Spring Break Workshop

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Save the dates! The 2025 Spring Break workshop will be March 15-16, at St. George's Episcopal Church, in Arlington, VA, and Co-directed by Tish Berlin and Amy Domingues! Last year's info is listed below... stay tuned for updates!

Workshop Theme: Music of England and the German Lands

See the complete list of Spring Break Workshop classes here

From Leipzig to London - enjoy musical travels with Holborne and Hammerschmidt, Simpson and Senfl, Brade and Bach, Tallis and Telemann... and more! See below for class listings by instrument

A workshop for recorders, viols, lutes, and singers. We're happy to return to George Washington University for the 2024 Spring Break Workshop!

Recorder & Early Notation Classes with Annette Bauer, Rainer Beckmann, Letitia Berlin, Valerie Horst, and Wendy Powers Topics include 17th century Leipzig, Canzonas, dance music of Praetorius, the Wynde Masses, Orlando Lassus, William Byrd, Glogauer Liederbuch, Quodlibets, O Rosa Bella, and others. Beginning and Advanced notation classes. See below for listing!

Classes for Viol with Sarah Cunningham and Amy Domingues 
Best of Dowland and Brade, Master Class with Sarah Cunningham, Music of Heinrich Isaac and William Young, Folky Fantasies from Byrd to Scheidt. See below for listing!

Choral Workshop with Vera Kochanowsky
Gems of the German & English Baroque
In this workshop choral singers will immerse themselves in some gems of choral literature from the German and English late Renaissance and early Baroque. We will focus on refining listening skills, control of timbre and volume, clarifying of rhythmic structure, and the sensitive use of diction to enhance the emotional power and effectiveness of musical performance. The goal will be to create a unified plan, color, and intent for each piece we study. Short lectures on the composers, their historical significance and repertoire will be included. For our final tutti session, we will prepare Hear My Prayer (Purcell), Machet die Tore weit (Hammerschmidt), and Das Geläut zu Speyer (Senfl). Additional short works by Purcell, Tallis, Lechner, Isaac, Bennett, and Dowland may be included in the small sessions. Music will be provided in advance.

Lute Ensemble Program
Douglas Freundlich, director, with Christopher Morrongiello
For Renaissance lutes in G at A=440. The Lute Ensemble will focus on ensemble skills, phrasing, exploring the varied sonic textures of the lute band, articulating the song texts, and constructing/deconstructing melodic ornamentation. We'll play Doug Freundlich's new arrangements (in tablature) of artful 15th - 18th century German polyphony - from the 1480's Glogauer Liederbuch to J.S. Bach, tipping our hats along the way to Senfl's Tenorlieder, Praetorius dances, and even a couple of "proto-minimalist" experiments. The ubiquitous Jeune fillette/La Monica theme will make its usual appearance. Lecture by Chris Morrongielo: "Brits in Brandenburg: English Actors, comedians, and lutenists at the Königsberg Court c. 1600."