About The Music Summer School and Festival

The Music Summer School and Festival is a leading music summer school UK, bringing together performers, composers and music-lovers from across Britain and around the world. Each August, The Music Summer School and Festival creates an immersive residential environment where intensive study and public performance exist side by side.

Participants of all ages, backgrounds and stages of experience are united by curiosity, generosity of spirit and a shared commitment to musical excellence. Days are filled with rehearsals, coaching, workshops and masterclasses; evenings are alive with concerts and conversation. The atmosphere of The Music Summer School and Festival is one of warmth, focus and shared artistic purpose — an experience many describe as transformative.

A Distinguished History

The Music Summer School and Festival is presented by the Summer School Foundation (formerly The Dartington International Summer School Foundation), an independent charity established in 1976. The organisation builds on a distinguished tradition that began at Bryanston and flourished for many decades at Dartington.

That legacy of openness, collaboration and artistic experimentation continues to shape The Music Summer School and Festival today. While honouring its history, the festival has evolved into a confident, outward-looking residential music summer school UK with a strong artistic identity and ambitious programme.

Our Home in North Norfolk

Since 2023, The Music Summer School and Festival has been based at Gresham’s School in the Georgian market town of Holt.

Gresham’s offers an exceptional environment for concentrated study and performance, with superb rehearsal spaces, professional concert venues, residential accommodation and beautiful grounds. The school counts among its distinguished alumni composer Benjamin Britten, composer Lennox Berkeley and poet W. H. Auden — a heritage that reflects its longstanding connection to artistic excellence.

The North Norfolk coast lies just four miles away, while the centre of Holt is less than ten minutes’ walk from the campus. This setting allows The Music Summer School and Festival to combine artistic focus with a strong sense of community and place.

The Music Summer School and Festival runs from 1–15 August 2026 at Gresham’s School, creating a vibrant hub for musicians seeking a residential music course in the UK.

Festival Life and Performance

Performance is central to The Music Summer School and Festival. Concerts, talks and events take place every day, ensuring that this music summer school UK is also a thriving summer music festival in Norfolk.

Events are held in a rich variety of spaces including:

  • The Auden Theatre

  • The Fishmongers’ Recital Hall in the Britten Music Building

  • The Dyson Building

  • The Chapel

  • The atmospheric Theatre in the Woods

This daily performance rhythm ensures that study and public music-making are fully integrated throughout The Music Summer School and Festival.

Courses and Artistic Programme

The Music Summer School and Festival offers a wide and ambitious range of residential music courses in the UK, including:

  • Choir, Vocal Ensembles and Chamber Choir

  • Opera Scenes

  • Jazz and Improvisation

  • Chamber Music

  • Baroque Orchestra and Early Music

  • Wind and String Ensembles

  • Folk Music

  • Composition

  • Dance

  • Instrumental and Vocal Workshops and Masterclasses

  • Tango Music

Participants are challenged, supported and inspired by outstanding tutors and by one another. The Music Summer School and Festival balances openness and inclusion with the pursuit of the highest artistic standards, creating a unique community dedicated to shared artistic growth.

Book your place here

 

^