Ralph Woodward - harpsichord and choir
Course Director

Ralph Woodward is Musical Director of the Fairhaven Singers and Full Score. His international work has included performances throughout Europe, the Gulf and the Far East.

Past collaborators have included Emma Kirkby, Vladimir Ashkenazy, The Parley of Instruments, Britten Sinfonia and Cradle of Filth.

Andrew Fowler - viol
Tutor Organiser

Andrew Fowler is based in Durham, where he performs and teaches recorders, viols and voice.

He is drawn to the earlier repertoire: his research and performing interests have led him to publish editions of works composed between 1550 and 1650, many of which are based on sources in Durham Cathedral Library.

Alan Davis - solo recorder

Alan Davis has extensive experience as a recorder teacher, performer, composer and arranger.

He currently teaches the recorder at Chetham's School of Music and the Junior School of the Royal Northern College of Music, and is a regular tutor at the South Bohemia Summer School of Early Music.

Elizabeth Dodd - viol

Elizabeth Dodd studied viol and early dance at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She played and danced with many early music groups in London before moving north.

She now performs and teaches all over the north of England, including the North Western Early Music Forum Summer School.

Duncan Druce - baroque strings

Duncan Druce was one of the pioneers of original-instrument performance in Britain. As a founder-member of the Academy of Ancient Music and the Music Party he took part in some of the earliest recordings and performances in the 1970s.

Since then he has played with most of the foremost London-based baroque and classical groups.

Manfred Harras - solo recorder

Manfred Harras studied solo recorder at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. He has taught at the State Music Academy in Heidelberg-Mannheim and at the Conservatory of Biel-Bienne in Switzerland.

Manfred is a publisher of early music, writes on recorder technique and performance, and has featured on more than fifty recordings.

Laura Hird - upper intermediate recorder

Laura Hird studied recorders at the Royal Academy of Music. She then moved to Milan to study recorder and baroque bassoon.

Laura performs regularly both as a soloist and in various chamber music ensembles. She teaches recorders privately and at the Sage, Gateshead.

Alison Kinder - beginner viol

Alison Kinder studied viol at Oxford and Trinity College of Music. She performs regularly with several ensembles, including the viol consort Cheyls, flute trio Triptych and constumed renaissance ensemble Passamezzo.

Alison is a keen teacher, and is also founder and director of the Early Music for Youth summer school.

Stewart McCoy - lute

Stewart McCoy has an MMus with distinction in Historical Musicology from King's College, London, and an ARCM in Lute Teaching. He is a regular tutor on the St Colombe viol course in Austria, and on the German lute course at Alteglofsheim.

He has contributed articles to Early Music and The Lute, and has edited music for many publishers.

Jacqui Robertson-Wade - solo bass viol

Jacqui Robertson-Wade studied at Trinity College of Music. She is an established performer with various ensembles and has worked for the RSC.

Jacqui teaches at the Early Music Shop and Farncombe Estate, and is also a tutor for the Viola da Gamba Society's summer weekend course, and Early Music for Youth summer school.

Jane Rumney - advanced recorder

Jane Rumney studied at the Royal College of Music, gaining diplomas in recorder performance and teaching.

She is an experienced solo and chamber musician, and has a very successful recorder teaching practice, with her pupils gaining local and national awards.

Mary Tyers - lower intermediate recorder

Mary Tyers is based in North-East England, where she is well-established as both a teacher and a performer. 

She has taught recorders and flute for Durham and Newcastle Universities and regularly performs with both chamber groups and period-instrument orchestras.