In the world of string manufacturers, Thomastik-Infeld Vienna, established 1919 by Dr. Franz Thomastik and engineer Otto Infeld, holds a position of exceptional importance. Amongst professional and amateur musicians and guitarists it is en vogue to string their instruments with Thomastik-Infeld products.

The invention of the steel string caused a revolution in the music world. Suddenly the conventional gut string was challenged by a new string with the highest quality of tone, precision and reliability. It was received enthusiastically by artists across the world. The founders’ spirit of innovation was the impetus of another brilliant invention: the Dominant string – the reference standard of synthetic core strings and probably, up to now, the most played violin string around the globe.

Located in the center of the city of music - Vienna, Austria - Thomastik-Infeld manufactures a vast variety of musical instruments strings for bowed and fretted instruments. All strings are handmade and 97% of them are exported to more than 90 countries worldwide. A continuous aspiration for innovation allows us to meet the latest requirements of the musicians’ needs. Thus, a large number of renowned orchestras and soloists around the globe rely on the unparalleled quality and the unique sound of our strings.

Welcome

Welcome to the website for the ESTA International Conference 2013.

ESTA UK is delighted to be hosting the ESTA International Conference in the incomparable surroundings of Oxford from Wednesday 28 August to Sunday 1 September 2013.

Background

Oxford is home to the oldest university in the English-speaking world. A historic place of timeless beauty, it has been a centre of learning since the 13th Century. The conference will be based in the magnificent setting of the University’s Examination Schools, at the heart of one of Europe’s greatest cityscapes.

Conference accommodation will be at Christ Church, Oxford’s grandest and most exclusive college, and a 5-minute walk away from the Examination Schools through the rural idyll of Oxford’s Thames-side meadows. For further information, see the Venue and Accommodation pages.

The programme committee is developing a schedule of conference events to match the venue. Each day of the conference will see keynote presentations by leading teachers and performers from all over Europe and beyond, together with a series of un-missable concerts. The main conference themes will be ensemble training, repertoire development, and ‘Style and Idea’. With over 300 delegates expected in Oxford, this is an excellent opportunity for networking and professional development. More information on the details of the programme will appear on this site early in 2013.

If you wish to propose a presentation to the conference’s programme committee, please follow this link.

Oxford’s medieval city centre is dominated by its venerable university dating back to the 13th century.

Conference Venue:
Examination Schools

The ESTA International Conference will be based in the University’s Examination Schools, set amidst colleges on Oxford’s High Street. As its name suggests, the Examination Schools is where Oxford students sit the final examinations for their degrees in their eighteenth-century sub fusc uniform. But it is also one of Britain’s leading conference venues, with all modern conference facilities set in its neo-Gothic grandeur. The ESTA International Conference will take full advantage of the Examination Schools’ large, flexible spaces to host concerts, presentations, trade exhibitions, retail opportunities, and rooms for networking and socialising.

Accommodation Venue:
Christ Church

Conference accommodation will be at Christ Church, Oxford’s grandest and most exclusive college. Founded in 1528 by Cardinal Wolsey, the Lord Chancellor of England, and refounded by King Henry VIII in 1546, Christ Church has often been described as more a royal palace than a college. Its chapel is Oxford’s eleventh-century Cathedral, and its magnificent dining hall (famous from the Harry Potter films) has one of the world’s most glorious medieval roofs. Christ Church has always had strong connections with the English crown and Queen Elizabeth II is its titular head, or ‘Visitor’. Students and professors of Christ Church are known as ‘members of The House’ from the college’s Latin name Aedis Christi, and include such well-known figures as the philosopher John Locke, the author Charles Dodgson, the physicist Albert Einstein, the poet W. H. Auden, the composer William Walton, and no fewer than 15 British Prime Ministers.

The ESTA International Conference gives a once in a lifetime opportunity to stay in these exclusive surroundings. Capacity is limited, so you are strongly advised to book early, taking advantage of the favourable room rates.

Conference Fees
Accommodation

Members of ESTA can secure a place at the entire Oxford International Conference with an Early Bird fee, this special rate is available members of ESTA only.

Full Conference
Wednesday 28 August – Sunday 1 September

Standard fee - £345
for delegates who are not members of ESTA
Early Bird bookings - £200
for members of ESTA on or before ~~15 March 2013~~ 1st April 2013
Reduced fee - £245
for members of ESTA after ~~15 March 2013~~ 1st April 2013
Student fee - £150
for students
ESTA Student fee - £110
for students who are members of ESTA

Day Rates
For full days Thursday 29, Friday 30, Saturday 31 August

Standard fee - £120 per day
for delegates who are not members of ESTA
Reduced fee - £90 per day
for ESTA members only
Student fee - £40 per day
for students only
ESTA Student fee - £30 per day
for students who are members of ESTA

Day Rates
For half days Wednesday 28, Sunday 1 September

Standard fee - £60 per day
for delegates who are not members of ESTA
Reduced fee - £45 per day
for ESTA members only
Student fee - £20 per day
for students only
ESTA Student fee - £15 per day
for students who are members of ESTA

Book Now

Accommodation at Christ Church is now all sold out.
Follow the links on the FAQ page to find other places to stay in Oxford.

The ESTA International Conference gives a once in a lifetime opportunity to stay in the exclusive surroundings of one of the grandest of Oxford’s colleges, Christ Church. Conference delegates will also be able to dine in the unique setting of the Great Hall with its stunning hammer beam roof and wonderful oil paintings – famously used as the dining hall of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films.

Like most Oxford colleges, Christ Church is set out as a series of quadrangles, each containing accommodation for students and professors. At Christ Church these radiate out from the enormous expanses of Tom Quad which has changed little since the 16th Century. Christ Church’s other quadrangles include the aristocratic elegance of the eighteenth-century Peckwater Quad, the medieval intimacy of the Old Library overlooking the Cathedral, the Victorian splendour of the Meadows Building with spectacular views to the River Thames, and the chic modernity of Blue Boar Quad. Our conference accommodation will be spread throughout these quadrangles.

Capacity is limited, so you are strongly advised to book early, taking advantage of the favourable room rates.

The rooms come in four categories:

Single - standard
Single - ensuite
Twin - standard
Twin - ensuite

Each room includes a bed, office space, sitting-room furniture and a wash stand. Ensuite rooms have contiguous bathrooms. All standard rooms are just a few steps away from the nearest shared bathroom.

Prices for each category of room have been set a highly competitive rate which delegates will find hard to beat in Oxford’s hotels and other tourist accommodation. Delegates are urged to take the Half Board option so that conversations begun between presentations during the day can be continued in the convivial atmosphere of the Great Hall at Christ Church.

Room Type	Bed & Breakfast	Dinner, Bed & Breakfast
Single - standard	£79	£99
Single - ensuite	£99	£119
Twin - standard	£129	£169
Twin - ensuite	£149	£189

If you want to arrive a day early or stay and extra night so that you can visit the many attractions around Oxford, we have secured a few beds for 27th August and 1st September. You are advised to book very early as there are only a few beds available.

Meals

Breakfast is served ‘cafeteria’ style from 7.30am to 9am on weekdays and Saturdays, 8am-9am on Sundays. You can have a Full English Breakfast or Continental style breakfast.

Dinner is a 3-course meal in the Great Hall, with waitress service. You can book to have dinner at Christ Church even if you are not staying there. Special dietary requirements can be catered for as long as they are requested at the time of booking. All dinner reservations must be made by 1st August 2013.

The Gala Banquet Dinner is a 4-course meal with after dinner coffee and mints. It will be waitress served with fully dressed tables and a printed banquet menu in the splendid surroundings of the Great Hall.

Prices for dinner without Accommodation

Dinner: £30
Gala Banquet Dinner (Saturday 31st August): £40

Conference Timetable

Presidents’ Meeting: 09:00 Thursday 29th August
Delegates’ Meeting: 15:20 Saturday 31st August

Wednesday 28th August

12:00	REGISTRATION at THE EXAMINATION SCHOOLS
14:30	Judy Tarling Style and Idea: Baroque performance	14:30	Simon Fischer Basics	Edition Peters
15:20	Otto Derolez The Teaching of a Concertmaster	15:20	Rachel Stott Writing and Arranging for Strings
16:10	CHECK IN Christ Church or other accommodation
18:30	DINNER at Christ Church
20:30	CONCERT and RECEPTION English Mozart Ensemble			Thomastik-Infeld Vienna
	ESTA 2013 Ltd reserves the right to change the programme

Thursday 29th August

8:30	Examination Schools opens
	09:00 - 12:00 Presidents' Meeting
9:00	Chas Dickie Improvise harmonically!		9:00	Prue Pacey Musicians Exploring Yoga
9:50	Angus Gibbon/Crissman Taylor Violinist in Balance		9:50	Rhiannon Evans Medieval and Renaissance strings
10:40	COFFEE in Retail / Exhibition Hall
11:10	Liz Partridge New String Quartet music for Intermediate level		11:10	Katharina Deserno Female cellists - predecessors of Jacqueline du Pré
12:00	EXHIBITIONS / RETAIL
12:30	LUNCHTIME CONCERT: Steven Doane				Larsen
13:00	LUNCH and EXHIBITIONS / RETAIL
14:30	Cello masterclass with Steven Doane	Larsen	14:30	Wolfgang Weiss	Thomastik-Infeld Vienna
16:10	TEA in Retail / Exhibition Hall
16:40	CONCERT Oxford Concerto Orchestra				Stentor
17:40	Free Time
18:30	DINNER at Christ Church
20:30	CONCERT Red Priest
	ESTA 2013 Ltd reserves the right to change the programme

Friday 30th August

8:30	Examination Schools opens
9:00	Bruno Giuranna Organising the Left Hand - with reference to Ševčík		9:00	Pedro de Alcantara How style follows idea
9:50	Satu Jalas The violin concerto of Jean Sibelius		9:50	Kristian Kolman Building digital literacy
10:40	COFFEE in Retail / Exhibition Hall
11:10 until 12:40	Thomas Martin Bass masterclass	Pirastro	11:10	Simon Cartledge Getting it in the muscle!	Hidersine
12:00	EXHIBITIONS / RETAIL
12:40	BUFFET LUNCH Meet the author / composer				Sponsored by the Exhibitors
14:30	Caroline Lumsden Ensemble Training from the Start		14:30	Dubrovnik Piano Trio Croatian Piano Trios
15:20	Kurt Sassmannshaus The Sassmannhaus Tradition	Barenreiter	15:20	Oliver Gledhill W.H.Squire's enigmatic homage to Dvořák
16:10	TEA in Retail / Exhibition Hall
16:40	CONCERT Elizabeth Pitcairn and English Mozart Ensemble				Wittner
17:40	Free Time
18:30	DINNER at Christ Church
20:30	CONCERT Ben Powell
	ESTA 2013 Ltd reserves the right to change the programme

Saturday 31st August

8:30	Examination Schools opens
9:00	Cristina BelluMotor skills and young cellists		9:00	Kosovo String Trio Kosovan and Albanian String Trios
9:50	Cécile Broché Improvisation and Group Teaching		9:50	Silvija Sondeckiene Common mistakes in cello teaching
10:20	Geraldine Leighton 'A musician is ... '
10:40	COFFEE in Retail/Exhibition Hall
11:00 until 12:30	Bruno Giuranna Viola masterclass		11:10	Cathy Elliott Transcribing Pedagogic Material
12:00	EXHIBITIONS / RETAIL
12:30	LUNCHTIME CONCERT Steve Bingham				D'Addario
13:00	LUNCH and EXHIBITIONS / RETAIL
14:30	David le Page Paganini Revisited	Cardiff Violins	14:30	Ludmila Volkova Russian works arranged for strings
	15:20 - 17:00 Delegates' Meeting
15:20	CONCERT National Youth String Orchestra				Pirastro
16:20	Free Time
19:00	Birthday Reception
20:00	GALA DINNER
	ESTA 2013 Ltd reserves the right to change the programme

Sunday 1st September

8:30	Examination Schools opens
9:00	Bujar Sykja The century Albanian Violin School	9:00	Kateryna Zavalko Colourstrings in the Ukraine
9:50	Helen Brunner A Suzuki Family	9:50	Kato Havas Stage Fright
10:40	COFFEE
11:10	Round Table: The Role of Research in String Teaching
12:00	CONCERT Absolute Zero Viola Quartet
	Depart
	ESTA 2013 Ltd reserves the right to change the programme

Music for four violas

Violinist in Balance

Ensemble Training from the Start

Transcribing Pedagogic Material

Improvisation - its relevance to group teaching and playing

The 20th century Albanian Violin School

Think Harmonically - improvising and ensemble playing

The development of motor skills in children playing the cello

Paganini revisited

Croatian Piano Trios

'A musician is ... ': Windows into children's musical self-identity

A Suzuki Family

Style and Idea in Baroque performance

Colourstrings in the Ukraine

Female cellists - the predecessors of Jacqueline du Pré

Stage Fright

Kosovan and Albanian String Trios

Building digital literacy using ICT in string pedagogy

The Sassmannhaus Method

New string quartet music for intermediate level

Russian works arranged for string ensemble

W.H.Squire's enigmatic homage to Dvorák

Teaching from the perspective of a Concertmaster

How Style follows Idea - set your imagination free!

Musicians exploring Yoga

Writing and Arranging for string ensembles

Medieval and Renaissance string instruments

The violin concerto of Jean Sibelius

Common physical and methodological mistakes in cello teaching

Getting it in the Muscle!

Basics

Music for four violas
Absolute Zero Viola Quartet

Programme

Sancho Engaño*	Galliard
Scott Joplin	Ragtime Dance
Sarasate	Zepateado
Sancho Engaño*	Story of Two Minstrels
Tchaikovsky	Autumn Song
Sancho Engaño*	Hello Sailor

Links

Cathy Elliott (double bass) ESTA UK
Timetable

The 20th century Albanian Violin School

Bujar Sykja will present an historical view of the Albanian violin school, from its early stages in 1946, when the first professional music school was founded, up to the present day. He will give examples of the most renowned Albanian violinists to emerge from it, many of whom began their studies in Albania and later pursued their careers elsewhere in Europe and in the USA. These figures include Tedi Papavrami and Klaidi Sahatçi. Bujar has researched in national archives to find material on the pioneering teachers of the Albanian violin school and their most distinguished students. He will show the methods these teachers use, incorporating elements of the Italian and Russian schools. He will also talk about the relationship and mutual impact between the developing violin school and the overall musical life of Albania, especially the work of native composers.

The most notable composer to have a strong influence on the Albanian violin school was Pjetër Gaci (1931 - 1995), who was also a violinist and teacher. Works for violin, including the very first Albanian violin concerto, written in 1959, make up a significant part of Gaci's output. Bujar will acquaint us with some of these fine pieces.

Links

Bujar Sykja (violin) ESTA Albania
Timetable

When one is asked to think of a famous female cellist, the first to come to mind is bound to be Jacqueline du Pré. Today there are splendid cello soloists such as Sol Gabetta, Han Na Chang, Alissa Weilerstein, to name but a few. In the previous generation there was Maria Kliegel, Natalia Gutman and, if we go further back, Zara Nelsova, Beatrice Harrison and May Mukle. But before that, the list stops, so that it seems as if there had been no female cellists before them. As for the ones we do remember, their reputation and memory does not compare with that of their male colleagues. Yet there were indeed a number of female cellists in history, who all had to struggle with certain cello-specific difficulties. When the cellist Lise Cristiani (1827-53) appeared for the first time in Germany and France, for instance, she caused a big stir. "A female cellist - that's all we need! This is the consequence of women's emancipation!" wrote the Wiener Allgemeine Zeitung in 1848.

Links

Rachel Stott (composer) UK
Timetable

Medieval and Renaissance string instruments

As part of Rhiannon's work for Oxfordshire Music Service, she has been running two Early Music groups for over ten years. We shall be hearing the senior group, Oxenford Yonge Minstrels. These students are of Grade 6 standard and above on their modern string instruments. Rehearsing weekly, they explore instrumental and vocal music from the 12th to the 17th centuries, using period instruments and authentic performance practices. They regularly give concerts and take part in both local and national music festivals.

This presentation will focus on both the transferable and non-transferable skills involved in learning Medieval and Renaissance instruments as a modern string player, featuring demonstrations of short pieces on each instrument group.

Rhiannon will also run a Try a Viol session, an opportunity for Conference delegates interested in trying their hand at this fascinating historical instrument.

Links

Rhiannon Evans (cello) ESTA UK
Timetable

The violin concerto of Jean Sibelius
Historical and Analytical Observations about the Violin Concerto of Jean Sibelius

This work belongs nowadays in the standard repertoire of most of the violinists of our time. This is why it is important to know details of its background before it found its final version. In this lecture the main interest is to pay attention to some of the principal elements which appear in all three movements. Several written and recorded examples will be shown during the demonstration. Furthermore, some interesting details of the personality of Jean Sibelius and some curiosities about his violins are to be included.

Links

Satu Jalas (violin) ESTA Italy and ESTA Finland
Timetable

Karl Davidov

Common physical and methodological mistakes in cello teaching

Having briefly introduced herself as a teacher and musician, Silvija Sondeckiene will cover the following points in her presentation:

common mistakes in the methodology of developing right and left hand technique
the rationale of her system for teaching scales
the importance of precise methodological explanations in studying études
development of the virtuoso bow strokes
development and understanding of rhythm
the significance of Karl Davidov's concertos as a preparation for and introduction into the major cello concerto repertoire
her order of development for studying virtuoso cello repertoire
child prodigy phenomena

Venue: Examination Schools, Oxford

Steven Doane – cello
Thursday 29th August 2013
14:30 – 16:00

Thomas Martin – double bass
Friday 30th August 2013
11:00 – 12:30

Bruno Giuranna – viola
Saturday 31st August 2013
13:00 – 12:30

The times of master classes are subject to confirmation

Concerts at the Examination Schools, Oxford

These concerts form part of the European String Teachers’ Association International Conference 2013.

Tickets can be bought for the afternoon and evening concerts. All other concerts, including lunchtime concerts, are for those with a conference day pass which gives access to the full conference programme and publisher/accessories exhibition hall.

Anyone interested in string playing can buy a conference day pass.

Email admin@esta2013.org for a conference day pass (lunchtime and other concerts) or for tickets for the afternoon/evening concerts.

English Mozart Ensemble (Sponsored by Thomastik-Infeld Vienna)

Wednesday 28th August 2013 at 8.30pm

W.A. Mozart Sinfonia Concertante (sextet version)
Tchaikovsky Souvenir de Florence

Tickets £10 (free to conference participants)
Family ticket: £22 (admits up to 2 adults and up to 2 children – at least one child under age of 18)
Students: £6

Steven Doane (cello) (Sponsored by Larsen strings)

Thursday 29th August 2013 at 12.30pm

Conference and master class ticket holders only

Benjamin Britten: Suite No.3 for Solo Cello, Opus 87

Oxford Concerto Orchestra

Thursday 29th August 2013 at 16.40pm

A programme of British string music including Suite for Strings by John Rutter, Simple Symphony by Benjamin Britten and a work by Gustav Holst

Tickets £10 (free to conference participants) £15 for Oxford Concerto Orchestra and Red Priest
Family ticket: £22 (admits up to 2 adults and up to 2 children – at least one child under age of 18)
Students: £6

Red Priest

Thursday 29th August 2013 at 8.30pm

Tickets £10 (free to conference participants) £15 for Red Priest and Oxford Concerto Orchestra
Family ticket: £22 (admits up to 2 adults and up to 2 children – at least one child under age of 18)
Students: £6

Dubrovnik Piano Trio

Friday 30th August 2013 at 2.30pm
Conference ticket holders only

Rudolf Matz (1901-1988) Ballade
Bruno Bjelinski (1909-1992) Piano Trio No.1
Boris Papandopulo (1906-1991) Papandopulijada in C major

Elizabeth Pitcairn (violin) with the English Mozart Ensemble
(Sponsored by Wittner)

Friday 30th August 2013 at 4.40pm

Elizabeth will be playing the legendary “Red Mendelssohn” Stradivarius of 1720 fitted with the revolutionary Wittner Finetune Pegs. Programme to include: Kreisler Praeludium and Allegro, Massenet Méditation from Thaïs, Dinicu/Heifetz Hora Staccato, Sarasate Zigeunerweisen

Tickets £10 (free to conference participants) £15 for Elizabeth Pitcairnand Ben Powell
Family ticket: £22 (admits up to 2 adults and up to 2 children – at least one child under age of 18)
Students: £6

Ben Powell (jazz violin)

Friday 30th August 2013 at 8.30pm

Programme to include an eclectic mix of classical and jazz/crossover styles in duo with piano.

Tickets £10 (free to conference participants) £15 for Ben Powell and Elizabeth Pitcairn
Family ticket: £22 (admits up to 2 adults and up to 2 children – at least one child under age of 18)
Students: £6

David le Page (Sponsored by Cardiff Violins)

Saturday 31st August 2013 at 2.30pm
Conference ticket holders only

Programme to include Caprices by Paganini and le Page

Steve Bingham (electric violin) (Sponsored by D’Addario)

Saturday 31st August 2013 at 12.30pm
Conference ticket holders only

A short lunchtime recital featuring some of Steve's trademark arrangements for live-looped electric violin. Includes music by Nyman, Pachelbel, Bob Dylan and more!! Check him out on youtube

Kosovo String Trio

Saturday 31st August 2013 at 9am
Conference ticket holders only

Programme to include works for string trio by Kosovan and Albanian composers

Absolute Zero Viola Quartet

Sunday 1st September at 12 noon
Conference ticket holders only

Programme to include works by Scott Joplin, Sarasate, Tchaikovsky and Absolute Zero’s very own Sancho Engaño

Angus Gibbon
Violin
UK

Angus Gibbon studied at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester with Lydia Mordkovich and Richard Deakin, then continued his studies with Emanuel Hurwitz in London. He has played with many orchestras including the Philharmonia, European Community Chamber Orchestra and English Chamber Orchestra. He is now Principal second violin with the English String Orchestra and English Symphony Orchestra. He also played with the Rosell String Quartet. Angus has had a varied teaching career, teaching at the RNCM Junior Department, London and Southampton Universities, and holding posts as Head of Strings at Hampton and St.Paul's Girls' School. He is presently Head of Strings at Oundle School in Northamptonshire. As well as his teaching roles, Angus has been on the Diploma Panel for the ABRSM, and he regularly acts as an external examiner for undergraduate and postgraduate recitals at the Royal College of Music.

Links

Crissman Taylor
Violinist in Balance
Timetable

Ben Powell
Jazz Violin
UK

Ben Powell, although still only in his mid-20s, has already experienced the equivalent of a couple of musical lifetimes - and in some ways he's just getting started. Ben's abilities as a multi-stylistic violinist have allowed him to perform with some of the world's greatest artists, irrespective of musical genre: from such pop and jazz icons as Paul Simon, Herbie Hancock, Gloria Estefan, Stevie Winwood, Philip Bailey and Rosa Pesos to internationally famous classical conductors, including Sir Roger Norrington, Marin Alsop, Yan Pascal Tortelier and Keith Lockhart. Performing at events from the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics to the BBC Proms, Ben is as familiar a presence at international jazz festivals and live music clubs as he is in the world of Early Music and the classical concert hall. As a performer, recording artist, composer and ambassador for jazz and alternative string-playing, Ben transcends musical boundaries and continues to pursue and fulfil his many musical aspirations.

A graduate of Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music, Ben had the opportunity to study alongside Joe Lovano, whilst simultaneously pursuing a degree in jazz composition. Ben's journey to Boston from his home town of Cheltenham (England) started with classical music. While in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain during his final year at school, Ben performed under Keith Lockhart, Music Director of the Boston Pops Orchestra. On discovering Ben's ability as a jazz violinist, Mr Lockhart put him in touch with Berklee. By 2006, Ben was studying there with a scholarship. In keeping with his love for both the classical and jazz worlds, Ben joined the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra under Benjamin Zander soon after arriving in Boston, allowing him to perform classical repertoire at a professional level whilst pursuing his jazz studies at Berklee.

Ben quickly gained a reputation as one of the leading jazz violinists of his generation, with sell-out debut performances in Boston, New York and Paris. His latest CD, New Street, released in May 2012, features the Ben Powell Quartet and Ben's personal tribute to his idol, Stéphane Grappelli. Ben recently resided in Paris for five months, playing and performing with gypsy jazz legends Bireli Lagrene, Tchavalo Schmitt, Didier Lockwood, Costel Nitescu, Stochelo Rosenberg, Florin Niculescu and Adrien Moignard, among others. Stéphane Grappelli's influence on Ben's playing is unmistakeable; performing in the "Hotclub" style is Ben's personal celebration of Grappelli - and his own contribution to the current worldwide revolution of gypsy jazz.

As a freelance recording artist, Ben enjoys contributing to a diverse array of projects every year. As a classically trained violinist, his classical influences are ever-present in his jazz playing, allowing him to cross between genres in a way open to only a very few artists. Ben's career so far has certainly been extraordinary; as an artist without barriers, he looks forward to seeing where it takes him - and his audiences - next.

Links

Ben Powell in concert with Ashok Gupta
Timetable

Bruno Giuranna
Viola
ESTA Italy and International President

Bruno Giuranna began his solo career in 1954 when he performed the world première of Giorgio Federico Ghedini's Concerto for Viola and Orchestra with Herbert von Karajan conducting. He has since performed regularly with leading orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw and the Orchestra of La Scala Milan, under conductors including Claudio Abbado, Carlo Maria Giulini, Sir John Barbirolli, Riccardo Muti and Sergiu Celibidache. Before his fame spread as a soloist, and later as a conductor, Bruno Giuranna was best known as a chamber musician, playing in the Quartetto di Roma and in the Italian String Trio. Born in Milan, he completed his musical studies at the Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Rome, where he received his diploma in violin and viola. He was one of the founding members of the famed chamber group I Musici, with whom he took part in numerous highly acclaimed tours of Europe, Asia, the USA and Central America.

Professor at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin and International Chair in 1995-96 at the Royal Academy of Music in London, Bruno Giuranna has given masterclasses throughout the world. From 2002 - 2005 he was Prince Consort Professor of Viola at the Royal College of Music in London. He now teaches at the Fondazione Walter Stauffer in Cremona, at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano and at the University of Limerick in Ireland. His extensive discography includes Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante with violinists Henryk Szeryng, Franco Gulli and Anne-Sophie Mutter; the complete Vivaldi concerti for viola d'amore; the Mozart Piano Quartets with the Beaux Arts Trio and the Beethoven String Trios with Anne-Sophie Mutter and Mstislav Rostropovich.

In 1987 Bruno Giuranna was awarded the highest Italian civil honour - Cavaliere di Gran Croce al Merito della Repubblica Italiana, and in 2002 he received the degree of Doctor of Letters (D.Litt) honoris causa at the University of Limerick. To quote from the citation for this degree: 'Bruno Giuranna stands in the front line in the history of his chosen instrument. The sound of his viola playing shines like a beacon of light throughout a lifetime of performance. The music he makes is both full of heart and inspired with a deep musical intelligence. Moving with clarity and ease through the dramatic to the lyrical to the most romantic of interpretations, he has brought emotional riches to his audiences across the world. He has served the great masters of his tradition through his noble bearing and musical enlightenment. Bruno Giuranna is one of the great performers of the Western classical tradition, a world leader in viola performance, an inspirational teacher, and one of the great gentlemen of the art of music.'

A former President of the Italian ESTA branch, he has been International President of ESTA since 2011.

Bruno Giuranna will lead two sessions at this ESTA International Conference: a presentation entitled My vision of left hand technique and a Viola Masterclass.

Bujar Sykja

Coming soon

Crissman Taylor is Director of the Utrecht Alexander Technique Institute for Musicians at the Utrecht Conservatoire in the Netherlands, where she has worked with instrumentalists and singers since 1991. A violin research project at the Utrecht Conservatoire led to the formation of the Violinist in Balance consultation team, which helps individual players to improve violin/viola playing comfort and technique. Clients come from such orchestras as the Concertgebouw, Rotterdam Philharmonic, BBC Symphony and London Philharmonic, as well as from America and further afield. Together with the music department at Oundle School, she is developing educational methods and equipment procedures for children.

Crissman Taylor's background in vocal and violin performance, along with more than twenty years of teaching the Alexander Technique, and studies in sociology and psychology at Harvard University, combine in her work life. She studied violin at Manhattan School of Music with Raphael Bronstein, and holds a Master's degree in voice from Utrecht Conservatoire.

Crissman is a founding member of Artist in Balance - an interdisciplinary performance and educational collective. Recent cross-disciplinary collaborations include Alexander-based performance research work for dancers and musicians at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. She has also been involved in research consultation at the Open University, involving motion capture and feedback systems for violin teaching.

Links

Angus Gibbon
Violinist in Balance
Timetable

The celebrated American violin virtuoso Elizabeth Pitcairn has earned a stunning reputation as one of America's most beloved soloists. She began playing the violin at the age of three and made her debut performing the Saint-Saëns Concerto no.3 with orchestra aged 14. She made her New York debut at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall in 2000 with the New York String Orchestra, also appearing as soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Academy of Music. Elizabeth Pitcairn performs exclusively on her legendary "Red Mendelssohn" Stradivarius of 1720, fitted with the revolutionary Wittner Finetune Pegs. The instrument is said to have inspired the Academy award-winning film The Red Violin. Ms Pitcairn appears on the tenth anniversary edition of the film in a special feature documentary interview called The Auction Block.

Since 2008, Katharina has had a lectureship at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz in Cologne, and has given masterclasses for young cello students. Her tutor book Mein Erstes Konzert was published by Schott-Musik in 2011. She has also published several musicological articles.

Since 2010, Katharina has been working on a doctoral dissertation under the supervision of Annette Kreutziger-Herr (musicology/gender studies) and Heinz Geuen (pedagogy in music). Her project, entitled A History of Female Cellists - Transformations and Constructions of Gender and Femininity Concepts, is supported by a scholarship from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. In 2012 she became a lecturer in musicology at the HfMT in Cologne, in addition to her cello teaching.

Links

Female cellists - the predecessors of Jacqueline du Pré
Timetable

Kató Havas
Violin
ESTA UK

Liz Partridge
Violin
ESTA UK

Liz Partridge was lucky enough to attend Junior Academy, through a bursary provided by East Sussex's music education scheme. Further education was at Trinity College of Music, where a scholarship enabled four years of study with Denis East. Liz won prizes for both violin and chamber music.

Relative poverty ensued as she made her living for a few years in a string quartet. Subsequently, money came more quickly through employment in the BBC Concert Orchestra, at English National Opera, and as sub-principal first violin in the orchestra of the Royal Opera House. However, a mortgage and a loan for a very expensive and lovely Pressenda violin soon put paid to any thoughts of savings. Solvency was close when Liz and her husband decided to have children, and she left the ROH to pursue a freelance career. It seems the bags under her eyes were not too obvious, as she was lucky enough to be gainfully and happily employed (and still is!) in many concert halls, theatres, studios and sometimes even palaces, in the UK and far and wide.

Teaching and coaching have always been a big part of Liz's professional portfolio, and now that her children have left home she still has many others to worry about at Junior Trinity, St.Edmund's School and sometimes at home. Liz also has an educational position with the Forest Philharmonic Orchestra. Coaching and training adults is an expanding role (though her adult students are sometimes even more worrisome than the children!), as is her position as an examiner (completely stress-free, of course!) with Trinity Guildhall. More recent projects include commissioning music for young string quartets, and organising and participating in chamber music and choral concerts in North London. Liz is a founder member of Sarabande, a string quartet which specialises in workshops and concerts for children.

Links

New string quartet music for intermediate level
Timetable

Rachel Stott has composed for diverse ensembles ranging from viol consorts to massed saxophones. Her works have been performed at the Wigmore Hall, St.John's Smith Square, St.Martin-in-the-Fields, at UK festivals and abroad in France, Spain, Slovenia and the USA. In 2001 she wrote a series entitled Harmony and Invention for BBC Radio 3. During 2003 she was Composer-in-Residence at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, which led to several works inspired by the hospital environment. Her chamber works include two string quartets, for the Fitzwilliam and Dante Quartets, a chamber oratorio on the life of William Blake and a music theatre piece for clarinettist/actress Neyire Ashworth.

Rachel has also written a good deal of music for education projects, including for the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, as well as a two-act opera for children, The Cuckoo Tree. She has been involved in teaching and coaching upper strings for 20 years. As a viola player, Rachel has had many years' experience playing in contemporary music ensembles.

Links

Writing and Arranging for string ensembles
Timetable

Red Priest
Baroque with a Difference

Red Priest is the only Early Music group in the world to have been compared in the press to the Rolling Stones, Jackson Pollock, the Marx Brothers, Spike Jones and the Cirque du Soleil. This extraordinary acoustic foursome has been described by music critics as 'visionary and heretical', 'outrageous yet compulsive', 'wholly irreverent and highly enlightened', 'completely wild and deeply imaginative', with a 'red-hot wicked sense of humour' and a 'break-all-rules, rock-chamber concert approach to early music'.

Founded in 1997 and named after the flame-haired priest Antonio Vivaldi, Red Priest has given several hundred sell-out concerts in many of the world's most prestigious festivals, including the Hong Kong Arts Festival, Moscow December Nights Festival, Schwetzingen Festival, Prague Spring Festival, Ravinia Festival, Bermuda Festival; and in most European countries, Japan, Australia, and throughout North and Central America. The group has been the subject of hour-long TV profiles for NHK (Japan) and ITV (UK) - the latter for the prestigious South Bank Show in 2005, which documented the launch of the Red Hot Baroque Show, an electrifying marriage of old music with the latest light and video technology.

In its regular line-up, Red Priest comprises recorder player Piers Adams, violinist Julia Bishop, cellist Angela East and harpsichordist David Wright. In America and the Far East, the group collaborates with the Canadian Baroque/Cape Breton violinist David Greenberg in place of Julia Bishop. These musicians have redefined the art of period performance, creating a virtual orchestra through their creative arrangements, performing from memory with swashbuckling virtuosity, heart-on-sleeve emotion and compelling stagecraft. Their repertoire ranges from obscure 17th century sonatas to the most famous works of Bach and Vivaldi, all presented in imaginative programmes with filmic titles such as Priest on the Run, Nightmare in Venice, Pirates of the Baroque and Johann, I'm Only Dancing.

Silvija Sondeckiene was born in Kaunas, Lithuania in 1942. She graduated with Honours from the cello class of Mstislav Rostropovich at the Tchaikovsky Conservatoire in Moscow in 1966, completing her postgraduate studies in 1972. From 1964 to 1984 she was a member of a piano trio giving frequent concerts in Lithuania and abroad. From 1966 until 2004 she was a Professor at the Lithuanian Academy of Music in Vilnius, whilst giving many solo and chamber music performances in Lithuania, Russia, Poland and Croatia. During this time she was also a principal cellist with the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, with whom she took part in many concerts in Europe, Asia, the USA and South Africa, working extensively under the conductorship of Menuhin.

Steven Doane is an internationally known soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, recording artist and pedagogue. He apperars at festivals and on concert series throughout the USA and overseas. He received his BMus from Oberlin Conservatory and his MMus from SUNY Stony Brook. In 1975, he was awarded a Watson Foundation Grant for study overseas, and had further studies with Richard Kapuscinski, Bernard Greenhouse, Jane Cowan and Janos Starker.

Steven Doane and Eastman pianist Barry Snyder have made a series of recordings for the Bridge label. The duo's recording of the complete music of Gabriel Fauré for cello and piano was awarded the Diapason d'Or in France, and has been broadcast throughout the USA and Canada, by the BBC in England, and throughout Europe. The second recording in the series, of works by Benjamin Britten and Frank Bridge, was also released to critical acclaim. New releases on the Bridge label include the Rachmaninov Sonata with Barry Snyder (May 2012) and the Britten Solo Suites (due for release in 2013).

Steven Doane received the Piatigorsky Prize in teaching at the New England Conservatory in 1986, and Eastman's Eisenhart Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1993. As a member of the New Arts Trio, he won the Naumburg Chamber Music Award in 1980. He made his Carnegie Hall and Kennedy Center debuts in Don Quixote with David Zinman and the Rochester Philharmonic in 1983. His Tully Hall recital debut occurred in 1990 and has been followed by numerous recital appearances, including programmes in - amongst many other venues - London's Wigmore Hall and Boston's Saunders Theater.

Steven Doane currently holds the title of Visiting Professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he has done several residencies.

Steven Doane will lead two sessions at this ESTA International Conference: a lecture-recital of Britten's Third Suite for Solo Cello and a Cello Masterclass.

Links

Timetable

Thomas Martin
Double Bass
UK

Thomas Martin is one of the world's best-known bassists. He studied in America under Harold Roberts, Oscar Zimmerman and Roger Scott. He has held front desk positions with the Buffalo Philharmonic and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and Principal positions with l'Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, the Academy of St.Martin in the Fields, the English Chamber Orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and, latterly, the London Symphony Orchestra. Tom has been Principal Double Bassist with the Oxford Philomusica since its first season.

In recent years, he has been pursuing an ever-increasing interest in solo playing, appearing in recitals and in concertos with orchestras around the globe. He has made a number of television and broadcast appearances, presenting a wide variety of repertoire ranging from the Baroque to the 20th century, besides playing and recording most of the chamber music for his instrument. Tom has made a complete series of recordings of the music of the great 19th century virtuoso Giovanni Bottesini, which have met with great critical acclaim. His recordings in the Bottesini series with Anthony Halstead were awarded the "Gramophone Magazine Record of the Year", and his recording with the English Chamber Orchestra was chosen as the "Sunday Times Record of the Year".

As a teacher, Tom was for many years Senior Professor of Double Bass at London's Guildhall School of Music. He was also a Professor at the Royal College of Music in London. His students can be found all over the world. From September 2013 he will be a Professor at Birmingham Conservatoire and at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music in Glasgow. Tom is in constant demand to give masterclasses internationally. He is responsible for a large number of editions of music for double bass, notably for Theodore Presser and International Music Company in the USA and for Billaudot in France. He is often asked to serve on international competition juries: recent appearances have been in Moscow, Geneva, Cremona, Bucharest, Munich, Ludwigslust, St.Petersburg and Wroclaw.

Tom is also well known and educated as a Luthier and is often seen playing his own double bass - one of over 160 basses he has made to date.

Links

Double Bass Masterclass Timetable

Absolute Zero Viola Quartet
Current line-up: Philip Heyman, George Ewart, Ben Kaminsky, Ross Cohen

Originally formed by members of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the Absolute Zero Viola Quartet has expanded to include many professional violists in Wales. Whilst primarily aiming to be a group of like-minded viola-playing friends getting together to have some serious music-making (and social) fun, the Quartet also strives to demonstrate the versatility of their chosen "Cinderella" - often overlooked, regularly sidelined. Absolute Zero's mission is to get people to fully appreciate what a delightful instrument the viola is, whilst providing entertainment - with perhaps some education thrown in - at the same time.

If you were thinking that this is not what one would usually expect to see in a normal string quartet, then you'd be right. There is nothing normal about Absolute Zero. Viola Quartets are very much rarer - funny, that...

Links

Music for four violas
Timetable

Booking

Accommodation at Christ Church is now all sold out.

Please pay for the conference immediately after you make a booking.

See the Fees and Accomodation pages for a break down of the various costs of the conference. Once you've applied, you'll recieve a confirmation email and be directed to a payment page.

Details

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Retype Email Address

Instrument

Other Instrument

ESTA Membership

Are you an ESTA member? If not, why not consider joining ESTA to get reduced booking fees?

I'm not a member but I'd like to join ESTA(UK)

ESTA Branch

If you are an ESTA member you may book a table to display your publications or resources. Free till 1st May!

I'd like to book a table to show my publications/resources

Conference Booking

Are you attending the conference as a student who is currently studying, a conference presenter or trade delegate?

How much of the conference will you attend? If you are an ESTA member, you will receive the Early Bird discount if you book before ~~March 15th~~ 1st April 2013.

Conference Fee: £

Accommodation & Meal Booking

We are delighted to offer a unique opportunity to stay in Christ Church for the duration of the conference. Please choose the type of room you'd like to stay in. If you are sharing a Twin room with another conference delegate, please ask them to fill in the booking form also, but put "No Stay" for the accommodation options for one of your applications.

When would you like to stay at our provided accommodation?

Accommodation at Christ Church is now all sold out. If you would like to know whether there are any remaining spaces for the Gala dinner, please email admin@esta2013.org.

Accommodation & Meals Cost: £

Dietary Requirements

Please indicate below if you have any dietary requirements for your stay e.g. whether you are vegetarian or require gluten free foods.

Special Requirements

Please indicate below if you have any special requirements for your stay e.g. whether you require disabled access or would prefer to stay on the ground floor.

Payment

I accept the Conditions of Booking

ESTA would like to thank its sponsor, English Mozart Ensemble, for facilitating secure payment through their gateway. Payment for the ESTA Conference will show as a payment to EME on your credit card statement.

Conference Booking Confirmation

Thankyou for booking your place at the ESTA 2013 Conference. A confirmation email has been sent to the email address you provided.

Please follow the link below to our sponsor, English Mozart Ensemble, where you can make a secure online payment for the conference. A link is also provided in your confirmation email if you wish to do this later.

Pay by Card for the ESTA 2013 Conference

Exhibitor Booking

The ESTA International Conference in Oxford is an ideal opportunity for trade exhibitors who provide sheet music, accessories and other services to string players, teachers and their students. With over 400 visitors expected from the UK, Europe and beyond this conference will provide a unique sales and feedback opportunity with your prime customers.

Exhibitors will inhabit the South Hall of the Examination Schools, which delegates will pass through as they arrive and depart from presentations. In addition to the coffee, tea and lunch breaks, the programme allows for a half hour in the middle of each day when delegates will be directed to a visit of the trade stands in the South Hall.

Trade Days

The trade days will be Thursday 29th - Saturday 31st August 10am – 5pm

The ‘get in’ will be on Wednesday 28th August 10am – 4pm and all stalls must be down by noon on Sunday 1st September

Exhibition Stands

Gold Exhibitors: 475 + VAT 6m x 2m (3 tables)
Silver Exhibitors: £400 + VAT 4m x 2m (2 tables)
Bronze Exhibitors: £270 + VAT 2m x 2m (1 table)

For more information, take a look at the Exhibitors' Pack or contact Philip at philip@esta2013.org.

Application Form for a trade stand in the Exhibitors' Hall

Members of ESTA

Members of ESTA who sign up for the whole conference by 1st May 2013 can exhibit any teaching resources they have developed for string teachers and players free of charge during the conference. Copyright for any materials shown must rest with the individual member. Terms and conditions apply.

ESTA members can book a table using the Booking Form for the Conference.

ESTA 2013 Conference Exhibitors

ESTA welcomes the following trade exhibitors to the ESTA International Conference 2013 in Oxford. If you are interested in sponsoring the conference, contact Philip Aird

Principal Sponsor and Exhibitor

Thomastik

Other Exhibitors

Bärenreiter

Boosey & Hawkes

Cardiff Violins

CodaBow

D'Addario

Forsyths

Hal Leonard

Hindersine

KHANA

Larsen

Oxford University Press

Peters

Pirastro

Rhinegold Publishing

Schott (MDS)

S J Music

Sound Post

Stentor

Strings for Things

Trinity College London

Wiggins Music

Wittner

ESTA 2013 Conference Sponsors

ESTA would like to thank all its sponsors for their generous contribution and support.

Principal Sponsor

Thomastik

Gold Sponsors

Barnes & Mullins

English Mozart Ensemble

Impromptu Publishing

Pirastro

Wittner

Silver Sponsors

Cardiff Violins

CodaBow

D'Addario

Larsen

Peters

Rhinegold Publishing

Stentor

Trinity College London

Bärenreiter

Bärenreiter Urtext has earned an international reputation for reliable modern editions with excellent layout and high quality printing. They are the first choice for the professional, student and amateur musician alike.

Half a million children have found their way to music with the Sassmannshaus Early Start string methods – find out why this week at the presentation by Kurt Sassmannshaus.

Barnes & Mullins

Barnes and Mullins Ltd are showcasing a number of product lines at ESTA 2013.

Hidersine Bowed Instruments for the beginner and advancing student, in particular a selection of instruments fitted with the ‘Wittner’’ Finetune’ pegs. More and more teachers are recommending that students select instruments fitted with the ‘Finetune’ pegs. Simple put lessons are spent teaching and students practising rather than battling with slipping or sticking pegs!: A selection of ‘Codabow’ carbon fibre bows will be available for delegates to take away and trial during the conference.Also to be introduced are the revolutionary’Things for Strings’Instant Bow Hold grips plus don’t miss out on the chance to test the’ Pedi’ super lightweight shoulder rest and the new ‘Wittner Augsburg ‘ chin rest with height and tilt adjustment.

As UK distributor for the main conference sponsor we will also be exhibiting’ Thomastik-Infeld’ handmade strings.

Boosey & Hawkes

Boosey & Hawkes will be exhibiting their extensive catalogue of printed music for strings, suitable for both professional and educational use. Boosey & Hawkes will be displaying new titles and new CD versions from the Fiddler Series by Edward Huws Jones, now comprising more than 15 collections – including tunes from Ireland to Greece and from France to the USA. A selection of the Sheila Nelson back catalogue will also be on display

Links

Our Website

CodaBow

A selection of ‘Codabow’ carbon fibre bows will be available for delegates to take away and trial during the conference.

D'Addario

D'Addario are proud to support the 2013 ESTA international conference. At D’Addario, we produce fine strings for violin, viola, cello and double bass, all crafted to the highest standards combining state-of-the-art innovations with a lineage of over 300 years of string-making experience. Our strings will be on display in Oxford in August, so please come and say hello!

Links

Our Website

Hal Leonard

As part of the world's largest printed music publisher, De Haske Hal Leonard offers music from solo instrumental to string quartet to full symphony orchestral, covering all abilities and musical genres from classical to pop!

Come and visit our stand to browse a huge selection of resources and talk to us about the professional development opportunities available to string teachers."

Links

Our Website

KHANA

The conference begins on Wednesday 28th August and ends on Sunday 1st September. If you would like to take the opportunity to visit the many museums and attractions in the city of Oxford as well as attend the conference, we would advise arriving on Tuesday 27th August and leaving on Monday 2nd September.

Conference registration will be from 12 noon on Wednesday 28th August
Conference presentations will start at 2.30pm on Wednesday 28th August and at 9am on all other days.
The conference will close at lunchtime on Sunday 1st September

When can I register for the conference?

Registration will be during the conference opening times:

Wednesday 28th August: 12:00 – 17:00
Thursday 29th August: 08:30 – 17:00
Friday 30th August: 08:30 – 17:00
Saturday 31st August: 08:30 – 17:00
Sunday 1st September: 08:30 – 12:00

When can I book into Christ Church?

You can pick up the keys to your room 24/7. Full details will be supplied on request. All delegates booked into Christ Church will received a comprehensive set of instructions about a month before the conference.

Can I book accommodation for less than the whole conference?

Yes. You can select the number of days and your meal plan for each day of the conference separately on the booking page of the website.

Can I book accommodation for a friend/partner/spouse who is not attending the conference?

Yes. You book yourself in for the conference and select the type of accommodation you would like plus your meal plan. Next you must email admin@esta2013.org to give your booking reference, the name of the other person and details of any meals they would like to have. We will then be in touch with you to take the extra payment.

Where else is there to stay in Oxford?

Rooms at Christ Church have gone very quickly, but you can also find accommodation via the following links:

Can I just go to the concerts?

Tickets are available to the public for the afternoon and evening concerts. Lunchtime and other concerts are only open to conference ticket holders. For more details go to the Concerts page of the website.

Can I pay my conference fee now and book my accommodation nearer the time?

Yes you can make two separate bookings. However, we only have access to a limited number of rooms in Christ Church and these are getting booked up fast, so there is no guarantee that there will be rooms available if you decide to wait.

How far apart are the Examination Schools and Christ Church?

It is about 10 minutes walk between the conference venue, the Examination Schools and the accommodation at Christ Church.

Is there parking at the Examinations Schools and Christ Church?

Parking is extremely expensive and difficult in Oxford. You are advised to use the Oxford Park and Ride facility. You will not need your car while you are at the conference.

Do I need to bring an instrument?

Many of the sessions will be practical, so we would recommend that you bring your instrument. There will be a few available to borrow, but you should request this in advance of arriving at the conference.

Will there be Chamber Music playing?

Chamber Music groups are not something that we will be organising as part of the conference programme, but delegates are welcome to get together to play chamber music. If a number of people ask for it, we can make a room available in the Examination Schools for this, but it would be on a first come first served basis on the day.

What else can I see during my stay in Oxford?

There are various Music Collections at the University of Oxford that you might want to visit, including the Hill Collection with the Messiah Strad of 1716.

View a map of Christ Church

Visa Application

If you think you may need a visa to attend the ESTA Professional Development Summer School in the UK, then it is advisable to check with the British Embassy in your home country as soon as possible as it can take some months to get all the paperwork in order. It is likely you will need a letter of invitation to the course, some sort of certification stating financial means for board and lodging and possibly other documents to support your application.

Contact us if you need to apply for a visa and we can supply you with a letter of invitation to support your application. In order to write this letter we will need certain personal details such as full name, birth date, address, citizenship, travel dates, passport style photo and how the costs of the course, travel, board and lodging are to be met. It would be useful to have a short personal statement on why it is important to you to attend this conference. We also need to know if you intend to apply for any funding and from whom and what it will pay for.

Information for European nationals

Bursaries

Nannie Jamieson Nutshell Fund
For members of ESTA British Branch

The purpose of the Nannie Jamieson Nutshell Fund is to provide bursaries enabling ESTA(UK) members to attend short courses on string teaching. It aims to carry on the work of Nannie Jamieson who helped her own students to gain a wide experience of teaching.
There is a limited number of bursaries available to enable members to attend the International Conference Oxford 2013.

Click here for more information and details of how to apply

Travel Advice

Oxford lies about 50 miles north-west of London, with many easy, fast connections between the capital and the university city. Some visitors may require a visa.
The conference begins at 2.30pm on Wednesday 28th August and ends at lunchtime on Sunday 1st September. Registration will be from midday on Wednesday 28th August.

By air

Transfer from London’s airports to Oxford could not be easier.

Heathrow Airport

National Express coaches leave Heathrow Airport every 30 minutes to make the 90-minute journey to the city centre of Oxford (stopping right outside the Examinations School).
By rail, the Heathrow Express takes you to London’s Paddington Station in 10 minutes from the airport.
Trains from London to Oxford depart from Paddington (up to four times an hour) with journey times of just under an hour. http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

Gatwick Airport

National Express coaches leave Gatwick Airport every 30 minutes to make the 3-hour journey to the city centre of Oxford (stopping right outside the Examinations School). By rail, the Gatwick Express takes you to London’s Victoria station in 30 minutes.
Underground trains and buses connect Victoria with Paddington station.
Trains from London to Oxford depart from Paddington (up to four times an hour) with journey times of just under an hour.

Luton Airport

Frequent trains from Luton Airport Parkway station take you to London King’s Cross station in about 40 minutes.
Underground trains and buses connect King's Cross with Paddington station.
Trains from London to Oxford depart from Paddington (up to four times an hour) with journey times of just under an hour.

Birmingham Airport

From Birmingham Airport there are regular direct trains from the airport station, Birmingham International, to Oxford, with journey times of around one hour.

By car

Oxford lies some 40 miles north along the M40 from London. Driving from the west it is approached by the A40. From the north, south and south west oxford is reached by the A34.
You are advised to use the Park and Ride car parks for the duration of your stay. You will not need your car whilst attending the conference and car parks are very expensive inside the city of Oxford.

Contact Details

Please contact Philip Aird if you have any queries concering the ESTA 2013 Conference.

Welcome

Background

Conference Venue:Examination Schools

Accommodation Venue:Christ Church

Full ConferenceWednesday 28 August – Sunday 1 September

Day RatesFor full days Thursday 29, Friday 30, Saturday 31 August

Day RatesFor half days Wednesday 28, Sunday 1 September

Meals

Prices for dinner without Accommodation

Conference Timetable

Wednesday 28th August

Thursday 29th August

Friday 30th August

Saturday 31st August

Sunday 1st September

Music for four violas Absolute Zero Viola Quartet

Links

Violinist in BalanceOundle School

Links

Ensemble Training from the Start

Links

Transcribing Pedagogic Material

Links

The 20th century Albanian Violin School

Links

Improvisation - its relevance to group teaching and playing

Links

Think HarmonicallyImprovising and ensemble playing

Links

The development of motor skills in children playing the cello

Links

Paganini revisited

Links

Croatian Piano Trios

Links

'A musician is ... 'Windows into children's musical self-identity

Links

A Suzuki Family

Links

Style and Idea in Baroque performanceAgain and again! Why oh why? The role of repetition in music

Links

Colourstrings in the Ukraine

Links

Female cellists - the predecessors of Jacqueline du Pré"A female cellist - that's all we need!"

Links

Stage Fright

Links

Kosovan and Albanian String Trios

Links

Building digital literacy using ICT in string pedagogye-Learning and string teaching

Links

The Sassmannhaus Method

Links

New string quartet music for intermediate level

Links

Russian works arranged for string ensemble

Links

W.H.Squire's enigmatic homage to Dvorák

Links

Teaching from the perspective of a Concertmaster

Links

How Style follows Idea - set your imagination free!

Links

Musicians exploring Yoga

Links

Writing and Arranging for string ensemblesThe Orchestrator's Guide to the Young Person

Links

Medieval and Renaissance string instruments

Links

The violin concerto of Jean SibeliusHistorical and Analytical Observations about the Violin Concerto of Jean Sibelius

Links

Common physical and methodological mistakes in cello teaching

Links

Getting it in the Muscle!'Knowledge is only rumour until it is in the muscle.'

Links

Basics

Links

Master Classes

Concerts at the Examination Schools, Oxford

English Mozart Ensemble (Sponsored by Thomastik-Infeld Vienna)

Conference Venue:
Examination Schools

Accommodation Venue:
Christ Church

Full Conference
Wednesday 28 August – Sunday 1 September

Day Rates
For full days Thursday 29, Friday 30, Saturday 31 August

Day Rates
For half days Wednesday 28, Sunday 1 September

Music for four violas
Absolute Zero Viola Quartet

Violinist in Balance
Oundle School

Think Harmonically
Improvising and ensemble playing

'A musician is ... '
Windows into children's musical self-identity

Style and Idea in Baroque performance
Again and again! Why oh why? The role of repetition in music

Female cellists - the predecessors of Jacqueline du Pré
"A female cellist - that's all we need!"

Building digital literacy using ICT in string pedagogy
e-Learning and string teaching

Writing and Arranging for string ensembles
The Orchestrator's Guide to the Young Person

The violin concerto of Jean Sibelius
Historical and Analytical Observations about the Violin Concerto of Jean Sibelius

Getting it in the Muscle!
'Knowledge is only rumour until it is in the muscle.'

Elizabeth Pitcairn (violin) with the English Mozart Ensemble
(Sponsored by Wittner)

Angus Gibbon
Violin
UK

Ben Powell
Jazz Violin
UK

Bruno Giuranna
Viola
ESTA Italy and International President

Caroline Lumsden
Violin
ESTA UK

Cathy Elliott
Double Bass
ESTA UK

Cécile Broché
Violin
ESTA Belgium – WAB

Chas Dickie
Cello
ESTA UK

Cristina Bellu
Cello
ESTA France

David le Page
Violin
ESTA UK

Elizabeth Pitcairn
Violin
USA

Geraldine Leighton
Cello
ESTA UK

Helen Brunner
Violin
ESTA UK

Judy Tarling
Violin
ESTA UK

Kateryna Zavalko
Violin
ESTA Ukraine

Katharina Deserno
Cello
ESTA Germany

Kató Havas
Violin
ESTA UK

Kristian Kolman
Violin / Viola
ESTA Slovenia

Kurt Sassmannhaus
Violin
USA

Liz Partridge
Violin
ESTA UK

Ludmila Volkova
Cello
ESTA Russia

Oliver Gledhill
Cello
ESTA UK

Otto Derolez
Violin
ESTA Belgium - Flanders

Pedro de Alcantara
Cello
ESTA France

Prunella Pacey
Viola
ESTA Netherlands

Rachel Stott
Composer
UK

Red Priest
Baroque with a Difference