The annual course, which has been running for 51 years, sees students embark on a week of music-making with experienced professional musicians as tutors.
‘We have six groups plus a percussion group, depending on age and ability, so what grades they play up to and the tutors move around the various groups,’ said course director Charlie Cottam.
Two of this year’s tutors, Joe Stoller and Archie Purdue, have both also experienced the course as students.
‘It’s great to be back, very different to being a student,’ said Mr Stoller, who is studying at the Royal College of Music.
Mr Purdue is also studying music at the University of Cambridge and has returned to the island for the summer.
‘It’s great working with the staff who taught me,’ he said.
‘It’s a week full of happiness and hard work.’
Once again James Keirle is the principal conductor.
‘I’m thrilled to be back conducting,’ he said.
‘Ecsoc is a magical week, and I can honestly say I think this is the strongest string section I can remember.’
One student who has impressed is Ernest Chui, 17. He has travelled over from the UK for the course after winning a bursary through the Chris Claxton Composition Competition.
His piece for a string quartet will be played at Ecsoc.
‘I recently wrote the string quartet and felt like I had a breakthrough writing that,’ he said.
‘It’s been amazing to come here. I’ve had a really good time and it has been nice to meet new friends.’
The students will perform what they have been working on in a performance on Saturday.
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