If you are a chorister who would love to sing in a group of about 23 singers in medieval churches with stunning acoustics … If you would like to improve your singing during your holiday in a relaxed atmosphere, working with an inspiring singing teacher whose energy and enthusiasm are infectious … How about a singing holiday in beautiful southwest France?
Singing Holidays in Southwest France: Lot / Dordogne
Singing teacher and linguist Anke de Bruijn provides the perfect ingredients for a relaxing and inspiring week of choral singing, improving your vocal technique and … exploring all the good things about La Belle France: a mild climate, beautiful landscapes, picturesque towns and great food. Anke lives and works year round in this unspoilt part of France, with singers from all over Europe and North America. All classes and rehearsals are conducted in English.
Singing Holidays for singers who can prepare their music at home
Although you don’t need to be able to sight-read, your part of the singing holiday deal is that you prepare the music before you get to France. We provide sheet music and mp3’s of all the parts so you can study at home. That way, we may build a really good choir in just one week’s time!
Singing Holidays in a different medieval church every day
A unique feature of our singing holidays is that rehearsals take place in a different medieval church every day. These churches are a testament to the history of this glorious region, dating back to the Knights Templars, Richard the Lionheart and the days before the 100 Years War. The local diocese has granted special permission to Singing Holiday singers to sing in these beautiful Romanesque buildings with their superb acoustics, which are usually closed to the public.
Singing Holidays with time for sight-seeing
Singers can spend their afternoons admiring medieval castles from their canoes on the Dordogne River. Wine enthusiasts can visit the Cahors vineyards. The stunning sites of Sarlat, Rocamadour and St Cirq-Lapopie are nearby, as are spectacular prehistoric caves. Those needing to recharge can relax by the pool, walk in the hills, rent a bike, soak up village life in a local café…or get help from Anke with their vocal technique.
Singing Holidays in the land of movie locations
The castles of the Périgord are used as splendid movie locations (see e.g. Ameno by the group ERA). Below is our videoclip, featuring the stunning backdrop of Singing Holidays in Southwest France and the song Canto Amoris (3-part female voices) written by Anke.
Documentary
Here is a short documentary on Anke’s work with international community choir Chorale de Cazals in the Lot | Dordogne | Périgord region.
©Actualités Locales au Cinéma | Production : IDÉtorial | Réalisation: François Stuck | Used by kind permission