Britten–Pears Young Artist Programme - Snape Maltings

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The Britten–Pears Young Artist Programme was founded over 40 years ago by Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears to provide high-level performance training for the world’s best emerging professional musicians.

Residential projects and masterclasses take place throughout the year in the beautiful surroundings of the Suffolk Coast where Britten lived and worked. Participants benefit from an exceptional campus of performance spaces and studios, which has grown around the iconic Snape Maltings Concert Hall, home of the Aldeburgh Festival. The BPYAP hosts some of the premier performers and teachers who lead intensive projects, which culminate in high profile performances.

Thanks to the generous support of donors, there are no tuition fees on BPYAP courses, and additionally we cover accommodation and most travel costs. There is no upper age limit, but we expect that most Young Artists will be at least 18 years old and either current students of recent graduates of a major music performance or composition degree course.

To get in touch, email britten-pears@snapemaltings.co.uk or sign up to our mailing list.

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Courses for 2018

Applications for these courses open on Friday 1 September and close 1600 GMT Monday 6 November 2017 (with the exception of Chamber Music in Residence which closes Monday 15 January 2018).

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Instrumental / Vocal

Handel: Theodora

23 March–1 April 2018

In the first course of 2018, renowned British Handelians Sarah Connolly and Christian Curnyn work on a concert performance of this dramatic oratorio.

The 21st Century Singer

10–16 June 2018

Reflect on the present and explore the future of singing with John Fisher, Julia Faulkner and Matthew Rose.

Classical Song

17–24 June 2018

Grammy-award winning mezzo soprano Anne Sofie von Otter and Kristian Bezuidenhout join forces with the leaders of ‘The 21st Century Singer’.

Brass Elements

1–7 July 2018

Three of Britain’s top brass players (principals of the Nash Ensemble, Philharmonia and London Philharmonic Orchestras respectively) lead a wide-ranging course for the modern brass player.

Britten–Pears Orchestra

29 July–13 August 2018

The BPO meets once again under the baton of Marin Alsop to record and perform works by Prokofiev, Saint-Saëns, and Ravel, before tackling one of the best-loved ballets in the repertoire, Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet.

Orchestral Conducting

29 July–13 August 2018

Our first dedicated conducting course gives aspiring young conductors the chance to work 1:1 with Marin Alsop, ground-breaking Music Director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and São Paulo Symphony Orchestra.

Composition / Instrumental / Vocal

Composition, Alternative Performance and Performance Art

13–24 August 2018

Gather with other creative musicians to examine varied approaches to composition and make new music.

Wolf Lieder

1–7 October 2018

Talented singers and pianists join Roger Vignoles and other expert coaches in a multidimensional approach to the Lieder of Hugo Wolf.

Transatlantic Encounters

14–21 October 2018

International string and keyboard-based ensembles explore diverse approaches to their art with an eminent group of chamber musicians including Alasdair Tait and Isabel Charisius.

Chamber Music in Residence

January–April 2019

Running between January and Easter each year, this series offers exceptional emerging ensembles space for intensive rehearsal and mentoring opportunities.

Courses for 2017

Applications for the following courses have now closed.

Britten–Pears Orchestra

2–17 April 2017

Inspirational conductor Marin Alsop leads the BPO in two programmes based around works both raw and refined. Week 1 sees the vivid colours of Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé and rhythmic force of Stravinsky’s ground-breaking Rite of Spring fused by a new concerto featuring the “world’s finest and most daring percussionist”, Colin Currie, in a performance at the centre of London’s classical scene, the Royal Festival Hall.

Singing Britten

9–15 June 2017

Dame Ann Murray has a fantastic international career bringing to life the heroes and heroines of opera but she is an equally renowned interpreter of song, and closely associated with Britten’s glorious song cycles for mezzo. In collaboration with distinguished accompanist Malcolm Martineau, they focus on Britten’s prolific vocal output, particularly the song cycles.

Composition & Performance

5–15 July 2017

Instrumentalists join composers to develop new music as well as prepare key repertoire from the last 100 years. Oliver Knussen and Colin Matthews will lead a group of eminent tutors, and all new music will be showcased in a final performance which will be repeated in a high-profile concert at the 2018 Aldeburgh Festival.

Schumann & Schubert Lieder

17–24 August 2017

Especially revered as a Lieder singer, lyric tenor Christoph Prégardien joins forces with accompanist Julius Drake, one of the finest instrumentalists in his field. Together with Richard Stokes, leading lecturer at the RCM with dozens of publications and lecture appearances to his name, they will focus on the intricacies of German Lied.

Strauss Lieder & Arias

3–9 September 2017

Enjoying a versatile operatic career, Angelika Kirchschlager is also a celebrated recitalist and considered one of the foremost interpreters of Richard Strauss. Alongside her, pianist Malcolm Martineau rejoins the artistic team for our 2017 ENOA course in an unmissable opportunity to explore both the luxuriant late romantic Lied and operatic arias of one of the great vocal composers of the twentieth century.

Photo: Marco Borggreve

Hardenberger & Currie

6–12 Nov 2017

Two great virtuosi and ambassadors for their instruments, Håkan Hardenberger and Colin Currie, lead a series of masterclasses on a programme of 20th and 21st century chamber works for trumpet and percussion.

Handel: Theodora

23 March–1 April 2018

British Handelians Sarah Connolly and Christian Curnyn to work on a concert performance of Handel’s dramatic oratorio with singers and instrumentalists of the Britten–Pears Baroque Orchestra. An exciting ten days of coaching, sectionals, tutti rehearsals and public masterclasses will culminate in an Easter Saturday performance in Snape Maltings Concert Hall.

Other opportunities for artists

As part of our uniquely integrated Artist Development programme, there are many more ways to hone your performance or develop new work at Snape Maltings.

Tunnard Artists Every year an exceptional pianist with a focus on repetiteur work will be chosen to benefit from a bespoke development programme at Snape Maltings.

Snape Residencies offer professional artists at all stages of their career the chance to take time out to develop new work or try new collaborations.

Open Space For emerging individual artists and ensembles, this scheme provides bespoke support for up to three years.