Vivaldi’s Gloria with Tutor Ben England on 18th October 2025

Come and sing the choruses from Vivaldi’s momentous Gloria in D major, and learn about the fascinating history of this work – how it was lost for centuries before being rediscovered in the mid 20th century.  Ben England BEM, acclaimed conductor and music educator will lead the day, with support from an array of online resources to help singers learn the parts before they come. Pitch will be A415 (Baroque pitch).

Vivaldi’s celebrated Gloria was written for the Ospedale della Pietà in Venice around 1715. It is a perennially popular work and great fun to sing and play but it is perhaps more unusual to have the chance to work on it at the pitch for which it was intended, which is also easier on the singers’ voices. This workshop will also give us a chance (in chorus or perhaps semi-chorus) to try out the lovely soprano and alto solos and duos.
We welcome applications from all voice parts.
Have a look at Ben’s preparation materials on  www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIngS9V1Y4Lj-ovsbCMiW06Go1IqMsi7V

Singers, please read the following notes with care before applying.
We will be working from the Westermann score of the Gloria: https://koorpartij-oefening.nl/partituren/Partituur-Gloria-RV-589-Vivaldi.pdf
The vocal score runs to 90 pages, so it is impractical to print vocal scores for all. You are welcome to download the vocal score to a tablet or print it yourself. The correct printed score is also available readily for a small cost: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gloria-RV-589-Vocal-score/dp/1932419551
If you own a different edition of the vocal score, these are mainly compatible, except for the second movement (Et in Terra Pax). A substitute page 11 can be provided for the problems in the Ricordi edition.

Instrumentalists: The Gloria is scored for oboe, trumpet, strings (of the violin family) and continuo. Winds are not used throughout so wind players may wish to sing in the other movements if they have a vocal score (spare scores will not be available – please read above). We welcome applications from violins, violas, cellos, double bass/violone, and one or two Baroque oboes or trumpets. Up to two recorder players may be accepted if they have C instruments (descants) at A415; they will be doubling or substituting the oboe and trumpet parts. One or two keyboard continuo players (one organ and one harpsichord), theorbo and bassoon are welcome to apply. The orchestral bass part is figured.

Instrumental parts can be provided on the day or links can be sent out in advance. MEMF reserves the right to limit acceptance to preserve the orchestral balance.

Ben England is a new tutor to MEMF, but our South West colleagues were very enthusiastic about this workshop:  https://swemf.org.uk/vivaldi-workshop-with-ben-england/.   Ben is an award-winning conductor, educator and musical innovator based in Bristol. He has conducted choirs and orchestras across the UK and internationally and was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2020 for services to music and the community during the COVID-!9 pandemic.

Ben is the founder of Homechoir and co-founder of Choir of the Earth, two pioneering online choirs that bring high-quality choral learning to singers around the world.  He is also Principal of Earth Choir Academy, a non-profit organisation dedicated to music education and digital singing resources.  In recognition of his work, he received the University of Bristol Alumni Award for Community Engagement and Impact in 2022.

Ben is known for his engaging and inclusive approach to music-making, from Renaissance motets to large-scale symphonic works and in much in demand He has conducted major performances in venues such as Salzburg’s Mozarteum, the Haydn Hall at Esterhazy and St Philip’s Cathedral in Atlanta, and has worked with groups such as the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Tenebrae and the Gesualdo Six.  His educational music work reaches tens of thousands of singers globally.

An award-winning Advanced Skills Teacher with a long and successful teaching career, Ben has worked extensively across the education sector, including city-wide as Vocal and Instrumental Manager for the Bristol Beacon and prominent roles with the University of the West of England and St George’s Bristol on the ground-breaking Sing for Happiness initiative.

Venue   Dorridge Village Hall, Grange Rd, Dorridge, Solihull B93 8QA
https://dorridgevillagehall.org.uk/
The drive to the Hall can be found on the B4101 (Grange Road), on the left hand side heading away from Dorridge village centre, just after the park. The What3Words location is ///sponge.flopping.wedding . Satnavs tend to misdirect you. Dorridge station is 0.6 miles away.

Workshop organiser is Jane Warren, janeariadnesclew@gmail.com

Booking is now open. Click here.