Prior Park’s “Stimmung” Masterclass with Director of the National Youth Choir of GB

03 Mar 2014

This week, senior Music students from Prior Park College, as well as guests from Downside, took part in a masterclass with Ben Parry, who is the current Director of the National Youth Choir of Great Britain. The masterclass centred around the contemporary piece “Stimmung”, and allowed the students to study the vocal techniques and even perform segments of this challenging composition.

This week, senior Music students from Prior Park, along with guest students and teachers from Downside, took part in a masterclass with Ben Parry, Director of the National Youth Choir of GB and assistant director of Music at King’s College Cambridge, in studying Stockhausen’s famous vocal piece “Stimmung”. Prior Park was delighted to welcome back Ben Parry to the College, following his visit two years ago to direct the Chapel Choir and to judge the senior Interhouse Music Competition. He provided a fascinating workshop for several students who are studying music at GCSE level and above. The masterclass was divided into two halves, with the first half revolving around understanding and interpretation of the fearsomely complex score of “Stimmung”, whilst the second focussed on performing sections of the piece and a question and answer session with Ben. “Stimmung” was composed by Stockhausen in 1968 and designed to be performed by six vocalists employing various revolutionary vocal techniques, all of which Ben was able to open up to the students in fascinating practical sessions. Today’s final performances had a hypnotic and magical effect and it was a privilege for the students to learn from such an important influence in the music world.