Articles featuring Dillington House | LeisureCourses.net - short courses & residential study breaks in great locations - Part 2
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Hidden Landscapes, Hidden Treasures of the West Country
Listed on August 15, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesOff the beaten track and boasting stunningly beautiful landscapes, each of the areas to be visited during the week possess a unique set of characteristics and a wealth of evidence of human occupation over the last five thousand years. Each day you will visit, hear and see about events, places, buildings, monuments, people, the geology...
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Norway: Art, History & Culture
Listed on August 15, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesWe look at the history of Norway from the days of the Vikings onwards, including its fight for independence and the ‘Heroes of Telemark’ in WW2. Inspirational pictures of the mountains and fjords will be supplemented by art that reflected Norway’s growing Nationalism in the nineteenth-century, not forgetting Edvard Munch. We will also look at...
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Dillington Summer School Week Two
Listed on August 14, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesWeek Two offers a programme of full week courses but there is an opportunity to take time out from these and join a day with Dr Jan D. Cox on his Nordic Adventure or Chris Pollard on Spanish Cinema on Wednesday (subject to availability).
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The Art of Joaquin Sorolla – Spain’s Greatest Impressionist
Listed on August 12, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesJoaquin Sorolla is the least known great painter in Europe. In part this is because his style was eclipsed by the modern art of Picasso, Miro and Dali and few of his pictures ever made it into the national collections of northern Europe. Indeed, it has been claimed that there isn’t a single Sorolla painting...
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The War of the Roses
Listed on August 11, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesGreat buildings, growing prosperity, and a nasty taste for violence – that’s the paradox of fifteenth century England. Lost confidence in King Henry VI, and an ill-advised challenge from his cousin Richard of York, then terrible consequences including the deaths of both men. We will take a fresh view of the conflict, from its inception...
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The Genius of Handel
Listed on August 11, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesThere is a lot more to Handel than his justly celebrated oratorio Messiah or The Water Music. This short course will examine his life, time and achievement. Lavishly illustrated with images, music and anecdotes, we will explore the whole range of his output and demonstrate his complete mastery and genius. Importantly, we will see that...
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The Fiestas of Spain
Listed on August 11, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesTo many Spain is synonymous with fiestas and no one celebrates better than the Spanish! Through music, video and images we look at some of the great religious, historic and culinary fiestas that define this diverse and utterly captivating country. To understand the fiestas is to understand the people.
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Gustav Holst – The Man & His Music
Listed on August 10, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesDespite the huge success of ‘The Planets’, Gustav Holst has always been hard to pin down. His fascinating life story is full of abrupt changes of direction, multiple influences and a vast breadth of inspiration. English folk music, oriental mysticism, the doctrines of William Morris – it’s all there, expressed in terms of glittering orchestration,...
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The Life & Art of Vincent Van Gogh
Listed on August 10, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesVincent's short life and artistic achievement is remarkable by any measure. Largely self-taught, we know that his individual vision of the world was born from his intense humanity and a passionate belief that painting could make a difference. In this course we will look deeply and critically at his extraordinary life, his work and legacy...
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The Rise & Fall of Facism in Spain & Portugal
Listed on August 10, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesThe illegal uprising by the army against the elected governments and the bloody civil war that followed was a prelude to World War II. Remarkably, when racism was defeated elsewhere, the right-wing dictatorships endured in Spain and Portugal. With Europe developing new economies and institutions it was inevitable that the end would come. When it...
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Cervantes & Don Quixote
Listed on August 9, 2016 by Dillington in Featured Courses2016 is the quatercentenary of the death of Spain’s greatest writer. It is remarkable that Cervantes’ literary creation has endured across the centuries and throughout the world. We will explore the author’s life and times and examine the various themes of the novel. We will also consider the representation of the story in music and...
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Viva España
Listed on August 8, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesA mini festival of individual subjects celebrating the vibrancy of Spanish history and culture. All complete in themselves but amounting to a week discussing and revelling in all things Spanish. Topics during the week range from art, music, literature, politics and history. Further detail for each day is shown under the Day Courses section.
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Be A More Confident Painter
Listed on August 8, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesThis five day course is designed to challenge painters with some experience. The emphasis will be on watercolour, especially for preliminary work but finished studio pieces could be in any medium. Take time in the glorious surroundings of Dillington, to unwind and take a critical look at your own work. Be honest, are you stuck...
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Private Houses & Gardens of Devon, Somerset & Dorset
Listed on August 8, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesDespite the large number of Houses and Gardens, which open their doors to the public (over 1500 in the UK), there are over twice this number, which are rarely, if ever, open to the general public. As with last year’s programme, which was dedicated solely to the private houses and gardens of Devon, this year...
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The Music of Tudor England
Listed on August 8, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesThink of the Tudors and one thinks of the Reformation, that devastating upheaval. For musicians it proved hard to cope, as the rapturous elaborations of earlier times had to give way to simple purity. But Secular music also evolved, and became more personal and revealing. John Taverner and Thomas Tallis will take centre stage in...
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The Georgians – Their Art, Architecture & Entertainment
Listed on August 8, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesEverybody knows something about the Georgians but not everyone knows how foundational the period remains to our own time and culture. The Hanoverian succession was not easy although once established it created an enduring dynasty. This two-day course will explore the architecture, the society, briefly the politics, the art, literature and the music. We will...
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The Music of Spain
Listed on August 8, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesAlthough it is true that Spain did not contribute much to the classical or symphonic tradition of European music there are nevertheless great riches to discover. Its choral polyphony is arguably the greatest ever written and the music of Granados, Albeniz and Manuel de Falla presents a whole new sound world that is Spain in...
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Dillington Summer School Week One
Listed on August 7, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesWeek One offers you a selection of courses from which to create your own special holiday with a difference. Choose to spend the week out and about with Mike Hope, take part in one of the longer courses or put together a programme of shorter courses or self-contained days.
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Classical Guitar Summer Festival – From Serbia with Love – Branco Stoysin
Listed on August 4, 2016 by Dillington in MusicWith special guest Peter Reuffer (Guitar), Programme features Branco's lyrical guitar compositions and Folk music from Serbia.
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Classical Guitar Summer Festival – Prague Guitar Quartet
Listed on August 3, 2016 by Dillington in MusicMarek Veleminsky, Vaclav Kucera, Matej Fremi & Patrick Vacik. Programme includes works by Britten, Prokofiev & Stepan Rak.
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Classical Guitar Summer Festival – Serenade – Frontiers Trio
Listed on August 2, 2016 by Dillington in MusicMark Ashford (Guitar), David Le Page (violin) & Nick Stringfellow (Cello). Programme includes works by Vivaldi, Paganini, Piazzolla & Albeinz.
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Classical Guitar Summer Festival – Latin Impressions – Artic Guitar Trio
Listed on August 1, 2016 by Dillington in MusicTrond Davidson, Jarl Stromdal & Arne Brattland, programme includes works by Ginastera, Guastavino & Villa Lobos.
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Classical Guitar Summer Festival – Bach and Beyond
Listed on July 31, 2016 by Dillington in MusicMusic for Guitars and Harpsichord. Peter Reuffer (Guitar) & Adrian Boynton (Harpsichord) with special guest Lydia Hepworth (Guitar). A programme spanning 300 years including works by Bach, Marcello, Boccherini, Brouwer & Michel Legrand.
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The Twenty Second Dillington – Classical Guitar Summer School
Listed on July 31, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesThis popular event, which celebrates its 22nd anniversary, offers classical guitarists a unique opportunity to participate in a varied programme of music making, with plenty of time to develop playing and music reading skills. In an atmosphere of mutual support, your confidence will grow whilst performing in ensembles both large and small. Highlights for 2016...
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Dancing Dillington
Listed on July 24, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesClasses take place in the morning so there is plenty of time to practice your moves before you hit the dance floor each evening. There will also be the chance to dress up for a special dinner, after which you can sit back, relax and be dazzled as James and Leila take to the floor...
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Mediation and Mindfulness
Listed on July 20, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesA one day course designed for beginners, and for anyone wanting to refresh their own practice. We will look at how traditional meditation is now ‘mainstream’, formulated as Mindfulness by Jon Kabat Zinn et.al., and used therapeutically in the NHS, schools, prisons, etc. We will have short periods of silent practice with different meditation supports,...
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Boxed Cushions for Chairs, Sofas & Garden Furniture
Listed on July 19, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesEnjoy a productive day learning the professional skills to recover or make boxed cushions. Create an original design in the fabric of your own choice. Areas covered will include, cutting out, cutting bias binding, covering piping cord and zip insertion methods. All-comers welcome but please note you will need basic sewing knowledge, including the ability...
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Ukulele Workshop – Beyond Beginners
Listed on July 19, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesGot a Ukulele? Know a few chords? Perhaps you've been on a beginner’s workshop or have been quietly teaching yourself at home? Or maybe that uke has been gathering dust in the corner? This workshop is ideal for anyone who already owns a ukulele and can strum a few chords. During the workshop you will...
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The Art of Paul Cézanne
Listed on July 19, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesPaul Cézanne (1839–1906) is one of the most influential artists in the history of twentieth-century painting, inspiring generations of modern artists with his unique method of building form with colour and his analytical approach to nature. Both Matisse and Picasso are said to have remarked that Cézanne "is the father of us all." All-comers welcome.
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Watercolour Adventure
Listed on July 18, 2016 by Dillington in Featured CoursesTaking water as our theme we will embark on a voyage of discovery exploring techniques to capture the watery depths of the oceans, rockpools, ponds or rivers and the colourful flora and fauna living within. This course will be most suitable for those who wish to develop their watercolour paintings and try new experimental techniques...
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