For the first time in its 40 years, 2015’s Marlborough College Summer School will take place over four weeks instead of the usual three weeks.
John Blake, the Summer School’s new director, told Marlborough News Online: “It’s time to move to four weeks – the summer school needed to evolve and one way to do that is to increase from three to four weeks. We believe there is a demand.”
Booking opened on Tuesday (January 6) and they took more bookings than they have ever taken in the first 24 hours. Last year some 3,200 people registered for the summer school.
Mr Blake joined Marlborough College Enterprise Ltd midway through last year’s Summer School from the Royal Hospital Chelsea where he was commercial director.
Before that he worked for Ascot Racecourse –as Head of Sales, Marketing and the Royal Enclosure. There he inaugurated a programme of events to attract non-racegoers to the course. These included a popular beer festival (now in its eighth year) and appearances by big-name pop groups such as Madness.
Some of the Ascot concerts attracted crowds of 30,000. And this extra dimension to public events at racecourses has been copied by other racecourses – including Newbury Racecourse.
John Blake has “Bumped up the entertainment programme.” There will now be two gala events in each week. Major attractions this year include jazz saxophonist Courtney Pine, The Great Western Chorus, the ABBA Tribute Band REVIVAL and Julian Lloyd Webber’s Life in Music with Philip Dukes (viola) and Anna Tilbrook (piano.)
For the first time there will be an outdoor drama presentation. The Illyria theatre company are bringing the swashbuckling and romance of their production of The Three Musketeers to the College gardens.
With politicians unable to commit to take part in events until after the General Election, there will be no political question time this year. The nearest summer schoolers will get to contemporary politics will be an evening with Gyles Brandreth, former MP and Government Whip. Soon after his Summer School appearance, he will be taking his famous sweaters and this new one-man show to the Edinburgh Festival.
Another innovation will be the Wednesday film evenings. The full programme of films, evening recitals and lectures will be announced at Easter. Caroline and Philip Dukes will be managing these attractions over the four weeks.
New Summer School courses include brewing (Taste of Brewing – for those over eighteen) and metal detecting (Discover History Beneath Your Feet.) Also new is Barbara Cunningham’s Teddy Bear Making Workshop. She made Marigold’s teddy for Downton Abbey and she will be showing her course students how to make that popular bear – and others from the great teddy bear family.
On a more serious note, the College’s losses in the trenches of the First World War will be remembered in David du Croz’ lectures on 1915. For The Kennet Valley at War: 1939-1945 Colonel Mike Relph will show students the impact that war has left on the landscape and its people – it is a course that demands ‘waterproof clothing and sensible walking shoes’.
The 800th anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta will be marked by David Evans (former head of history at Eton College) with 1215 and All That.
Besides all that, there is a wealth of courses on dance, music, art, body and mind – and, of course, a full range of sports and activities for young and older alike – from nine to sixteen and from as old as you are to as old as you feel. This year’s innovation will be a course on Girls Football.
The Summer School now has its own website which makes booking simpler. And copies of the brochure can be found in several High Street shops and cafés.
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