Testimonials

Participants in 2024 said:

  • This was a fantastic week – thank you so much to everyone involved in running NORVIS and the wonderful tutors.
  • Fabulous, non-stop pleasure. Thank you!
  • It was great to be back! Lovely supportive atmosphere and so much positivity.
  • The course has been wonderful – every bit as good as I expected, and then much more. I am leaving with an overwhelmingly positive feeling about NORVIS. I have no doubt that it will be the highlight of my (very busy) musical year.
  • I had a wonderful time, everything has been well organised and thought through. Thank you to all involved in making me feel welcomed into the NORVIS family. I look forward to returning next year.

Participants in 2022 said about our first NORVIS in the new venue:

  • My first NORVIS and now I understand why people say it is so wonderful. The ethos is spot on and permeates every part of the course. Positivity and kindness everywhere. Encouraged me to take lessons and get serious. 
  • Aren’t we lucky to have such brilliant tutors and organisers! 
  • I enjoyed the variety of options on offer. It was good to be geographically more together, and the chapel is good to perform in.
  • Technique class excellent. Andrew superb. Fulfilled my aim of improving voice quality, range and breath control.
  • The quality of the concerts was amazingly good especially the Bowes [Museum concert] and Final [concert in the chapel]. Thank you for so much hard work of organisation.
  • Food great, teaching great, concerts great! VERY good atmosphere.
  • Catering was excellent, good range of vegan food.
  • Well done to all the organising team for such a successful transition.

Participants in 2018 said:

  • ‘Went beyond expectations, can’t wait to do it again’
  • ‘First class tuition from tutor of highest calibre and learned lots, thoroughly enjoyed it’
  • ‘Excellent tuition, really helpful, advice and some challenging pieces to practise, also helpful, warm up activities and advice on consort playing’
  • ‘Enjoyable and very helpful, supportive teaching style’
  • ‘Excellent and very helpful, very good at praising and suggesting improvements without being negative’
  • ‘Sympathetic and informative teaching’
  • ‘Got a lot out of it which I can immediately apply’
  • ‘Tutor took great pains to ensure that players handled their instruments in a way which put them at ease and brought out the best in them’

Francoise%20smallI came to the very first NORVIS in 1971, and have come back regularly ever since, as often as possible. It means the whole world to me! I value NORVIS for its high musical standards, great variety, friendly atmosphere, and the beautiful environment of County Durham. The technique class provides essential advice on instrumental practice and interpretation of the repertoire, and I go home with enough food for thought for several months. I thoroughly enjoy playing trio sonatas in the second session, and after tea there are so many “delights” to choose from that it is sometimes difficult to make up one’s mind. In the evening, I enjoy the opportunity to listen to lectures that are both instructive and entertaining, and it is a wonderful treat to be able to attend a concert every night. The meditative music, readings, and silence of “epilogues” in the chapel can be very soothing. Extra-curricular activities are one of the places where many durable Norvis friendships are born. I keep in touch with several NORVIS friends and enjoy their support throughout the year, so the influence of the course lasts for much longer than one week. The “last night” in the bar, when tutors and students display skills and interests that extend far beyond the realm of early music, is not to be missed on any account. In short, I highly recommend this course!
Françoise, Paris – solo recorder