The McGregor Summer Music Retreat in Toowoomba is the perfect opportunity for budding musicians and emerging talent to hone in on their skills – whether you’re 15 or 65.
The annual initiative has been running for three years, after transitioning from classical music to contemporary music.
“It had a strong history of classic music, around 47 years. We’ve now brought it in line with current, contemporary music. It’s in January, runs for around one week, and it covers a variety of disciplines,” explains music programme coordinator, Daniel Spirovski.
The McGregor Summer Music Retreat is designed for drummers, bass players, guitarists, brass and woodwind players, string players, piano/keyboard players, songwriters, and vocalists.
Participants will have the chance to learn, engage, and be inspired by world-class tutors covering various contemporary styles.
“For example, we’ve got Darran Muller on the drums. He’s been involved in music professionally for more than 20 years, recorded around 400 albums, and toured around the world with different. James Sherlock is on guitar, and Jen Mize is on song writing. We have an amazing calibre of talent and an incredible knowledge base,” Daniel reveals.
Additional tutors include Nathan Seiler on piano, contemporary voice with Dan Robinson, Tristan Rogers on brass, composition and improvisation, and bass with Jeremy O’Connor.
“The tutors are definitely willing to pass on as much information as they can, and connect them with people they know. We’ve had a lot of previous students stay in touch with their tutors, plus receive external lessons.”
Daniel himself is as equally knowledgeable in the field, currently a full-time music and production lecturer with a long line of producing and performing experience.
“I did my Bachelor of Music at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. And from there, I moved into music production, and producing, and gigging, and playing for corporate events, which I still do at the moment,” he says.
“This will be my third year with the McGregor Summer Music Retreat, since it transitioned from classical to contemporary. I was brought in to put the programme together, to give it some structure, and to make sure the programme functions well and runs smoothly each day. I’m there to support the tutors.”
He describes the daily schedule as beginning with a jam session every morning, followed by two hour-long group classes split in students' individual disciplines. “And then they have a workshop in the afternoon with everybody combined, so everyone can collaborate, get together, and hear the other disciplines. They split into ensemble in the afternoon.”
The McGregor Summer Music Retreat program is based at the USQ campus, with onsite accommodation facilities available for travellers.
“Students can stay within walking distance of their classes, and get breakfast daily. Otherwise, they can book alternative accommodation, wherever they’d like in Toowoomba.”
Daniel says he’s looking forward to developing and continuing the programme, and hopes up-and-coming musicians in Southeast Queensland and beyond are aware of the incredible opportunity on their doorstep.
“You get to focus on nothing but music for an entire week, and you’ve got the amazing talent and knowledge base of the teachers to help support you. We are there to support what the students want to do. Even though we have an agenda, we want to help students with what they want to learn. We focus on their interests.”
“We’re open to 15-year-old’s and up, to ages as high as 55 or 65, it doesn’t matter. That’s one of the great things, having such a diversity of age groups altogether.”
The McGregor Summer Music School takes place from 8-14 January 2017, and enrolments are now open.
