Muhlenberg College
2400 W Chew St
Allentown, PA 18104
United States
Directed by Michael Barrett,
with Pamela Dellal
Week 1 of the 2026 Amherst Early Music Festival, July 12-19
Mass & Messe: vocal music for kings
At the Field of the Cloth of Gold, the musicians of Henry VIII and François I (Hank and Frank!) vied for supremacy through musical contests and a joint Solemn Mass—a grand gesture meant to cement diplomatic goodwill. This summer, the Ensemble Singing Intensive program explores the music and composers of that legendary occasion. Participants will study vocal works by Jean Mouton, Claudin de Sermisy, Robert Fayrfax, and William Cornysh, culminating in an imaginative recreation of the vibrant, multinational soundscape of 1520 with a concert on Saturday, July 18.
The Ensemble Singing Intensive is a high-level, auditioned program for pre-professional and advanced amateur singers with an interest in working in depth with repertoire from the 15th and 16th centuries.
ESI gives participants the opportunity to work closely with like-minded colleagues and professional coaches to refine their skill set for vocal chamber music performance. Students participate in daily rehearsals, ensemble coachings, discussions, and masterclass, working towards a performance at week's end. Along the way, special attention is given to issues such as vocal production and vocal health, approaches to language in singing including diction and rhetoric, as well as development of ensemble leadership skills, including gesture, communication, and rehearsal preparation.
