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January 2015
15/207 Guitar Ensembles with Steve Marsh
STANDARD: INTERMEDIATE, ADVANCED This new course in our calendar is led by the guitarist, composer and teacher Steve Marsh. The weekend will be spent working on the five-movement guitar orchestra composition
Find out more »15/206 Dance Band with Roger Moon
Standard : Intermediate , Advanced Foxtrots, quicksteps, cha chas and sambas: a rare opportunity to experience the sound and style of strict tempo Ballroom and Latin music, using published arrangements from the 1930s to 1950s. Trumpets, trombones, saxes (perhaps doubling clarinet), violins, guitar, double bass, drums and even (at Roger
Find out more »The WI Bread Weekender with Alison Haigh
Alison Haigh grew up in an artisan bakery and she will be sharing her experience on this special weekend bread course. You'll learn how four simple ingredients can be combined to produce wonderful breads.
Find out more »Overlocker Magic with Rachel McWha
A course for everyone with an overlocker. Master the dreaded threading and understand tension. Learn how different feet can be used in functional and decorative techniques.
Find out more »New Online Skills for a New Year with Anne Rainbow
This course is specifically developed for learners with little or no knowledge of computers or the internet. It is intended to give learners the confidence and necessary skills to participate online.
Find out more »Stumpwork Embroidery: Inspired by Monet with Joanna Pout
Learn some techniques from an English 17th century form of raised and padded embroidery. Bring your embroidery to life with a 21st century design using Monet
Find out more »February 2015
Alan Bennett and the Audience: Meeting the Queen with Jackie Wilkin
Playwrights and filmmakers have delighted in putting the Queen in front of an audience. This light-hearted play-reading course will take a look at three famous examples.
Find out more »Bridge for Beginners (Part 1) with Catherine Rowland
Discover how to play this most fascinating of card games- which can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
Find out more »Designer Bags with Personalised Pockets with Jan Cadman
Spoil yourself. Have fun making a gorgeous bag- just for you- with pockets and compartments to suit your lifestyle- and decoration to reflect your personality.
Find out more »Strip Patchwork for Beginners – Day School with Christine Green
Strip patchwork is a quick and easy technique to master- with great results- perfect for the patchwork novice.
Find out more »15/210 Early Stages Piano with Rachael Buxton
Standard : Elementary This course offers the opportunity for pianists of roughly grades 1
Find out more »Watercolours for Beginners with Michael Burgess
Use watercolours to produce paintings in this delicate but expressive medium. A class for beginners and those with a little experience. Fun and enjoyment form an important aspect of the course.
Find out more »Goldwork Embroidery with Hazel Everett
Discover the world of goldwork embroidery and be introduced to a variety of techniques- either through set designs or by developing your own ideas.
Find out more »Everyday Exciting with Alex Mackay
Alex MacKay- author of cookbook 'Everybody Everyday'- believes that midweek meals don't have to be boring. He'll teach the secrets of his 'magic fridge' as well as how to interchange ingredients to create extra food.
Find out more »Learn to Make a Living Willow Dome – Day School with Norah Kennedy
This is a hands-on course where you will learn how to build a living willow dome for your garden
Find out more »15/213 Sight Singing for Beginners with Barbara Alden
Standard : Elementary Do you struggle in your choir because you cannot sing at sight? Does written music seem like a foreign language and inhibit you from auditioning for a choir? Beginning at the beginning, Barbara Alden, who has worked on technique with some of the most famous singers in the world, provides you with simple tools to help dispel the mystique (or possibly phobia!) of reading music and firmly set on the road to fuller participation in choral singing.…
Find out more »15/212 Grade V Theory with Katharine Bramley
Standard : Intermediate Katharine Bramley returns to Benslow Music with this popular course based around the Associated Board Grade V Theory syllabus. Whether you are intending to take the exam in the near future, or are simply interested to learn more about the theory of the music you play, this is the course for you. The course is taught in a classroom format and Katharine will guide you through every aspect of the syllabus. She promises the course will be…
Find out more »Pastoral Visions
Our weekend will explore the inspiration painters and composers have drawn from
Man’s relationship with Nature
Fabulous Flamenco at Dillington!
Another opportunity to take part in this dynamic and passionate dance practised by both men and women and one of the principal forms of social enjoyment at festivals and fiestas throughout Andalucía. You will be dancing with a partner, but it is not necessary to come with a partner to participate in the course
Find out more »15/101 Oboe day with Adrian Rowlands with Adrian Rowlands
Standard : Intermediate , Advanced Adrian Rowlands, principal oboist for the long-running London production of Les Miserables, leads this day course for oboists of intermediate and advanced standard. The day will run in a friendly and informal class format and will address all issues of technique and interpretation. Participants are asked to bring along a few pieces of their own choosing and the course will be joined by a pianist in the afternoon to work on anything you wish. Adrian…
Find out more »Discover and Enjoy Your Voice with Kate Eckersley
If you enjoy singing but are not sure how good you are- this course is for you. Come and learn about your voice and how to get the most pleasure from singing.
Find out more »Stained Glass for Beginners and Improvers with Neil Kershaw
This introduction is aimed at absolute beginners and people who have a limited knowledge of stained glass work. You will make your own stained glass panel- which you will be able to take home with you at the end of the course.
Find out more »William Blake: Apprentice and Master with Anna Steven
The full description for this course is not yet available. It will be added shortly. In the meantime- if you require further information- please contact Denman on 01865 391991.
Find out more »Do Ahead Dinners with Carrie O’Regan
Take the stress out of dinner parties and midweek meals with a course designed around fridge and freezer-friendly dishes that can be prepared in advance.
Find out more »The Glorious Age of Plant Hunting with Letta Jones
exploring the 19th obsession with collecting and growing exotic and glamorous plants from abroad- including Denman garden walk
Find out more »Wardrobe Wizard with Liz Prest
Discover how to create a stunning and extensive wardrobe from just a few well-chosen items. Learn to select- combine and co-ordinate outfits to die for!
Find out more »15/215 Brass Ensembles with Peter Bassano with Peter Bassano
Standard : Intermediate , Advanced Peter Bassano, Music Director of the Oxford University Sinfonietta and a member of the John Wallace Brass Quintet, returns after a one year gap for another course designed for pre-formed brass ensembles and individual players. We
Find out more »The WI Baking Weekender with Kelly Mauger
Join us for another of our famous Baking Weekenders- the WI's own Bake Off....minus the stress and competition!
Find out more »15/216 Classical Keyboard with Tmothy Barratt
Standard : Intermediate , Advanced This popular course focuses on the keyboard music of the Classical era and participants are asked to bring pre-prepared pieces by the likes of Haydn, Mozart, Schubert and Beethoven as well as their less well-known contemporaries. The course is taught in a class format with participants learning from one another with expert guidance and encouragement from Tim. There will also be the opportunity to play our 1824 Broadwood square piano during the course, a typical…
Find out more »15/308 Intermediate Chamber Orchestra with Anthony Bailey
Standard : Intermediate Following the popularity of our annual Classical Orchestra course we have decided to offer a similar course for those of an intermediate standard. The course is lead by conductor and clarinettist Anthony Bailey and we will be working on Haydn
Find out more »Oh! What a Lovely War: A Centenary Reflection with Jackie Wilkin
Richard Attenborough's memorable WWI film of Joan Littlewood's iconic stage hit will be at the heart of this course.
Find out more »Vegetarian Indian with Rama Santha Ram
A vegetarian diet is the staple of nearly half a billion Indians- so you can bet there are some amazing dishes that can be cooked using pulses- grains and vegetables.
Find out more »Modular Knitting: Improvers with Jan Blight
If you have mastered the basics of modular knitting- this course will lead you onto experiment with other methods and shapes. Borders- shaping and fasteners will all be covered.
Find out more »Oil Painting: A Winter Landscape with Gill Adlington
Come and learn how to paint a winter landscape.
Find out more »Embroidery: Blackwork for Beginners with Pat Trott
An opportunity to design and create a beautiful piece of Blackwork using very simple stitches and only one colour of thread to produce a stunning tonal piece of embroidery.
Find out more »Stone Carving with Simon Keeley
Venturing into 3D in stone is not an impossible task- when you have a highly experienced tutor used to working with both absolute beginners and experienced artists.
Find out more »15/218 Folk Fiddling by Ear with Pete Cooper
Standard : Intermediate Pete Cooper
Find out more »Pen and Wash: A Winter Landscape with Jonathan Newey
This is a course that will introduce you to sketching winter scenes. You will be shown how to draw and sketch with black ink pen and how to combine this with painting with a watercolour wash.
Find out more »Mah Jong for Improvers with Jennifer Capewell
An opportunity to build on the skills learnt in Mah Jong for Beginners.
Find out more »Introduction to evolutionary psychology
This course provides an introduction to the application of evolutionary theory to psychology. You will learn how this approach has been used to understand topics such as social behaviour, mate choice, family dynamics, language, culture and mental health.
Find out more »Writing nature: poetry in stone and bark
Join us to study 20th and 21st century poetry that emerges from a philosophy of deep engagement with place, landscape and nature. The course coincides with a major exhibition of the work of poet and artist Ian Hamilton-Finlay at Cambridge gallery Kettle's Yard, and will also consider the work of Richard Long and land artists Andy Goldsworthy and David Nash.
Find out more »15/103 Practical Harpsicord Tuning Day with Andrew Wooderson
Standard : Intermediate , Advanced Our early keyboard consultant Andrew Wooderson offers this brand new course devoted to introducing the art of harpsichord tuning and looking briefly at the theory involved, together with discussion and demonstration of techniques. Participants will have the opportunity to practise tuning themselves with friendly and supportive guidance. This is not a complete training course, but rather a confidence boosting introduction to the subject, with plenty for beginners and the less experienced. There will be a…
Find out more »15/CEL Cello Day with Jenny Curtis
Standard : Intermediate , Advanced Jenny Curtis, of the Tedesca Quartet, once again leads this popular day course devoted to ensemble cello playing. Jenny will specify the music in advance, allocate parts and electronic copies of the music will be sent to participants around a month before the course (or for those not on email, we can make other arrangements). We
Find out more »15/310 Late Starter String Orchestra with Sebastian Muller
Standard : Elementary , Intermediate Due to increasing popularity in the usual July slot, we
Find out more »Bakery Masterclass with Carrie O’Regan
Concentrating on breads- biscuits and cakes- this course will help you improve your baking skills using simple but effective methods. Become more confident with baking techniques and equipment.
Find out more »TCHAIKOVSKY IN THE 1870s : The Years of Crisis
The 1870s were years of remarkable creative fertility for Tchaikovsky, with masterpieces such as the opera Eugene Onegin, the ballet Swan Lake and the Fourth Symphony. B
Find out more »March 2015
15/JZI Improve your Jazz Improvisations with Vicktor Obsust
Standard : Intermediate , Advanced The charismatic Viktor Obsust leads this new course which offers a progression on his popular series of introductory courses. The course is designed for all instrumentalists who have had experience of jazz playing and want to take their improvisations to the next level. Viktor will be leading workshops, masterclasses and jam sessions in a relaxed and mutually supportive environment.
Find out more »15/219 French Piano Music with Stephen Gutman
Standard : Intermediate , Advanced Stephen Gutman returns to Benslow Music for another journey through the world of French piano music. Participants are asked to bring along two or three pre-prepared pieces from the repertoire to work on during the course. Stephen will offer invaluable hints and tips on how to pace, pedal and generally colour your performances of Debussy, Ravel, Satie, Messiaen and the rest in a mutually supportive class environment.
Find out more »Creative Decorative Papercutting with Christine Green
Paper cutting is THE craft of the moment- seen everywhere on posters- book jackets and crockery. And now you can master the basics of this highly rewarding- low cost craft and amaze your friends.
Find out more »The Home Deli with Paul Peacock
Learn how to make artisan foods with self sufficiency gurus- Paul and Diana Peacock. Make your own Toulouse sausages and chorizo- Wensleydale cheese and fabulous terrines.
Find out more »Finance: Investment Risk with Tulani Motsi
All investments carry some risk. You may not be able to totally avoid all risks- but you can reduce them. To achieve this you need to be able to identify the risks- know the best ways to tackle that risk and understand your own risk tolerance.
Find out more »Flower Arranging: Spring Flowers with Christine Pearce
Come and be inspired by the flowers and colours of spring and enjoy making floral designs for your home. Lets shake of the winter blues and enjoy the emerging spring flowers.
Find out more »A Trio of Brooches with Edna Oswald
An opportunity to learn three different techniques and make at least three brooches.
Find out more »Photography for Beginners with Stephen Green
See the image! Develop your ability to create interesting photographs. Learn to handle your digital camera with confidence. Suitable for all kinds of digital cameras.
Find out more »15/221 Elgar: The Man and his Music with Roderick Swanston
Standard : All Edward Elgar with his ramrod back and bristling moustache has come to be seen as the quintessential English composer, yet his musical roots lie more in the works of Wagner, Dvorak and Mendelssohn. Richard Strauss described him as the greatest English modernist. This course will explore in depth some of Elgar
Find out more »WI Centenary: The Men Who Created Jerusalem with Ernie Richards
The full description for this course is not yet available. It will be added shortly. In the meantime- if you require further information- please contact Denman on 01865 391991.
Find out more »Flavours of Asia with Peter Lien
Asia plays a huge influence on Peter Lien's cookery so join him on a journey through the Far East- stopping off in Japan- China- South East Asia and the Indian subcontinent.
Find out more »Silk Painting for Improvers with Mavis Tierney
Have you been on a silk painting course at Denman before? Or do you have some knowledge of the technique used in this wonderful craft? Try this follow on course and extend your skills repertoire.
Find out more »Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: re-reading a classic at 150
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2015. Carroll's text famously ushers in a 'golden age' of children's literature, in which fantasy and imagination begin to receive as much attention as pedagogy in books for children. This course will explore the origins, development and transformation of the text across the last 150 years, and consider why Wonderland still matters as much in 2015 as it did in 1865.
Find out more »Myths and rituals in religion
Myths and rituals create, sustain and disrupt religious and cultural systems. This course examines how religious myths and rituals evolve and affect religious and secular life. Looking at different approaches we will consider a variety of myths and rituals from different religions and cultures, including pilgrimage, food, texts and rites of passage.
Find out more »15/104 Introduction to Wind Chamber Music Day with Janet Myatt
Standard : Elementary , Intermediate Each year, Janet Myatt runs a series of successful courses dedicated to introducing players to the world of one-to-a-part playing, in groups of similar ability. This year, we have decided to expand the programme to include this day course designed for players of grade 3 upwards to join together for a day. We are looking for flutes, clarinets, oboes and bassoons, and Janet will provide a vast library of music for a variety of combinations.…
Find out more »15/312 Group Quartets with Brenda Stewart with Brenda Stewart
Standard : Intermediate , Advanced Brenda Stewart once again leads her popular Group Quartets course, designed for those who might be hesitant about playing string chamber music one-to-a-part as well as those who simply enjoy playing the repertoire in a group. This year
Find out more »Watercolours for Improvers with Michael Burgess
Building upon the skills and techniques learnt during Watercolours for Beginners- students will extend their expertise by creating mood- atmosphere and depth in their paintings.
Find out more »Contemporary Embroidery for Beginners – Day School with Natalie Green
This is embroidery brought right up to date- combining traditional stitches with simple appliqu
Find out more »Embroidered Picture: My Favourite Things with Natalie Green
Design and create a stunning embroidered sampler that incorporates lots of things that are special to you.
Find out more »Beading for the More Experienced with Pat Trott
If you have attended Beading for Beginners and Beyond at Denman- or elsewhere- and would like to learn more techniques and stitches- attending this course will extend your knowledge.
Find out more »