AEM Online

Ensemble Play Along with Tish Berlin - You Can Do It!

A class for lower intermediate players to better their ensemble playing skills. Each 75-minute class will move from very easy pieces to an intermediate level of difficulty. Music will be available in advance, and in class you’ll play along with Tish, or her recordings. The class will include plenty of playing interspersed with practical tips, and time for questions. 

For lower intermediate players of recorder, viol, and other like instruments, A=440. Play-along recordings will be on soprano, alto, tenor, and bass recorders, at an octave above written pitch. Music, sound recordings, and (after class) the class recording will be available on the class website for the four sessions. 

Saturday September 30, 1:00 pm ET

Marilyn Boenau: Bass Instincts bass recorders and bass dulcians - description coming soon!

Burns Night: Every year, Scotland celebrates their beloved poet Robert Burns (1759-96) on his birthday with evening festivities that include reciting and singing poetry from the bard during "Burns Night". Come explore the poetry of Robert Burns, his settings found in The Scots Musical Museum, and in collections such as James Oswald’s Caledonian Pocket Companion. See how the poetry influences our musical decisions as instrumentalists who perform these Scottish folk tunes and variations. This beautifully expressive poetry and music will spark your interest in a rich set of repertoire that is very accessible to recorder players!

Baroque oboist and author Geoffrey Burgess in conversation with Meg and Tom Owens about his new book based on the life of a musician who worked with Bach. As well as discussing his motivation for writing history through fiction, Geoffrey will introduce some of his historic sources, read excerpts with recordings of the music that inspired them, and of course explain the story behind his title.

A Complete Beginner's Introduction to Early Notation with Annette Bauer

Are you curious about the origins of our Western modern notation system? How was music written down in the 16th century? Would you like to know how to differentiate longa, breve, semibreve, and minim? Are you up for a fun challenge playing from historical clefs? And what about those ligatures?

There is no time like the present to dip your toes (and fingers) into the wonderful world of original notation, specifically mensural notation, the system primarily used during the 14th-16th centuries. Being able to read from the original greatly enhances our understanding of how the music we love works and can give new insights for our performance practice. One might compare this process to how reading a work of literature in its original language reveals a world of nuances hidden in even the best of translations.

Sign up for this introductory notation class of four weekly sessions starting in late September 2023! Our sessions will focus on reading and playing practice. We will work from easily accessible 16th century sources. We will take baby steps, and I am available to answer all of your questions. Music and recordings will be provided and can be used for your individual practice at home between sessions. Open to all instruments and singers. All levels welcome - basic abilities on your instrument/voice and basic music-reading skills are a prerequisite.