The Glory of Venice - Singing Holiday
- 1 July to 5 July 2026Directed By David Skinner
Introduction
David Skinner joins us in Venice for the first time as we visit the City by the Sea a little earlier than usual. He has put together a splendid programme of music by Adrianus Willaert.
Willaert (c. 1490–1562) was a pivotal figure in the development of the Venetian School of music, which emerged in the 16th century as a major centre for Renaissance polyphony. Serving as the maestro di cappella at St Mark’s Basilica in Venice, he was instrumental in establishing a distinctive style characterized by rich harmonies, intricate counterpoint, and a profound sensitivity to text. His innovative use of spatial effects, particularly in the context of the basilica's architecture, influenced subsequent composers and laid the groundwork for the Venetian polychoral style.
The concert will take place in San Trovaso Church which has a good acoustic and is a popular choice for concerts; it is located near the Accademia museum on Venice's Dorsoduro. The course will begin with supper at 7.30 pm on Wednesday evening with rehearsals starting in earnest on the Thursday morning leading up to our concert on Saturday night. The course finishes after breakfast on Sunday morning.
Who is the course for?
This is not a Bring & Sing event. Participants should be experienced choral singers with some sight-reading ability and must be prepared to learn their part beforehand.
Musical Director
David Skinner is Fellow, Praelector, and Osborn Director of Music at Sidney Sussex College in the University of Cambridge where he teaches historical and…
Programme to include:
Dulces exuviae (SATB)
Pater peccavi (SATB)
Angelus Domini (SATB)
Dilexi quoniam exaudiet Dominus (SATB)
Da pacem Domine (SATB)
Alma redemptoris mater (SSAATB)
Infelix ego (SSAATB)
Accommodation is extremely expensive in Venice and many of the more affordable establishments are hard to find and, have only a few rooms. To help reduce costs a bit for our singers, we will be staying once again at a simple but comfortable Conference Centre which is within the historic centre of Venice very near to our concert venue and is also within walking distance of St Mark's Square. It's not a hotel as such - there are no televisions or min-bars -but all rooms have private ensuite facilities and there is even a night porter.
This bit is up to you and is not included in the price. There are affordable budget flights available from Easyjet and Ryanair to Venice Marco Polo and Treviso airports. There are also scheduled services from Heathrow with the main national carriers. You need to arrive in time for dinner on Wednesday night and can leave any time on Sunday. Please let us know in good time if you want to stay for any extra nights.
The Glory of Venice fee including the concert, four nights B&B accommodation and two Group Meals will be £1195 per person sharing. (Single occupancy supplement £40 per night). A deposit of £295 is required when booking with final payment due no later than eight weeks before our arrival in Venice. Non-singing partners sharing singers' rooms are welcome - subject to availability - and pay a reduced fee of £799. Music - which can be kept - will cost £35 and is sent out about six-eight weeks in advance.
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.
