EYMW 2022 Student Report: Lottie Park

I arrived at EYMW in 2022 wondering whether I would fit in. I left knowing I had found a community I wanted to return to.

My First EYMW

When I arrived in Oakham for my first EYMW course in 2022, I remember feeling a mixture of apprehension and excitement. I wondered who I would meet, whether I would fit in, and what the week would be like.

What I found was a family whom, through our different countries, languages and cultures, could share our common love of music.

Music Without Limits

One of the things I loved most about EYMW was the sheer variety of music-making.

There were the full, chamber, string and wind, brass and percussion orchestras, but also the opportunity to play in smaller ensembles like string quartets and other groups. For the Abschluss concert, I even found myself getting involved with the percussion section!

The repertoire was just as varied, taking us from Vaughan Williams’ London Symphony to the Brazilian Tico Tico.

There were unforgettable moments throughout the week: Anita’s percussion solo (performed at the Chamber Music Concert), a viola concerto, two trombones playing the Devil’s Waltz, and the chance to have a go at playing baroque violin.

There was always something new to discover.

More Than the Music

But EYMW is about far more than rehearsals and concerts, and some of my favourite memories have come from the time in between.

One afternoon we were let loose on Cambridge, where we went to grab an ice cream, have a picnic and experience the joys of punting.

We sang our hearts out at karaoke (ABBA being a particular favourite of mine), I joined an evening choir, danced at a ceilidh, spent hours playing card games together and listened to a group playing jazz into the early hours of our final night together.

These are the moments when friendships grow and when a group of people from all over the world becomes a community. 

One Big Family

I remember Nathan, our current course director, telling me when I first met him that EYMW was “one big family”.

I wasn’t sure I believed him at the time.

Now, having returned every year since my first course, I know exactly what he meant.

EYMW has become something I return to every year, not just for the music but for the people.

I’ve visited EYMW friends on holiday, gone to concerts with them and made friendships that have continued long after the final concert of each course.

A Place for Everyone

Perhaps more than ever, I think we need spaces like EYMW.

In a world that can feel divided by borders, languages and conflict, there is something incredibly special about knowing that wherever you come from, whatever instrument you play or however experienced you are, there is a place for you here.

EYMW is a place where you can make fantastic music, challenge yourself, discover new repertoire and learn from exceptional musicians.

But it is also a place where you can be yourself, meet people you might never otherwise have met, and find a community that welcomes you back year after year.

More Than a Week

You might arrive feeling nervous, just as I did in 2022.

You might leave exhausted, slightly sleep-deprived and wondering how a week could possibly have gone so quickly.

But you’ll also leave having made music, memories and friendships that can last far beyond the final note.

Lottie