Advanced

This course is for people who have a sound knowledge of the grammar and structure of the language and who are able to converse and comprehend the spoken word with ease. The course will help students to further their conversational ability and raise their standard of comprehension.

With Wagner's career and subsequent reputation, opera reached the peak of its influence upon Western intellectual life, extending beyond music to the spoken drama and other literary forms, as well as to philosophy and psychology. Wagner's ideal was the perfect fusion of all the arts, in order to achieve the greatest degree of insight and truth. In “Lohengrin” (Weimar, 1850), he sought to let plot and characters evolve in a way that was dramatically convincing and musically cohesive. The mood of expressive longing is appropriate since the story concerns the knight of the Holy Grail, Parsifal's son, who descends from Montsalvat in search of earthly love, to seek, in Wagner's words, “a woman who would believe in him and love him as he was”. Thus the plot deals with that favourite preoccupation of the German Romantics, the conflict between the human world and the supernatural, and the achievement of redemption through sacrifice. Our weekend will explore the music and drama of this great opera, using illustrations from modern sound recordings and films.

An opportunity to develop a wide range of subjects and techniques. More advanced students will be able to explore their own compositions. In the evenings we will relax with a selection of appropriate videos and slides.

Create bold, colourful paintings in a variety of subjects, using a step-by-step method of working. Students will be supplied with templates, worksheets and reference material and will paint-along with the tutor. Ideal for beginners.

Make the Most of Your Digital Camera

Scene Modes, Shutter Priority, Exposure Compensationand White Balance are just some of the bewildering options offered by digital cameras. Which ones are useful, which ones are not! Having learnthow to take a photograph on Auto, the student will be shownhow,by tweaking the right controls, colours are captured more vividlyand movement frozen. The spring or autumn colours of the local countryside will be our subjects and we will also include a walk to the sea (weather permitting) for further photography. For this course, students should bring their own digital camera and accessories.

Beginners will learn some basic stitches that will enable them to make a simple piece of jewellery, e.g. necklace, bracelet or rings. Experienced students can choose more complicated designs and stitches to create wonderful wearable art. Kits of beads, needle and thread will be available to purchase from the tutor.

Over the weekend we shall explore “Julius Caesar” and “Antony and Cleopatra”, both Roman history plays. Each has a contemporary relevance in that “Julius Caesar” explores important political issues, such as the reality behind the façade of “the leader” (how far is he what he claims?) and how political opportunists seize power. “Antony and Cleopatra” shows Shakespeare at the height of his poetic powers, though the play is also a hard-nosed investigation, among other things, of the compatibility of power with a personal life and of what constitutes weakness in the political world. The two plays in conjunction may help us reach a definition of the “Roman play”, which poses many questions about power politics. The weekend will involve play reading, close analysis, discussion and examination of film versions.

Image Editing with Photoshop Elements

This course is intended for students who have attended Introduction to Digital Imaging or have a grasp of the basics of Photoshop Elements. It is assumed students can use a computer, i.e. keyboard, mouse and have a working knowledge of Windows operating systems. Topics covered will include: photo organisation and management, further work with selections, understanding layers, masking techniques, retouching, sepia and art effect finishes, better printing and panoramas using Photomerge. Please note that for this course we will be using Photoshop Elements image editing software.