Online workshops for teachers and students announced by Benedetti Foundation

Scotland-based music education charity the Benedetti Foundation has announced a new season of Mini Virtual Sessions for autumn 2021, which will take place on Zoom from September to December. 

With online sessions grouped into four categories - incorporating classroom and instrumental teachers and students - the season will cover topics ranging from performance psychology, working with young people with additional needs, and advanced strings sessions to rhythms of the world, education for happiness, and approaching Bach’s cello suites. 

Session leaders, all part of the Foundation’s team of tutors, include Pete Sparkes, artistic director of Drake Music Scotland, cellist David Watkin, and Naveed Idrees and Shakira Afzal, head and deputy head teachers at Feversham Primary Academy. The workshop leaders will also be assisted by the Foundation’s ambassadors. 

Teachers and students are able to purchase a ‘Session Pass’, which allows access to all sessions. These cost £90 for teachers and £25 for students. 

Registration for individual sessions starts at £4.50, but bursary support is available and the Foundation says that no one will be prevented from attending due to financial circumstances. 

For the first time, all sessions will be available to watch back for one month after they have taken place, with participants able to register for these without attending the live session. 

The Foundation, headed up by founder and artistic director Nicola Benedetti, began running virtual sessions during lockdown, and has been presenting ‘Mini’ sessions since July 2020. 

Registration is open now and more information about the sessions can be found at www.benedettifoundation.org/mini-sessions.