Consorting Viols
Three days of viol consort playing in a variety of group sizes and exploring some lesser-known repertoire in addition to ‘old favourites’. Tutors: Alison Crum, Peter Wendland.
Three days of viol consort playing in a variety of group sizes and exploring some lesser-known repertoire in addition to ‘old favourites’. Tutors: Alison Crum, Peter Wendland.
Inspirational and encouraging instruction in baroque style from expert tutors. For pre-formed chamber groups on period instruments. Tutors: Rachel Beckett, Theresa Caudle, Mark Caudle, Claire Williams, Oliver John Ruthven.
Explore the rich and varied repertoire of musicians from court and city in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, with William Lyons & Richard Thomas.
This workshop, led by Dr Christopher Roberts, will explore Zelenka’s Kyrie, Sanctus and Agnus Dei in D minor ZWV26 (c.1723) and Gloria in F major ZWV30 (1724), and is open to all singers, oboes, sackbuts, bassoon, strings (violins, violas, cellos, violone/double bass) and continuo players (theorbo, organ). Pitch A = 415.
The workshop will focus on the music of Giovanni Croce, a leading Venetian composer of his day. Open to all singers and cornetts, sackbuts, curtals/dulcians, recorders, viol and violin family, plucked continuo.
Preformed Consorts. Run by Jacqui Robertson-Wade and Alison Kinder.
An Early Music Love Affair - a workshop for voices and instruments with Lisa Colton. This workshop is a joint venture with the University of Liverpool, and is designed to bring together experienced early music performers with accomplished singers from the University of Liverpool Chamber Choir, and some instrumentalists.
What better subject could there be for St Valentine's Day than love - sacred and profane and all stages in between? Join EEMF in Beccles on February 14th for a workshop including Gabrieli's two-choir motet Diligam Te Domine, Andreas Hakenberger's rich 12-part setting of Vulnerasti Cor Meum, Cristofano Malvezzi's 15-part A Voi, Reali Amanti, and...
Real Roots! Exploring the world of late 16th-century popular music. The core of the programme will consist of playing in a mixture of large and small ensembles, as well as a range of other options each day, including a focus on ensemble techniques, ornamentation and will hopefully also include some vocal sessions.
JS Bach: Choruses from the Christmas Oratorio with Philip Thorby, for singers and baroque orchestra (A=415).
This course offers viol players the chance to explore consort repertoire from the viol’s Golden Age and to improve their technique along the way, with Joanna Levine and Richard Boothby of Fretwork.
For pre-formed chamber groups (with or without singer) who should bring at least 4 pieces to work on which can be at varying stages of readiness.
El Parnasso Hyspano - indigenous Latin American music workshop for singers and continuo, with tutors John Sloboda and Rafael Montero.
Go4B'rque will meet under the direction of Philip Redfern to look at Rameau's 'Les Indes Galantes'.
Online workshop on the interpretation of baroque music for players of recorder and other instruments. This workshop will examine two movements of the Trio in G minor Opus 1 no. 3 for 3 recorders (flutes) by Johann Mattheson.
Advanced. Run by Jacqui Robertson-Wade and Alison Kinder.
Plenty of opportunities to play at all levels of ability, and to socialise with like-minded early music enthusiasts. Tutors: Bor Zuljan, Peter Croton, Jacob Herringman, Lynda Sayce, Matthew Spring, Sara Stowe.
Schutz: Psalmen Davids workshop with Bill Carslake, for voices and instruments, A=440.
Choruses from Dido and Aeneas (Purcell) for voices and strings.
Mary, Mary, quite contrary - a workshop for singers and players looking at music for Mary, Mother of Jesus, and music for Mary Magdalen.
This workshop, led by Sophia Mucke (Schola Cantorum Basiliensis and Royal Academy of Music, London) and Dr Oliver Doyle, will be an introduction to the history, theory, and practice of the Guidonian Hand and Solmisation. This workshop is open to all, whether you would like to join in or observe. Being able to read music...
Did trills in the baroque always start on the note above the written note? This online workshop gives some simple examples of where to place trills and how to execute them dispelling the myth that trills in the baroque always started on the note above the main note.
Workshop of early music with South American links with El Parnaso Hyspano, for voices and continuo. Contact Janet Tanburn janetmtanburn@gmail.com for further details.
This popular and highly acclaimed course provides an excellent opportunity for experienced players of viols and recorders to work on early music in a chamber setting.
How often do we play early music based on songs without the text present? This is very common for ensembles especially when playing 16th century music. Most of the music from this period arranged for recorders is vocal music but without the text present how do we know if it is true to the original...
Be part of a fully staged historically informed staging of Rameau’s one-act acte de ballet Pygmalion, working from first rehearsal to public performance in six days under the guidance of a team of leading baroque specialists. Tutors: Catarina Costa e Silva, Fernando Miguel Jalôto, Judy Tarling, Gail Hennessy, Josh Salter.
Repertoire: Très Élégant, the music of Marc-Antoine Charpentier. Workshop for instrumentalists.
A fun and inclusive introduction to playing and singing medieval repertoire for all instrumentalists and singers. Explore the wealth and variety of musical timbres and textures found in music of the 12th-15th centuries. Tutors: Emily Baines, Arngeir Hauksson.
Following on from Trills in the Baroque for Recorder Players Part 1, this workshop provides fingerings, technical exercises to increase control, and examples in the context of standard recorder repertoire.
Explore some of the most popular tunes of the 14th-16th centuries with members of Blondel Medieval & Renaissance wind band.
Music for renaissance winds with Tim Bayley.
This course will explore the early history of the solo Sonata, from the era of Merula and Fontana through to Bach and Handel. Participants will study the arts of melody, accompaniment and the interface between them. Tutors: Naomi Burrell, Gavin Kibble, Satoko Doi-Luck.
With Victoria Helby - for baroque instruments (A=415) and solo singers.
A Party in Augsburg - Music of the early 16th century German Town and Dance bands This workshop is for players of all Medieval & Renaissance instruments at A=440. Players of loud winds are encouraged to also bring a quieter alternative instrument with them for occasional calmer moments. There will be a few pieces in...
Explore, Hear and Play! No musical experience is necessary. In celebration of a recent bequest of Baroque and Renaissance instruments St Mary’s Music School is opening its doors to anyone who would like to learn about, hear, try to play, or share expertise in, early wind, brass and stringed instruments (viols and vielle). The afternoon...
Bristol's Early Music Festival, with concerts, exhibits, workshops, and more...
An immersive exploration of lute songs from around 1600 in Northern Europe - centred on John Dowland’s best-beloved "First Book of Songes", but also welcoming repertoire from lands that he visited, finding great acclaim in music-loving courts. Open to singers of all ranges - soloists and ensemble voices - as well as lutenists, this course...
Intermediate and Upper Intermediate. Run by Jacqui Robertson-Wade and Alison Kinder.
Early Music Extravaganza on the Isle of Wight - includes concerts, workshops, talks, and more!
Come and sing the choruses from Vivaldi’s momentous Gloria in D major, and learn about the fascinating history of this work. For voices, oboe, trumpet, strings and continuo.
The Beverley & East Riding Early Music Festival 2026.
La Fèsta de ƚa Sènsa: Venetian Music for Ascension - a workshop for singers and instrumentalists.
PAW Festival 2026 brings together music, visual art, and poetry in a vibrant programme of nine concerts, a vocal workshop and our annual open mic poetry evening. Featuring I Fagiolini, Parnassus Ensemble, Lizzie Ball, Miloš Milivojević, Fieri Consort, Toby Carr, Liza Sommers & Grace Newcombe, Jeremy Avis, Sam Stadlen, Suntou Susso, Simo Lagnawi, Rebecca Askew,...
An un-tutored course for experienced singers and players of early instruments. Non-fixed ensembles of recorders and viols form the main part of the week with a variety of small singing groups depending on participants. Evening sessions for all are conducted and include music for instruments and voices.
A full weekend of music-making, inspiration and discovery, including concerts, playing sessions and more.
Vocal and instrumental polychoral music with Peter Wendland.
Glorious renaissance polyphony for choir with historic brass. Tutors: Jeremy West, Gareth Wilson.
Missa Laetatus Sum by Tomás Luis de Victoria - a workshop for voices and instruments led by Deborah Catterall.
Praetorius and other composers - a workshop for voices and instruments with David Hatcher.
Viol players who can hold a line are invited to come and play in a session led by Jo Green in Morningside - the address will be confirmed when you register. This session is for intermediate and advanced players.
Two separate workshops for small consorts: 1) viols and strings 2) recorders (David will spend time with each ensemble, in two separate rooms).
Polychoral music by Heinrich Schütz, workshop for voices and instruments with Peter Wendland.
The Pre-Restoration consort anthem: a trove of neglected English treasures, a workshop for singers, viols and wind (A=440), with Bill Hunt.
Unique in Italy and modelled on Europe’s leading early music schools, the Institute of Early Music at the Claudio Abbado Civic School of Music attracts students from all over the world. Renowned for its teaching of the very highest standard, it combines academic study with a busy concert programme in partnership with the leading musical...
Summer Viols, directed by Alison Crum and Alison Kinder.
In this discovery day course tutors provide an introduction to the instrument, basic playing techniques and rich repertoire. The course also includes a ticket to the evening's Rose Consort of Viols concert. No previous string playing experience required.
Workshop for Voices and Instruments with Dr Stephen Bullamore. Music to include large scale works for voices, strings, wind and brass at pitch A=440 by Giovanni Gabrieli (Venice), Heinrich Schütz (Dresden), Orazio Benevoli (Rome), and Heinrich Biber (Salzburg)
Baroque workshop for instruments at A415 with Walter Reiter. The workshop is for string players (violin and viol families), wind instruments at 415 and continuo, including plucked continuo, and will cover seventeenth century repertoire typical of the Stylus Fantasticus way of writing.
Modern string players are invited to come and play Vivaldi's Concerti for 1, 2 or 4 violins under the direction of Philip Redfern.
Continuo Connect partner once again with Oxford Festival of the Arts to present a full weekend of Early Music at Magdalen College and New College, Oxford.
The 2026 International Pipe and Tabor Festival will be in beautiful York, and will include playing in costume for the York Mystery Plays on Sun 28th June.
Join internationally acclaimed baroque violinist Rachel Podger for a joyful, hands-on exploration of ensemble playing and expressive musicianship. This short course will cover gut-string playing, connecting the breath and the bow, and also body awareness and body resonance. Rachel will introduce BOGA (a unique form of “bow-yoga”) as well as Alexander Techniques, chamber music making...
The York Early Music Festival 2026.
Meditations on suffering set to music by Josquin, Byrd, Lassus, Willaert. Texts written from prison by Girolamo Savonarola. Workshop for singers and instrumentalists with David Hatcher, also includes BMEMF AGM.
Chalemie Summer School in Early Music, Dance, Period Costume Making and Commedia. Leading performers from the group will direct a series of workshops on 17th/18th century music, song, dance, commedia and costume making, with a particular emphasis on the English repertoire of this period.
Dowland 400 workshop for voices, lutes, viols, recorders and other appropriate softer instruments with Lynda Sayce. Exploring some of Dowland's most famous and lesser known works, ranging through all of his song collections. Pitch A440.
Praise and Prayer - a day for voices and instruments exploring texts on the theme of praise and entreaty, led by Ali Kinder.
15th century popular songs - a workshop for voices and plucked strings (A=440) with Leah Stuttard.
Summer School for Enthusiasts of Early Music, both instrumentalists and singers, offering full board or daily attendance. Spread over 6 days the course is ably led by David Hatcher and David Allinson, allowing participants to enjoy a high standard of music making.
The Song of Songs: sacred love songs by Palestrina, Lassus, L’Héritier, Gombert and others. For Voices and Viols. Spend time with like-minded musicians, and develop your skills under the guidance of a world-class team of tutors: course director and vocal tutor Clare Wilkinson, vocal tutors Carys Lane, Giles Underwood and Nicholas Hurndall Smith, and viol...
The Baroque course will focus on Purcell’s semi-opera Dioclesian. Applications are invited from dancers, proficient singers and confident players of gut-strung Baroque instruments, with Baroque bows, bass viol, violone, recorder, baroque flute, oboe, bassoon, lute family and harpsichord/organ. Pitch: A=415.
For experienced cornett, sackbut and curtal players. For more information please contact TVEMF Chair: chair@tvemf.org.uk.
Polyphonica are delighted to be returning to Northampton to deliver the annual Polyphonica workshop day again in August 2026. Suitable for mixed ability players but not complete beginners.
NORVIS is the full week-long early music summer school in County Durham which they are proud to describe as one of the UK’s longest-established and friendliest. They teach recorders, Baroque flutes, viols, lutes and early guitars, harpsichords and voices. Repertoire from early Renaissance to late Baroque.
Courses available in choral singing, vocal ensembles, solo singing, baroque orchestra, baroque chamber music, renaissance ensembles and singing, harpsichord and organ. Course tutors include Robert Hollingworth and I Fagiolini, The Lyons Mouth, James Gilchrist, Steven Devine, Gail Hennessy, Gavin Kibble, The Brook Street Band, The City Musick, Jane Chapman & David Titterington.
For competent singers, viol and recorder players, covering music c1450-c1650. Instruction in choral/solo singing, viol and recorder playing, lute, plus vocal technique and various consorts. Tutors: Deborah Catterall, Elizabeth Dodd, Philip Gruar, Richard MacKenzie, Michael Piraner.
A course designed for players of recorders, viols and other early instruments, covering a wide repertoire from ancient to modern. Sessions include one-to-a-part groups, workshops, consort songs, trio sonatas, choir, large and small ensembles. Tutors: Ibi Aziz, Caoimhe de Paor, Pamela Flanagan, Peter Wendland, Philip Thorby.
The course offers inspiration and guidance to both singers and players of baroque music from an expert team of leading specialists in historical performance.
Now in its 16th year, this international summer school explores common grounds between early, folk and traditional music. All singers and instrumentalists welcome. Classes for lute/theorbo, viols, recorders, renaissance wind, early brass, Baroque strings & continuo. Especially welcoming strong singers (potential soloists). Rich programme of music marking anniversaries of de Lalande, Cavalli, Weelkes and Dowland,...
Discover the beauty and genius of Bach’s Cello Suites and improve your cello playing in this relaxed course with tutor Jenny Curtis.