International Composing for Media Summer School
Sunday 27th July – Saturday 2nd August 2025
Students aged 12-18 will learn the musical and technical skills for composing for screen, including TV, Film and Videos Games. The course will cover compositional technique, how to interpret a client brief, the technology involved in being a media composer, orchestrating for different ensembles, and will feature many real-world examples from conception to final production across all forms of media. Students will complete a final composition by the end of the course.
You should have some basic experience of composing, and basic knowledge of using Apple Mac computers and Logic / Garage Band or equivalent software.
Musical Opportunities
During our Composing for Media Summer School, you will benefit from a range of group and individual lessons. You’ll also learn with presentations of case studies from professional composers.
At the end of the week, you’ll present your final piece, which you will be able to take home on a memory stick.
Other Activities
Even professional composers need a break! With Wells Cathedral School’s outstanding facilities, you’ll have a range of activities to enjoy when you’re not making music…
Meet Our World-Class Staff
Meet our Co-ordinator
Special guest tutors to be confirmed, previous courses have featured award-winning composers Richard Jacques and David Buckley.
About our Course Tutors
Course tutors will generally be either full- or part-time teaching staff of Wells Cathedral School, a government-recognised specialist music school that is known for its quality teaching and musical opportunities for pre-professional musicians. However, should our staff be unavailable for our summer school, we will appoint music teachers of a comparable calibre to teach courses.
A Typical Day
7.30am: Wake up call for boarders
8.00am: Breakfast
8.30am: Registration in Cedars Hall for both day and boarding students
9.00am: Group composition workshop
10.30am: Break
11.00am: Individual composing time and one-to-one composition lessons
12.30pm: Lunch
1.15pm: Individual composing time and one-to-one composition lessons
2.45pm: Activities – sport, shopping, additional music
4.30pm: Group composition workshop
6.00pm: Supper
6.45pm: Show and Tell Session – Case Studies from Conception to Final Production
7.45pm: Day pupils depart
8.00pm: Boarders’ Activities
9.30pm: Bedtime routine begins (age dependent)
Fees
The course costs £1195 for boarding and £955 for day pupils (including meals – lunch/dinner for day). We have frozen our 2024 course fee but VAT has been added in line with new regulations. You will save 10% off of these fees if you book by 31st January 2025.
A deposit of 25% of the course fee is required to reserve your place, with the balance due on 9th May 2025. Bookings made after the 9th May 2025 must be accompanied by the full fee for the course. Please note deposits are non-refundable.
Discounts
If you book one of our Holiday Music Schools 2025, you are eligible for a £50 discount off the cost of each additional Holiday Music School 2025 course you book. This can be applied across siblings or for one child who takes part in more than one course in 2025. Please use the discount code “HOLIDAYMUSIC50” on your application form for each additional course you book (the full price will be required for the first booked course).
How to Apply
We recommend that you have the following information available before starting our booking process:
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Details about your child’s musical history, including feedback from your child’s music teacher, if applicable
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Payment card details (please note, if you wish to pay by childcare vouchers, please contact us BEFORE filling out the form).
