30 July–3 August 2025
A small group of friends meets in a working Carmelite monastery in Ghent to explore interesting music and drink interesting beer.
Nearly half the world’s population lives within 100km of the sea. For thousands of years, humans have shown temerity, bravery and creativity in their encounters with the oceans – from sacrifices in the name of Poseidon to awesome works of engineering. The Age of Exploration brought mythical, faraway lands within reach of European civilisation, battles were waged on the waves as well as on land, and men were born, lived, and perished at sea. We will explore choral music of high adventure, forlorn separation, supernatural weirdness and sheer awe — and compare the ways different composers from different cultures have represented their experiences as the world was made smaller.
Update (07/02/25)
- Booking is open for the 2025 course!
Dates and schedule
Tuesday 29 July
- Arrive (anytime up to late evening)
Wednesday 30 July
- 09:00–12:00 Rehearsal SATB
- 17:30–19:30 Rehearsal SA
Thursday 31 July
- 09:00–12:00 Rehearsal SATB
- 17:30–19:30 Rehearsal TB
Friday 1 August
- 09:00–12:00 Rehearsal SATB
- 17:30–19:30 Rehearsal SATB
Saturday 2 August
- 09:00–12:00 Rehearsal SATB
- 17:30–19:30 Party
Sunday 3 August
- ~12:00 Depart
Accommodation
The course is based at the Carmelite monastery in central Ghent. Our accommodation is in simple guest rooms in the monastery itself, and includes breakfast every day.
Travel
Book your own travel — it’s not included in the price. Travel advice from the UK:
- Arriving by Eurostar: Take the train from London to Brussels (2 hours). It can be booked well in advance, with ultra-flexible tickets and cheaper prices the earlier you book. When you arrive at Bruxelles-Midi/Brussel-Zuid, take a direct train to Gent-Sint-Pieters/Gand-St-Pierre (28 mins).
- Arriving by air: Fly to Brussels airport (aka Brussels Zaventem) or to Schiphol in the Netherlands, then look for trains to Gent-Sint-Pieters/Gand-St-Pierre, probably changing in Brussels centre. Don’t fly to Charleroi.
Because of works in Ghent, there are temporary changes to the tram network and travel is not quite as simple as last year. Probably the best way to get from the station to the monastery will be:
- bus P4 towards Lange Steenstraat, alighting at Brugsepoort and walking for 7 minutes
- tram 1 towards Stelplaats, alighting at Galgenberg and walking for 10 minutes
- tram 3 towards Moscou, alighting at Galgenberg and walking for 10 minutes
The Google Maps app has been reliably updated with the latest changes during the work.
Costs
The prices below cover the cost of bed and breakfast accommodation, rehearsal room hire, sheet music costs and (minimal) refreshments during rehearsals. There is no charge for tuition and nobody makes a profit.
| Per person | Deposit by 1 May 2025 | Remainder by 1 July 2025 |
| Single room | 65€ / £55.25 | 585€ / £497.25 |
| Half of a double/twin room | 50€ / £42.50 for singers 38€ / £32.50 for non-singers | 450€ / £382.50 for singers 342€ / £292.50 for non-singers |
| Without accommodation | 12€ / £10 | 108€ / £90 |
The costs are a bit higher than last year because the monastery has increased its prices for summer bookings — but it still represents excellent value for high quality accommodation in the centre of Ghent in high season.
If you choose the option ‘without accommodation’ then it’s on you to find your own accommodation locally, or to commute. Here are some alternative options people have used in the past – prices are based on a quick search but should give you an idea:
- Urban Gardens Ghent (campsite 20min away on public transport – maps): ~200€/£165 for one small tent for the week
- Hostels: ~180€–230€ / ~£150–£190 in various mixed dorms
Music list
The music list will be available later.