This is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Helen’s extraordinary compositions for a long weekend of singing in the beautiful peaceful environment of Hill Cottage Retreat Centre.

 

We will be singing uplifting songs with beautiful harmonies composed by Helen using lyrics by inspiring world poets, with what has always been a skilful and supportive group of singers.

 

Helen’s workshops are focused and fun, challenging without pressure, joyful and committed, empowering yet relaxed.

An ability to blend and to sing in tune are an essential and joyful ingredient for the weekend, supporting the group’s sound to become more and more beautiful during the weekend.

There will be some opportunities for singing with one voice on each part for those who enjoy doing so, but there is no pressure to do that. In the main we will work all together.

 

The Whole Weekend

As we will build a balance of the different harmonies and develop a blend of our voices during the weekend.

 

We ask that residential participants arrive at Hill Cottage Retreat Centre by 5.00 pm and non-residential participants by 7.00pm and commit to the whole weekend of singing.

 

Please confirm that you are able to be present from arrival on Friday to Monday at 2.30pm when you book. Many thanks. 

Feedback from other workshops with Helen

“To sing such powerful words, set to such beautiful music, with such a supportive group and generous and kind leadership was a tremendously heart-opening experience.”

 

"A truly uplifting experience, and well worth the distance I travelled!”

 

"I loved it!  It was such a pleasure to be part of it and to enjoy your magical facilitation, music making and creativity.”

 

 

"Many thanks for such a fantastic weekend of inspiring teaching, beautiful pieces and a perfect mix of challenge and fun!”

 

About Helen

Helen has been leading choirs and singing workshops since 1981 and has written around 400 songs for theatre, concerts, recordings and communities. 

 

Solo song theatre performances have toured to Denmark, the UK, Brazil, France, Argentina, Italy. 

 

Her group song theatre shows, created with Olivier Award winning Steven Hoggett, are Dalston Songs (commissioned by the Royal Opera House), War Correspondents and Truth.

 

Helen has created site specific song theatre for Greenwich and Salisbury festivals as well as for the Royal Opera House. 

 

Commissions to create songs include for choirs and English Touring Opera, the BBC, the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre.

 

In 2023 she created Songs of Returning, a surround sound concert, featuring five women singers from the South West and toured the trio concert THE BRIGHT FIELD. 

 

Helen also loves working in a recording studio and her albums are full of inspiring lyrics from poets of the world.

Over 20 years ago she dreamed up a singing idea Sing for Water to raise money for water projects and is the co-founder of this mass choir charity project with Thames Festival.

helenchadwick.com

 

Broad Outline of the Weekend

Friday
Arrival from 3.00pm - 5.00pm, Supper at 6.00pm followed by a Required Evening session at 7.15pm - 9pm. 

 

Here are the approximate timings of the sessions, there will be morning and afternoon refreshment breaks:

Saturday and Sunday

Singing 9.45am to 12.45pm, 

Lunch 12.45pm

Singing 2pm to 5.15pm

Supper 6.15pm 

Singing 7.15pm - 9pm (max) or rest and take the evening off

 

Monday

Singing 9.45 - 12.15

Lunch 12.15pm
Singing 1.15pm - 2.30pm

 

On Monday we will take lunch early at 12.15pm so that we can have a final sing through at 1.15pm. The weekend will end at 2.30pm. Cups of tea are available then for those who wish. 

 

Walking

For those who want to clear their brains with hilltop air in the breaks around lunch, before supper or early morning Offa’s Dyke Path and other walking tracks are nearby.

 

COST

Workshop, full board (vegetarian) and accommodation

Single Room – £320

Single Crog Loft - £300

Twin Sharing, only if two people are booking together – £275 pp
Non-residential £170 – Workshop, lunches, Saturday and Sunday dinner and refreshments. 

 

The deposit of £100 residential and £70 non-residential will be payable at the time of booking.

 

£15 of this deposit will be non-refundable as a contribution to our fixed admin costs. The remainder of the deposit is refundable if you cancel up to 8 weeks before the event. After that time, it also becomes non-refundable unless we have to cancel the event and then your whole deposit will be returned.

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In certain circumstances we are happy to work out payment by Instalments. Please contact Zarine if you would like to talk about this.

 

The balance becomes due two weeks prior to the start of the event which is non-returnable. If there are circumstances that create a risk of cancellation for you, we recommend that you take out cancellation insurance, in case you are unable to attend.

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In the unlikely event that we need to cancel or postpone, a full refund of what you have paid to us will be offered. Our liability is limited to what you have paid for the retreat or the workshop, therefore travel insurance is recommended, if you have booked tickets to get to Hill Cottage.

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Booking: please contact Zarine for a booking form or more information using the email address below.

Thank you.
info@hillcottageretreats.co.uk