News
Ben de Souza – New teaching posts at two prestigious schools & upcoming concert
Oct
The accordion is being taken seriously in teaching institutions and on the concert platform
Ben de Souza is delighted to have been appointed accordion teacher at Salisbury Cathedral School and The Purcell School, from September 2021. It is very exciting news for the UK accordion scene that these two prestigious institutions are offering students the opportunity to study accordion. These roles see Ben teaching both piano standard-bass and button free-bass systems, as well as offering some chamber music coaching. We hope these will become established and long-lasting connections and that the accordion will remain a part of the schools’ offerings for years to come.
Earlier this year Valerie Barr was appointed as accordion teacher to Diocese of Leeds Music too which only demonstrates the growing stature of the accordion in the UK of late. We must remember that the accordion has been taught both at The Royal Academy of Music and The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland too for many years now and it’s good to see you young graduates of these two institutions taking up important teaching posts.
Rossini – Petite Messe Solennelle
As well as teaching, Ben remains busy on the performing circuit and is excited to be joining Birmingham Festival Choral Society for a performance of Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle on 30th October. This work was originally scored for choir with piano and harmonium accompaniment, but increasingly the harmonium part is played on the accordion.
This concert was twice postponed due to the pandemic but it now looks as though it will finally go ahead.
Concert details below:
Saturday 30th October 2021
7:30pm
The Ruddock Centre, King Edward’s School, Edgbaston Park Road, Birmingham, B15 2UA
Tickets £14 from https://bfcs.org.uk/2021/09/27/at-last-a-live-bfcs-concert/
Details of Ben’s future performances will be released in due course.
Ben is available for private accordion tuition both in Reading and in Salisbury; please contact him for more information – ba.desouza@yahoo.co.uk
