past workshop

Fall in-person workshop

by admin

Workshop Information

Location Mount Holyoke College, Pratt Hall, South Hadley, MA Date Oct 19, 2024 Start Time 9:30AM End Time 4:30PM

Join us for a full-day, in-person workshop led by the renowned Arcadia Viols: Robert Eisenstein, Jane Hershey, Anne Legêne, and Alice Robbins. This workshop honors our friend Will Ayton, esteemed composer, viol player, and Emeritus professor at Roger Williams University. It was originally planned for Jan. 2021 and postponed because of the pandemic, and VdGS-NE is delighted to offer it now.

Register and pay online

In class, we’ll explore the nine fantasias that Will composed for viol consort based on lute songs by Ferrabosco, Lawes and others, purposely for three class periods at three different levels. He wrote in an imitative style incorporating elements of a borrowed tune, a compositional technique that was commonly used by composers of the Renaissance and later periods. This workshop is sponsored by the Mount Holyoke College Department of Music.

Composer Will Ayton playing a bass viol
Composer Will Ayton
Group headshot of Arcadia viols
Arcadia viols will be the faculty for this workshop

 

Schedule

9:30-10:00am Registration & coffee 

10:00-10:45am Lecture/Demonstration

11:00am-12:15pm
Class 1

12:15-1:15pm
 Lunch 

1:15-2:30pm
 Class 2

2:45-4:00pm
 Class 3
  • Pitch is A=415
  • Bring your own lunch! Coffee will be provided. You are welcome to bring cookies or other food to share, but let us know in advance if your item requires any serving or individual portion size utensils, plates, or bowls.
  • Bring a music stand.
  • Beginning players are welcome. We will offer Intro to the Viol and/or Ensemble Skills classes if there is enough interest. 
  • Music PDFs will be available for you to print at home or download to your tablet ahead of time.
  • Masks encouraged. Please do not attend if you don’t feel well; your registration fee will be refunded or applied to a future event, or you may make it a donation to VdGS-NE. 

In the morning lecture, you’ll learn more about Will’s compositional process. We’ll look at his short fantasia on Greensleeves written expressly for this workshop that demonstrates some of the elements he uses.  

Parking is a five minute walk away in the Gorse Lot, and there are limited accessible spots near the building. Take note that this event is in Western MA. Boston-area participants are encouraged to carpool! 

Register by September 28 to reserve a spot! Late registrants will be accepted only if space is available. You may also register on paper using the flyer.