Schooled In Performances

SU CARROLL goes behind the scenes and talks to the Artistic Director of Dartington’s programme of summer events

- Su Carroll

THE BEAUTIFUL Dartington Estate near Totnes has been hosting an International Summer School since 1948, bringing together experienced artists and students who are beginning their careers for four weeks of classes, coaching and performance.

Today a festival programme in tandem with the summer school gives members of the public the chance to see a wide range of performances.

Joanna MacGregor, Head of Piano at the Royal College of Music, took up the post of Artistic Director at the festival and summer school in 2015 and appears to have worked wonders in a relatively short space of time.

“Audiences have gone through the roof since 2015, even for the late night events,” she says modestly. “They have really embraced the wide mix of programming and the fact that it’s a wonderful environment with the gardens and lovely places to eat. There’s a nice ambience. It’s all about camaraderie and breaking down the barriers and the flow of things from day into night.”