Thread: Anybody been to Berkshire Choral Festival?

Has anyone been to any of the Berkshire Choral Festival summer programs? Would you recommend this to other choristers? Any comments, suggestions, recommendations?

I went for about 10 years, and it was overall a wonderful experience. I met fantastic people, some of whom have remained close friends over the years.

Because of my frequent visits to Sheffield, I actually ended up buying a house in the area when I moved to NYC.

The ability to immerse yourself in the architecture of a major work for a full week, with a first-class conductor, was fantastic. The courses were tremendously helpful, and the locations and schedule set up absolutely breathtaking.

BCF also helped me mature and grow as a singer; I first went in about 1989 (to Canterbury) as a complete novice and then did many sessions in Sheffield.

As I became more experienced, I found some aspects of the program mildly annoying -- there sometimes seemed to be a large skill gap between the "church choir" singers and the "secular chorus" singers that could be frustrating to the more experienced singers. And the staff had a tendency to be rather pretentious at times.

But those are very very very minor complaints -- and the positives of BCF dramatically overwhelm any little annoyances.

I applaud BCF's efforts to keep the sessions from becoming an Elder Hostel week (no slam intended to retirees) which is a constant problem because mid-career folks who have children may not be able to spend a week's vacation singing.

Overall, I highly, highly recommend it. A refreshing, invigorating, and joyous way to spend a week's vacation.

PS -- get the A/C rooms. The humidity in the NW corner is stifling in the summer.

Originally Posted by Orgelbear

Has anyone been to any of the Berkshire Choral Festival summer programs? Would you recommend this to other choristers? Any comments, suggestions, recommendations?

While I have personally never been to Berkshire, I have heard alot of great things about this festival for chorale singers.