Choruses from Dido and Aeneas (Purcell)
West Leigh Infants’ School, Backwell, BS48 3NG
10am - 4.30pm
£25 (non-members); £20 (EMF members); £5 (18-25’s)
Organiser: Ann Heymans / annheymans21@gmail.com
https://swemf.org.uk/event/13071/
The Workshop
Instrumental parts will be provided on the day, but can be obtained previously from
annheymans21@gmail.com
Singers are asked to bring their own score, or to download a vocal score from:
https://imslp.org/wiki/Dido_and_Aeneas,_Z.626_(Purcell,_Henry)
Choose the Vocal score edited by Dent.
We shall be using pages 4-6, 19-21, 24-30, 32-38, 41-46, 49-52, 64-68, 82-87.
Teaching and revision materials on the choruses we will be singing can be found via this link:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIngS9V1Y4LjvXiSHXFHGjNbB6R3iPEuZ
The Leader
Ben England is an internationally renowned conductor, educator and innovator, in demand across the UK and around the world to lead choral workshops, projects and lectures. He has received wide acclaim for his pioneering work in online music-making. He is the Principal of Earth Choir Academy, a newly founded non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting and developing the choral repertoire through exceptional teaching. Ben is the Musical Director of Choir of the Earth, an online choir with thousands of members that has grown to become one of the largest choirs in the world. Its inaugural project, Messiah at Home, was featured on BBC Evening News and broadcast globally. He is also the founder of Homechoir, a unique way of learning, singing and performing engaging music from home. He has led international tours of major choral works, conducting in leading venues from concert halls to cathedrals. Recent highlights include conducting Messiah in Dublin on the anniversary of its first performance, Mozart’s Requiem in Salzburg in 2024 and Haydn’s Nelson Mass at Esterhazy in 2025. Ben is also the Musical Director of the Bristol Cabot Choir, returning to the post after fourteen years. His projects have raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity over the years, including the Alzheimer’s Society, Choirs Against Cancer, UNICEF and countless local charities.
A graduate of the University of Bristol, where he specialised in conducting, Ben’s career spans more than thirty years and includes work with numerous choirs and orchestras worldwide. In October 2020 he was awarded the British Empire Medal by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in the Birthday Honours for his work during the COVID-19 pandemic. He went on to receive a Commendation from the Royal Philharmonic Society in December 2020, the “Inspiration Award” at the Music and Drama Education Awards in 2022, and the University of Bristol Alumni Award for Community Engagement and Impact in the same year.
The Venue
There is a good car park at the school, but participants are encouraged to travel by public transport if practicable. Nailsea and Backwell mainline station is about a 15-20 minute walk away and various buses serve the stop at Backwell Crossroads which is equidistant from the school. There are shops and a café by the crossroads.
Further Details and Application Forms:
Please note:
- To book multiple places on a workshop, please fill in a separate form for each person, but a single payment is fine.
- The online form below does not support the special 18-25's price.
If you fall into this category, please explain in the "Other information" box and send the appropriate amount.
Workshop information (to print out and keep)
Paper booking form (to print out and post)