Falmouth University (Dartington College of Arts)

Dartington College of Arts was a specialist institution near Totnes in Devon, southwest England, offering education in music and the arts. Courses prepared students for a career in teaching, in partnership with Rolle College of Education, Exmouth, and came to focus on a performative and multi-disciplinary approach to the arts. Its founder Principal was Peter Cox who had been involved as Warden during its former manifestation before becoming a college. It offered tertiary-level courses in postdramatic theatre, music, choreography, visual performance and performance writing. Its teaching staff were all active arts practitioners. The college was founded in 1961 as a consequence of the original Dartington Hall experiment in rural regeneration. Academic degrees were validated in partnership with the University of Plymouth in 1975. The heyday of Dartington College of Arts as a centre for classical music learning and performance was during the 1960s through to the 1990s when early music, contemporary composition and classical period music was the norm. General Choir, Cantata Choir and John Holand Singers were the rehearsal and performance choirs of the college. The college orchestra played standard repertoire alongside contemporary compositions. Music department concerts were organised in conjunction with Dartington Arts. The resident ensemble was the Dartington String Quartet with Colin Sauer, Malcolm Latchem, Keith Lovell and Michael Evans.