SMARANO ORGAN ACADEMY 2015
July 31st – August 12th
Bach and Frescobaldi
Transcription – Improvisation – Intabulation

Artistic director: Joel Speerstra

PROGRAM
In this Academy we will have special focus on the music of Frescobaldi led by Lorenzo Ghielmi, and of J.S. Bach, led by William Porter. The overarching theme is: organ music borrowed from other sources by transcription, intabulation, or improvisation.
Intabulation: Armando Carideo, who is just finishing a new edition of Frescobaldi’s complete works with fresh and practical intabulation for organists, will lead us in workshops to practice the art of intabulating organ music from vocal motets. We will sing these motets under the leadership of Ulrike Heider. A day excursion to a beautifully restored organ in nearby Auer built by Schwarzenbach in 1599 will give us a wonderful opportunity to play our intabulations and related organ repertoire from the Renaissance.
Transcription: In a Bach course led by William Porter we will explore the J. S. Bach Concertos transcribed from the Vivaldi originals as well as the Concertos for organ by Johann Gottfried Walther. Concertos for single and double keyboard instruments will be the keyboard repertoire focus for Ulrika Davidsson and Joel Speerstra.
Improvisation:One of our improvisation focuses this year will also be exploring the Bach family tradition of improvising keyboard pieces using Bach’s solo works for violin and ‘cello. We are also looking forward to several guest lecturers and recitalists that will be announced soon.


MASTERCLASSES AND REPERTOIRE
PART ONE
Clavichord Technique; Improvising on Bach’s solo violin and ‘cello partitas (Joel Speerstra): This year we will use the Bach’s 6 Violin Sonatas and Partitas BWV 1001-1006 and the 6 Suites for unaccompanied Cello BWV 1007-1012 as material both for practicing clavichord technique and tone production and as material to start improvising keyboard arrangements.
Organ Improvisation Workshop (William Porter)
Practical workshop on making motet intabulations (Armando Carideo): Masterclass on playing Intabulations at the 1599 Schwarzenbach organ in Auer (rep TBA).
Trios as Transcriptions: Trios of Bach krebs and Homilius as imagined instrumental transcriptions (Michael Unger): Chose at least one movement from the following:
Bach Six Sonatas, BWV 525-530 (any movement)
Bach, Trio super ‘Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend’, BWV 655
Bach, Trio super ‘Allein Gott in der Höh’ sei Ehr’, BWV 664
Bach, Kommst du nun, Jesu, vom Himmel herunter, BWV 650
Krebs, Any trio
Bohm, Partita 12 (‘a 2 Clav. et pedal’) from ‘Freu dich sehr o meine Seele’
Homilius, Trio in G Major
Homilius, Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt, HoWV VIII.3
Homilius, Straf mich nicht in deinen, HoWV VIII.2
PART TWO
Clavichord Technique; Improvising on Bach’s solo violin and ‘cello partitas (Joel Speerstra)
Frescobaldi at the Harpsichord and organ (Lorenzo Ghielmi): Frescobaldi’s work will be explored widely on both the harpsichord and organ. Bring your favorite Frescobaldi pieces.
J. S. Bach’s Concertos for Solo and Duo keyboards (Ulrika Davidsson): Solo and duo concertos for harpsichord BWV 1052-1062.
J. S. Bach and J. G. Walther: Concertos for organ (William Porter): Free choice of organ concertos by J.S Bach/Vivaldi or by J.G. Walther.
Choir rehearsasl. Under the direction of Ulrike Heider: motet-singing.


TEACHERS
William Porter, Montreal, CA
Lorenzo Ghielmi, Milan, IT
Michael Unger, Cincinnati, USA
Joel Speerstra, Göteborg, SE
Ulrika Heider, Göteborg, SE
Ulrika Davidsson, Göteborg, SE
Armando Carideo, IT
Edoardo Bellotti, Eastman Univ. USA
Simone Vebber, IT – Tutor


ADMITTANCE AND REGISTRATION
Active participants number not to exceed 16; non active may be admitted without limitations.
Applications shall be sent to smaranoacademy@gmail.com using the application form, available HERE.
Title for application is preferably a Music high school or Conservatory degree: students with high level of instructions, although not yet graduated, may be admitted upon a specific letter of presentation from and signed by a distinguished Teacher.
Professional Organists with experience, upon submitting a detailed CV, may be admitted.
Each active participant has to e-mail the list of the prepared pieces chosen out of the repertoire list not later than June 15th 2015!
Incomplete applications are considered not received.
The application will be acknowledged as received, while admittance will be notified subsequently.
The admittance is approved by a Commission of the Academy Teachers: the approval is being sent within 10 days to the Applicant by e-mail and is validated by the payment online of the admission fee.
Applications, submitted starting December 22th 2014 will be accepted as long as the 16 spots are completed. They are accepted according to the above criteria and in the order of the receiving date.
Admission fee:
NON ACTIVE STUDENT: € 150,00
ACTIVE STUDENT: € 300,00
(inclusive of tuition materials and accident insurance for the duration of the Academy) – to be paid ONLY AFTER the approval of admittance. You will receive appropriate instruction!
Tuition is free: minimum 30 hours individual practicing is granted. Instrument’s list is available on a dedicated page on our website.
Reimbursement will be granted against justification properly supported.
You can download the Admission Criteria for the Smarano Organ Academy 2015 HERE.


ACCOMODATION
The standard accommodation is in a comfortable double room with bathroom in brand new BB private houses for a 30,00 Euros* including a typical mountain breakfast; meals are served in a local restaurant together with the Faculty at a fixed price of € 13,00 (full typical Italian meal and beverages) or € 7,00 for a light meal & beverage. For special food requirements, please, advise.
Accommodation in Hotel Alla Torre B&B = 35€; full board = 50€; halfboard = 45€ IN DOUBLE ROOM – in single room: additional supplement 5 € /day.