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Officially also known as Cambrai, Mediathèque Municipale, MSS 125-128, the chansonnier of Zeghere van Male (1542) is a stunning set of 4 part-books, rich in illuminations. The manuscript contains 229 compositions, both secular and sacred, as well as textless or instrumental pieces. Named after the owner, a wealthy Bruge merchant, this source stands out in its marriage between the music and the visual aspects drawn on the various folios, which range from realistic scenes of daily life or leisurely activities, to include animals, monstrous creatures, obscene depictions and plant decorations.

Sessions are 75 min in length and are held via zoom. Students are able to ask live questions during the sessions. Music, supporting handouts, and sound files will be provided to be used for your individual practice at home between sessions.

Open to all instrumentalists and singers. All levels welcome - basic abilities on your instrument/voice and basic music-reading skills are a prerequisite. This class is specifically geared towards students who already have completed the introductory notation class or have equivalent experience, and are interested to deepen their knowledge of 16th century notation. If you don’t have any prior early notation experience at all but would still be interested in joining the class, please feel free to contact us.

The Squarcialupi Codex (Florence, MS Mediceo Palatino 87) is an illuminated manuscript compiled in Florence in the early fifteenth century. It is named for the noted fifteenth-century organist Antonio Squarcialupi, who owned it.
The Squarcialupi Codex is the single largest primary source of secular polyphonic music of the trecento. It consists of 216 parchment folios, organized by composer, with each composer's section beginning with a portrait of the composer richly illuminated in gold, red, blue and purple. The illuminated portraits of the musicians are attributed to Lorenzo Monaco and his circle. 

The notation used in the Squarcialupi Codex is a hybrid form of French ars nova style and Italian trecento style notation. This class is geared towards more experienced players of early notation.

Most early music musicians are familiar with the oft-stated maxim that “sharps are low and flats are high”. But what does this mean, exactly? How much lower or higher should they be than in equal temperament? And why should they be different at all? Where does this idea come from, for how long was it considered standard practice, how did the early texts describe it, and, most importantly, what practical techniques can we use today to try to incorporate in our playing? In this session, we’ll be examining all this and more on the topic of what was once considered a hallmark of the best musicians: the ability to distinguish between diatonic and chromatic semitones. 
This session is primarily aimed at players of what were called the "perfect" instruments: the voice, unfretted bowed strings, and to a lesser extent, woodwinds. Players of "imperfect" instruments - keyboards, the lute, and the harp - will of course benefit from knowing about what their colleagues are supposed to be doing. All are welcome!

"Music Appreciation - or how to recognize and enjoy what you are hearing when you listen to Music", with Frances Blaker, recorder
Enjoying music can happen on many levels, from the unlearned listener who just likes the mysterious sounds floating past, to the astute listener who can hear and perceive all the lines of a composition at once, savoring the harmony, following every aspect of a piece. Most of us fall somewhere between these two extremes. My own experience has been that, the more I perceive and understand, the deeper my enjoyment and satisfaction become. Now I want to help you get a grasp of some of the various elements that make up the river of music as it flows by: melody-accompaniment, rhythms, imitation, phrasing, tone colors and recognizing various instruments and voice, texture from simple to complex. This is a listening class rather than a playing class. We will listen to recordings, follow along in scores, and discuss features of each piece. And in the process, you can enjoy hearing many pieces of many types – what a joy!