shorter than its Tuesday equivalent but included many delightful performances.
Friday saw the culmination of the week, with thorough rehearsing throughout the afternoon and a packed ‘Big School’ hall enjoying performances of Byrd, Richard Mudge, Croft, Gabrieli, Purcell and Telemann. Four items stood out: the entertaining Aires in the Comedy of Courtship à la mode by Croft (NORVIS Baroque Orchestra conducted by Michael), the Gabrieli Canzon à 12 (for recorder choirs conducted by Peter), the substantial Fly, bold rebellion by Purcell for chorus, ATB soloists and orchestra about the failed assassination attempt on Charles II and his subsequent welcome and, lastly, a reprise of Telemann’s Du aber, Daniel cantata with an orchestral movement and the final chorus, featuring the viol-playing of Elizabeth, whose request it was. Elizabeth was retiring after over 45 years as a tutor of NORVIS, a fantastic achievement which was marked by presentations. Musical Director, Andrew, and Chair of the Trustees, Mark, gave words of praise and there was much applause for Elizabeth, as indeed there was for all the performers.
Then with much socialising and the traditional raffle to bolster the Bursary Fund, the energetic, sociable and musical NORVIS 2023 week drew to a close. Overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants demonstrated the success of the move of venue. Next year, we hope very much that keen NORVIS fans and newbies will flock again to learn viol, recorder, lute, harpsichord, baroque strings or consort singing (and to play all manner of other Renaissance and Baroque instruments in between times). Until then, the NORVIS committee and the tutor team will work hard to prepare for NORVIS 2024.
Concert programmes:
NORVIS - Early Music Summer School 