Baroque Week. Patron: Trevor Pinnock CBE Artistic Director: Theresa Caudle

Firmly established as one of Europe’s foremost early music courses, BAROQUE WEEK is now celebrating its 46th year. The course offers inspiration and guidance to both singers and players of baroque music from an expert team of leading specialists in historical performance.


The theme for 2024 is Fairest Isle: A musical journey around the British Isles, exploring repertoire from the early 17th to late 18th centuries.  We will feature masterpieces by Purcell, Handel and Blow, as well as exploring the lesser-known but rich and varied musical life around Britain. The tutor-led projects for both singers and instrumentalists are based on this theme, but chamber music-making with your own choice of repertoire remains fundamental to the course.


BAROQUE WEEK is for baroque wind, string and continuo players and up to ten singers, but there are also opportunities for instrumentalists to sing.  Plucked continuo as well as keyboard players will be welcome.  String players should use gut strings and a baroque bow. You should be a competent sight-reader and confident playing or singing one-to-a-part.  Most of the repertoire will be played at A415 although there may be some opportunities to play at A392.  For singers the course offers a rare chance to sing arias, cantatas and solo motets with small groups of instruments as well as working in vocal consorts.  Full or part bursaries may be available for those who would otherwise be unable to attend.


“Everyone is so friendly, standard is high, tutors fantastic, well organised - a great experience”


Registered Charity No. 1161774

Latest update:

The 2024 course will be 11th-18th August, when our theme in the tutor-led sessions will be "Fairest Isle: A Musical Journey Around the British Isles" although you can play any baroque music of your choice in the chamber music groups.

Booking opened on 1st December and most places are now filled; all our bedrooms are now allocated or reserved. Bedrooms are reserved for specialist singers (whose places are not confirmed until February); for some more keyboard players; and for a few more under-25 participants (with or without a bursary).  We will be looking carefully over the next few days at the balance of instruments - please contact us as soon as possible if you want to apply for a possible place or to join the waiting list.

Queen Anne’s School, Caversham, Berkshire

11th-18th August 2024

Residential Baroque Music Summer School

Baroque Week 2024: Fairest Isle - A musical journey around the British Isles