Teaching
An enthusiastic and able teacher (see this page for recent testimonials), Peter has many years' experience of both masterclass and individual teaching. He is a regular teacher on the Bachakademie Stuttgart's JSB Ensemble 'Meisterkurs' in Germany, the 'Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute' (TBSI) in Toronto. He has given masterclasses at the Royal College of Music in London, and at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et Danse de Lyon; for the singers of the Maîtrise de Notre dame in Paris, for the Virginia Best Adams vocal scholars in the Carmel Bach Festival in California, and for many years on the Early Music Workshop in Jerusalem, where he was one of the two vocal professors, working alongside Emma Kirkby, Jill Feldman and Ann Monoyios. He occasionally undertakes ad hoc classes while abroad for concert engagements , and is happy to give a lesson when circumstances permit it. His first language is English, but he is also very comfortable teaching in French.
He welcomes students to his home in Oxfordshire for private lessons, and has a well-equipped online teaching studio, an area of his work that he is expanding. An unexpected consequence of Covid has been the discovery for all of us of how effective remote teaching can be, and how it can almost miraculously bring together students and teachers from opposite sides of the globe.
Students are invited to contact Peter for advanced vocal study. No single teacher has all the answers, but Peter has insight into a variety of vocal problems that are amenable to practical resolution. He is skilled in matters of ornamentation, both performance practice and, crucially, the vocal technique involved (something which is frequently left largely to chance, resulting in failure and discouragement). His long experience has given him an extensive familiarity with the various national styles - from detailed understanding of the music of JS Bach and the High Baroque, to knowledge of French ornamentation - often the preserve of a small number of singers, but a style once familiar all over Europe, and considered an essential part of a general musical education well beyond France itself.
Although he is best known for his work in the Baroque and Historical Performance, Peter loves music of the 19th century and very much enjoys teaching both Lieder and opera from the Classical and Romantic periods.
Peter uses Zoom for his online teaching, as it is familiar to most people and has a number of specific advantages. Sound quality can be remarkably good, but does depend on the quality of the student's set-up (a reasonable external microphone can bring huge benefits). Patient advice is on hand!
If you might be interested in taking lessons with Peter Harvey, whether in person or online, please send a message using the contact page.
See Contacts page.