Amherst Early Music Festival

June 29- July 13, 2025

Muhlenberg College
2400 W Chew St
Allentown, PA 18104
United States

Directed by
June 2July 6
and 6-13, 2025

Music of the German Lands

Week 1: Central Program, Baroque Academy, Historical Dance, Ensemble Singing Intensive 

Week 2: Central Program, Choral Workshop Medieval Project, and New London Assembly

Registration opens soon!

Central Program is the heart of the Festival. It is the largest and most varied program we offer, with classes available for most early music instruments, and music ranging from Medieval to Baroque. You can choose the combination of classes that works for you -- perfect if, like some of our students, you sing or dance and play an instrument or two. Play in consorts of like or mixed instruments, investigate a new repertory, take a dance class, or begin a new instrument. Pitch: most classes will be at a=440. Viol-only and most Baroque ensemble classes will be at a=415. Festival tuition is $730 per week. Scholarships and work study assistance is available to students of all ages. See below for details.

Image
Drummer & Fifer engraving by Lorenz Strauch

 

Festival Schedule:

Sunday Events
Check-in: 1:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Dinner is the first meal on the meal card
7:00 Orientation Meeting, followed by a reception, and late check-in.
Check-out: by 9:00 a.m. the following Sunday

Daily Schedule Classes begin on Monday morning, and run through Friday, with four class periods per day.
9:00 - 10:30 a.m.First Class Period
10:30 - 11:00 a.m. Coffee Break
11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Second Class Period
1:45 - 3:00 p.m. Third Class Period
3:30 - 4:45 p.m. Fourth Class Period

Evening Event Schedule
Monday, June 30, tba
Tuesday, July 1, tba
Wednesday, July 2, AEM Auction
Thursday, July 3, Baroque Academy Faculty Concert
Friday, July 4, Baroque Opera
Saturday, July 5, Faculty Concert, followed by All-Workshop Party
Monday, July 7, tba
Tuesday, July 8, tba
Wednesday, July 9, AEM Auction
Thursday, July 10, tba
Friday, July 11, tba
Saturday, July 12, Faculty Concert, followed by All-Workshop Party

Other Evening Events In the evening there are lectures, concerts, madrigal singing, English country dancing, drop-in playing sessions, the AEM Auction, and socializing with early music enthusiasts from all over the US and beyond.

*Indicates faculty for week one only, **week two only, no stars = both weeks.

Tuition & Boarding

Tuition Tuition $730 per week
Room & BoardStandard rooms are air-conditioned. Budget are non-ac, with hall baths. Prices are per week, per person
 Standard Room with Private Bath:  $820 Single | $675 Double (per person)
 Standard Room with Hall Bath: $575 Single | $435 Double (per person)
 Standard Single Room - Suite with Kitchenette $725
 Budget Room $460 Single | $365 Double (per person)
MealsMeals $280 per week
Non-residentCommuter fee to cover facilities costs, $75 per week

Programs

Scholarships & Work-Study

Work-Study

All participants are welcome to apply for tuition assistance through AEM's Work-Study program. Work-study application form will be published in early spring. Questions about Work-Study can be sent to Click here to show mail address.

AEM Scholarships

To apply for all AEM scholarships, including the Washington McClain Scholarship, a form will be published here in early spring.

The Washington McClain Scholarship Fund honors the memory of Baroque oboist and Amherst Early Music faculty member Washington McClain. It will fund scholarships for students who have historically been underrepresented in the early music field, including African-American, Latinx, and others. Awards will cover tuition, room and board, and travel and may be used for any in-person AEM event, particularly the Amherst Early Music Festival.

In addition to scholarships, AEM offers work study tuition to all of our workshops, and the Amherst Early Music Festival. Work study is an option for students of any age.

Other Organizations

American Recorder Society offers scholarships to recorder players for Weekend Workshops as well as Summer Festivals. Any ARS member who needs financial assistance to attend a weekend or week-long workshop may apply for this scholarship. Deadline: May 15.

Lute Society of America scholarships include full tuition, room & board, and some travel. Due Date May 1.

Early Music America offers scholarships to help students attend early music and historical performance workshops in North America. Applications due April 1.

Viola da Gamba Society of America offers Grants-in-Aid to its members to attend Workshops and Masterclasses.

The Historical Keyboard Society of North America has established the Funaro Fund Award to support its members to offset the cost of traveling to an early keyboard event. 

COVID-19 Policy

The 2025 Festival Covid policy will be updated here. 2024 policy is listed below.

The COVID virus is still with us, though happily most people will only get mildly sick if infected. The Festival is a congregate living environment, with a population ranging in age from 1 to 90+ where we live, play music and dance together for several days. Our main approach to preventing Covid will be testing, and, like last year, we need everyone to test and to let us know if they experience symptoms.

Rapid testing is required to attend the Festival for all participants, faculty, and staff. Take an at-home COVID test the day before arrival at Union College, and a second test the morning of arrival. Two-week students take a third test on Saturday July 6. Send a photo of your tests to Click here to show mail address before you arrive on campus. Bring extra tests in case you develop symptoms during the week. (visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.htm… see a list of symptoms)

Masking is optional. Masking decisions are personal and will be respected.

Vaccinations and boosters are encouraged but not required. Anyone with symptoms, or feeling unwell should notify us immediately, and not attend any classes or events. Self evaluation: Before coming to the Festival if you are experiencing symptoms that may indicate Covid, regardless of test results, DO NOT COME. Notify us right away. Anyone who tests positive for Covid at the Festival will be moved to a room in an isolated wing, and have cafeteria meals delivered, or could leave campus.


If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID before arrival, please do not come to the Festival until your symptoms abate and you have tested negative twice over two days. f you begin to experience symptoms of COVID while at the Festival we will ask you to isolate or leave campus until your symptoms abate and you have tested negative twice over two days

(Updated May 22, 2024)

Festival Staff

Letitia Berlin Class programming
Frances Blaker Festival director
Emily Eagen Assistant Festival director
Valerie Horst Faculty housing
Danny Johnson Student housing
Loren Ludwig Production director
Sally Merriman Administrator
Wendy Powers Concert series