Assisi Summer School
- 2 August to 9 August 2026Directed By Patrick Craig
Introduction
Perched on a hilltop overlooking the plains of Umbria, Assisi - the city of Giotto and St Francis - is a place of picturesque alleyways, steps, churches, bells and pilgrims. It has a unique spiritual tranquility which is part of the reason for our returning year after year. To us, it almost feels like a second home
Patrick Craig, taking over our Assisi residency, has put together a wonderful programme of music for the saints including - of course St Francis. Alongside works in honour of Francis by Palestrina and Philips, we will focus on Spanish composers Victoria and Guerrero and their motets in honour of various Saints including the great apostles Peter and Andrew and the apostle to the apostles Mary Magdalene.
This course is for more advanced singer so numbers will be capped at around 40 and singers will need to submit rather more information about their singing experience.
The Assisi course runs from Sunday evening, when we meet for our first group dinner, to the following Saturday evening where we perform our new repertoire at a concert in the Basilica of St Francis. We will sing for approximately five hours each day with breaks for coffee and a long afternoon break. Thursday will be a half-day when people may choose to explore a little further afield.
Who is the course for?
Participants should have good sight-reading ability and must be prepared to study the music beforehand. It also helps if you enjoy good food, good company and the occasional glass of wine. We all eat together most evenings in a selection of different restaurants where everyone will soon get to know each other. Our singing holidays have proved equally popular with people travelling on their own and singing couples. Assisi is a beautifully preserved UNESCO site but it is hilly, there are steps everywhere and precious few ramps. it is likely to tax anyone who finds walking, climbing and standing difficult.
Musical Director
Patrick Craig is a countertenor, harpist, teacher, lecturer and conductor. He is a Vicar Choral at St Paul's Cathedral and has sung almost a…
MUSIC LIST
FRANCIS OF ASSISI
Palestrina – Decus morum SAATB
Philips – O virum mirabilum SSATB
PETER
Guerrero – Dixit Dominus Petro SSATB
Hassler – Tu es Petrus SSATB
ANDREW
Guerrero – Ambulans Jesu SSATB
Morales – Andreas Christi famulus SSATB
SEBASTIAN
Guerrero – Beatus es SSATB
IGNATIUS
Victoria - Cum beatus Ignatius SSATB
JEROME
Guerrero – Pie Pater Hieronyme SSAATB
AUGUSTINE
Victoria – O doctor optime SATB
MARY MAGDALENE
Guerrero - Maria Magdalene SSATBarB
CECILIA
Rogier – Cantantibus organis SSSATB
ALSO
Victoria - O quam gloriosum
Guerrero - Ibant apostoli SATB
There is a wide choice of accommodation available in Assisi from the campsite to convenient three star hotels - with dozens of one and two-star hotels in between. We have been coming here every year since 2003 so we have discovered that most people like to stay in the same two or three hotels nearest to the rehearsal room; we will send you an annotated accommodation list of those hotels on registration. Assisi is a hilltop town so please bear this in mind when deciding where to stay. The rehearsal venue is near the Piazza Commune, the main square of Assisi.
This bit is up to you and is not included in the course fee. The nearest international airports are Perugia, Rome and Ancona. Although it is no longer the nearest airport, there is an excellent direct rail link from Rome to Assisi so some participants will favour this route - often spending a day or two in Rome. Assisi is accessible by road but the town centre is a car-free zone. Please check Assisi Online for more information about traffic restrictions.
The course fee is payable in two stages - £195 on registration and a balance of £645 which will be invoiced approximately ten weeks before arrival in Italy. This covers tuition and four evening meals (with wine) but not transport or accommodation. Music - which can be kept - will cost £35.00 for everything you need and will be mailed to you six-eight weeks in advance. You will also need to organise your own travel and health insurance. Non-singers are welcome to join us - subject to availability - and pay just £250 to cover their meals.
Holiday insurance
All participants are advised to have appropriate holiday insurance in place and notify RBS of the policy provider.
Any questions?
If you have any questions at all please contact Nick Couchman (nick@runbysingers.org) or Emma Ford (emma@runbysingers.org) or ring us during office hours on 01462 372702. The office is not always occupied so please do leave a message and we will get back to you.
