AMHERST EARLY MUSIC - Spring Break Workshop

Directed by Letitia Berlin
Faculty: Letitia Berlin recorder
Rainer Beckmann recorder
Ros Morley viol
Mark Cudek lute<
Richard Giarusso voice
Tuition: $230
Work Study Tuition: $140

The theme for the Amherst Early Music Spring Break Weekend 2022 workshop is Byrd, Bach, and Beyond. Expect plenty of Byrd and Bach, but look for the Beyond as well as each group explores works written for its instrument.

Besides the beautiful new location in Arlington, VA we’re very excited about the new choral component we’ve added to  AEM’s Spring Break Weekend. Richard Giarusso, music director of the Georgetown Chorale in D.C. and past artistic director of the Voce Chamber Singers in northern Virginia and the Maryland Choral Society,  will lead singers in a weekend of Masses and anthems by William Byrd. The chorus will work in the beautiful sanctuary of our new location, St. George’s Episcopal Church in Arlington Virginia. 

We’re happy to welcome back long-time AEM favorites Rosamund Morley, viol, and Rainer Beckmann, recorder.  Viol classes will work on consort music by Byrd and some of his contemporaries - Tallis, Parsons, Mundy, and others - including Byrd's beloved setting of "Browning."  All classes will include both repertoire reading and technical work on bow and left hand techniques to make this music sing!

Rainer Beckmann and Tish Berlin will work with two groups of recorder players in music by Johann Sebastian Bach, Byrd, Duarte, Sweelinck, Lassus, and more. Players of Renaissance recorders will have one session each day devoted to their instrument.

The lute program, led by Mark Cudek,  member of the Peabody faculty since 1982, founder of the Peabody Renaissance Ensemble and the Peabody Consort, Artistic Director of the Indianapolis Early Music Festival, a founding member of the Baltimore Consort, and founder and director of the high school early music program at Interlochen Arts Camp, is entitled Tocca pian piano or "loud and soft": A Workshop for Expressive Ensemble Playing. Composers will include Jacques Arcadelt, Marco Cara, Josquin des Pres, Luca Marenzio, Claudin de Sermisy, Bartolomeo Tromboncino, and many more.

Our pandemic precautions mean that instrument groups will remain separate, and there will be no all-workshop session during the weekend. Proof of vaccination and booster will be required. Masks will be worn by all between classes when indoors, and by non-wind players during class. All breaks and meals will be held outside.