Well, we have done it. The summer school was quite marvellous. We owe an enormous debt of thanks to our wonderful tutors and our equally wonderful accompanist. And Wortley came up trumps.

We enjoyed a variety concert on the Sunday evening and an evening with songs and poems of social significance on the Monday evening. I had sent out copies of a piece for three parts on the proposed opening of a third runway at Heathrow Airport. Fitting in rehearsals had been very difficult but the singers acquitted themselves very well on the night. I was able to announce to the audience the news that the EU had declared that such a third runway would be unacceptable because of the pollution it would cause.

I took the folk course and also participated in the opera. The folk course was tutored by Karl Dallas whom I had never met even though he had been to our summer school before. It was a very interesting course covering a brief history of folk and giving us Karl's rather interesting definition of folk. There were many splendid examples played to us and there were several sessions covering song writing. To my surprise the majority of the students wrote a song during the week and jolly good they were.

We had some very good instrumentalists on the course with some particularly good guitarists and many of the songs were performed to a guitar accompaniment. The instrumentalists also enlivened the folk evening in the bar on the Wednesday evening. At one point we had three guitars and a harmonica, all tuned together, playing folk songs. It went with a swing.

The opera course took as their opera, Alan and Nancy Bush's "The Press Gang". I wasn't on the opera course as such, but I participated, with a number of others, in the opera choruses which had to be rehearsed outside the course itself. The choristers actually out-numbered the soloists. Accordingly, we all took part in the final performance. Nadia Ellis and Maria Caravanas were the two leads and were quite splendid. Liz Letsky and Wendy Corum also acquitted themselves very well. Anne Schuman and I and two of the men performed a dance near the beginning which we had rehearsed. The main chorus was kindly permitted to perform a dance at the end which was improvised on the spot. I think we all had fun doing it.

In the composition courses, the advanced composers had been asked to compose variations on the tune of "Lovely Joan" and they all did this exercise. The elementary/intermediate composers were asked to set to music the song "The Drum" and their contributions were very interesting. At the composers concert, which was very well attended, the compositions of the advanced composers were all performed, but only one from the elementary/intermediateclass, a very interesting composition using the words of "The Drum" by Lydia Luke. At the composers concert Lydia sang her piece accompanied by her fiancé, Dominic Vella. The composers concert was preceded by a short presentation of the chamber ensembles course. A very enjoyable evening.

During the week we enjoyed two recitals. The first one, given by Karl Dallas, was great fun and reflected the many influences in Karl's very interesting life. He had had a strong interest in jazz and got a number of the jazz people to perform with him the song "Georgia". He then went on to give us a fascinating glimpse of his life as a singer with folk songs at many points of his narrative. He had a packed audience and I am sure they were not disappointed.

The following night we were treated to a recital by Maria Caravanas, singing, and Ron Tendler playing his violin. I have never heard Maria sing better and not only was her rendition of a very varied programme of songs and arias extremely beautiful, but she displayed acting talents to a high degree. Ron Tendler performed brilliantly on his violin. It was a really wonderful and professional performance by both artists and greatly appreciated by the very large audience (standing room only). The programmes were as follows:

Maria Caravanas:                                                                Ron Tendler:

Voi Che Sapete Mozart                                                      Mazurka Mlynarski

Una voce poco fa Rossini                                                  Meditation from Thais Massenet

O mio babbino caro Puccini                                               Schön Rosmarin Fritz Kreisler

Verborgenheit Hugo Wolf                                                  Andante Glier op. 35 No.4

Gesang Weylas Hugo Wolf                                                 Spanish Dance Korchmarev

La diva de l'Empire Satir                                                     Elegy Shostakovich

Proprietress  Madeleine Dring                                             A Minor, violin concerto J S Bach                                                                                                                      (first movement)                                              

There were two student concerts during the week which gave us great entertainment and a number of excellent 'stair concerts' where students performed short pieces to entertain other students during the coffee & tea breaks.

We had the usual concert on the last night and I was surprised at the quality of the concert, especially given problems of balance which had been encountered. I was particularly impressed with the brass since they only had two trombones, two trumpets and a horn. But Les Lake had managed to provide appropriate music and it was very enjoyable. Les also conducted the Chamber Orchestra (thus permitting Ron Tendler to perform as first violin). The Chamber Orchestra and Woodwind Ensemble performed very well.

I could not stay for the jazz part of the programme because I had to go and change for the opera. The Folk treated the audience to a song written by Jennie Vaughan and first performed on the 50th anniversary of Wortley. It was updated only insofar as the date was concerned and it was about the history of Wortley from the time it was taken over by the trades council. It was very much appreciated by the audience and I should think was particularly appreciated by Wortley people (specially invited) there in the audience..

The last item was the chorus and in only six days Jane Scott achieved an impressive performance. Four of the items had been rehearsed, but, very daringly, she included two items which were unrehearsed and were in effect a run-through in front of the audience. They were remarkably good considering that they had not been rehearsed, and I am sure that Jane included them because she had a very able chorus with many good sight-singers.

The programme was:

The Joy of Harvesting, arr. Alan Bush,

Ca’ the Yowes, arr. Vaughan Williams

No Stars again shall hurt you, Purcell, (The Tempest)

The Shark & the Whale, Elizabeth Maconchy, arr John Jordan,

Song for Peace, John Jordan,

March of the Workers, William Morris, Aubrey Bowman.

I should like to express my thanks to the Summer School Committee and particularly to the Summer School Working Party which worked so hard to make the school a success.

We hope to build on this good beginning and feel sure that we will attract more students to the 63rd WMA Summer School, which will be held at Wortley Hall from 15 to 21 August 2009.

I took the scenic route to Wortley, via Berkhamsted (to collect the photographic exhibition) and Manchester (for dinner with No. 1 son), and arrived very late on Friday night. But on Saturday morning the fun began, gently at first, but accelerating at an increasing tempo, up to the meeting with the tutors.

Some of our tutors were meeting for the first time, so it was a low-key discussion with several critical comments, for one thing, tutors did not have an up-to-date list of their students, which was quickly remedied, thanks to Roy’s computer equipment.

The evening gathering of all students was followed by the first meeting of the Summer School Chorus, who were faced with an envelope with about ten pieces of music, to which were added a further two other songs for their consideration. Needless to say, this was not an achievable task in one hour per day – but Jane is an enthusiastic and energetic conductor, and although she moved swiftly through the parts, she was kind enough to run through difficult parts for each voice. I really appreciated her method – almost I wished I lived in Birmingham.

One of the criticisms put forward during the de-briefing at the close of the school, was that not sufficient use was made of this first evening – we shall have to re-consider the programming for this, especially since we shall again be holding a six-day school next year. Another critical remark concerned the length the programme allowed for the lunch, which will also be part of the remit of the working party for next year. Promise.

The atmosphere this year was electric, buzzing with conversation and music from every point of the Hall. The food was varied and good, with specially made dishes for those with different dietary requirements. The accommodations are first class, four star standard. However, we find we need to ensure that the ground floor rooms are reserved for those who are not able to climb stairs (although there is a lift).

Tutors – who were there for their board and lodging – not only worked hard to prepare their courses prior to arrival, and who were enthusiastic and committed during the week, but also have volunteered to do the same next year. This, I think, is the spirit of WMA shining through. There were volunteers shooting up during the week for whatever jobs were needed. I would like especially to thank Tim, the "Stage Manager" who made sure that chairs and music stands were in the right place at the right time for the concert items, and the volunteers who looked after the stall, and sold raffle tickets also deserve thanks.

I took part in a new course named "Singing for the Terrified", taken by Maria Caravanas, her first effort at Summer School tutoring, and a course which she wished she had been able to attend at the beginning of her singing career. She had an interesting method of encouraging shy and timid, (and not so timid) students to get up and "perform" a song, how to move onto the stage, and how to stand (or sit) while singing, which gradually during the week produced very positive and enjoyable results. She was most ably assisted in this exercise by Dan, a ubiquitous and skilled, well-tempered-piano player, who seemed to be able to be in more than two places at the same time.

I also attended Karl Dallas’ Folk course, which was very different from similar courses I been at before. He began by asking "What is Folk?" – a question I have long pondered. Conclusion? Well you needed to be there, but I was satisfied that he feels Folk is a living, growing kind of music, suited to the current needs of those who sing it. He conducted the sessions as illustrated lectures, but also included a game – to extract songs from each member of the class. This produced a great variety of songs which were sung, including one which I really had believed to be impossible - on the subject of Benefit Cheats!!

My pride and joy however, is playing Recorders, and I was so pleased when about ten people turned up – at 09.00 – and enthusiastically played through various pieces, and we even attracted an electronic instrument with a recorder voice, so we had access to extra bass sounds. We have to thank Ron Harper for his assistance every morning, beating time, and guiding us through the sticky patches.

The Monday night presentation of Songs and Poems of Social Significance was well attended, with a varied programme, the culmination of which was an astounding presentation of "H-Bomb’s Thunder" by some members of the original Aldermaston march and of The London Youth Choir, now, sadly no longer in their first bloom of youth – but what a performance – it electrified the entire audience.

All in all, it was one of the best Summer Schools ever,

Excerpts from Karl Dallas’ lecture notes: WMA Summer School, 2008

"Rock, the music of the sixties, was a music of spontaneity. It was a folk music – it was listened to and made by the same group of people. It did not come out of a New York Office building where people sit and write what they think other people want to hear. It came from the life experience of the artists and their interaction with an audience that was roughly the same age".

Dic Penderyn is the special Welsh name of a real historic person and the opera, "Dic Penderyn" is an opera about the historic events which led to Dic's execution on 13 August 1831.

This opera (libretto by Mavis Cook, music by John Jordan) was written after considerable research was undertaken in Wales, mainly in Merthyr Tydfil where most of the events took place.

The background to these events was a campaign in favour of the Reform Bill which was designed to extend the franchise and later became the Reform Act. Dic Penderyn and his close colleague Lewsyn y Hellior were miners who were actively engaged in this campaign.

The opera starts with a funeral of a child (to illustrate the infant mortality in Merthyr Tydfil). It then goes on to a very jolly tavern scene which also introduces background information on the closure of a number of mines. Then there is a meeting at Waun Fair (or opposite) at which a large public gathering decides to support the Reform Bill and agrees to have an organised illumination in which everybody should light a lamp in their window to indicate support. There is accordingly an Illumination scene In this scene the crowd demand the release of two arrested men and are successful in compelling the jail to release them. Then a scene called Redistribution in which the main characters seize goods from the debtors court which they propose to give back to those they consider the rightful owners their property. They also want to burn the law books listing the various confiscations, but when the Clerk of the Court throws down out-of-date law books to trick them, they are very angry. They break into his house, seize the up-to-date law books and also seize and burn his furniture. Another scene at the tavern in which Highlander troops are disarmed and they are hit over the head with their own muskets. The crowd are fired upon from the roof and at least 24 people are killed.

In spite of this, the active organisers of the rebellion take and hold the town for several days, repulsing troops. In the rebellion scene they seize and disarm Major Penrice while his soldiers run away. We will certainly include this scene. But then the mine owners manager to lure most of the miners back to work with promises of no retribution and the activists are reduced in number. At this point they are rounded up in the Retribution scene and are brought to trial. Many who took part were able to avoid penalty, but Dic Penderyn and Lewsyn y Hellior were sentenced to death for wounding a policeman, something which they did not do. Lewsyn, having some powerful friends, was successful in getting his sentence reduced to transportion, but Dic was hanged and there is a scene covering this. At the time of his death Dic Penderyn was 23 with a wife and one child and another child on the way. It was in the shadow of the gallows that unions finally came to Merthyr Tydfil and this is made clear in the very final part of the opera.

Does this sound far-fetched? It is all true. This was a set of events tailor-made for opera. The only parts of the opera which can be regarded as fiction are where insufficient details are known and they simply have to be invented but all within the framework of the known history.

Mavis Cook

"I have looked forward to taking the Summer School Chorus with eager anticipation and have enjoyed it even more (if possible) than I expected to. Thank you for inviting me. Thanks also to Maria and John for letting me sit in on some of their sessions; it was an added bonus and I gained a lot from it.

"I’ve noticed a real sense of co-operation and community in the school this time – as evidenced in the large audiences at student concerts and recitals. I think possibly the most important thing is to note and preserve this ethos – not necessarily easy in a building full of performers, but definitely achieved this year."

We were able to fill the John Horrocks’ Memorial Scholarship this year, and hope to be able to offer this again in 2009. Sadly, we learned that there had been no students applying to the Valentine Alcock Memorial Scholarship, which is offered to a young person under 18, but perhaps this will be remedied in 2009. There were a number of trade union scholarships taken up, and we look forward to further students from the trade union movement next year.

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