30/31 May 2026 

Exploring music by Fischer, Legrenzi, Albinoni, Valentini, Corelli, Geminiani, Dauvergne, Vivaldi, Barsanti, Lully, Telemann, and Durante... and Caldara, Wassenaar, Brentner, Vivaldi, Fischer, and Handel! 

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SCHEDULE

30th May

• Registration/Welcome (830-900)
• Playing Session A (900-1130)
  • Single Large Ensemble with John Ma (@415/440Hz)
• Workshop Session A (1200-1300)
  • Keyboards: Introduction to Continuo with Marie Searles (playing)
  • Strings: Baroque String techniques and QA with John Ma (playing)
  • Winds: Wind/Recorder (Form, Texture, and Style) with Robyn Mellor (playing)
• Lunch (1300-1400)
• Playing Session B (Split groups, 1400-1630)
  • Wind group @440Hz with Robyn Mellor
  • Everyone else @415Hz (or 440Hz transposed parts) with John Ma
• Workshops Session B (1700-1800)
  • Keyboards: Continuo in a Violin sonata with Marie Searles and John Ma. (playing)
  • Strings: Madder and the Baroque Violin with Hugh Withycombe and Michal Prokop. (non-playing)
  • Winds: Musettes and Racketts with Simon Rickard (non-playing)
• Evening Open Mic (John and Marie on continuo duty!)
  • Optional (and free) relaxed session of just playing stuff with us (or without us!).

31st May

• Baroque Dance workshop (info below) with Simon Rickard (1100-1300)
• Playing Session C (1400-1600)
  • Wind group @440Hz with Robyn Mellor
  • Everyone else @415Hz (or 440Hz transposed parts) with John Ma
• Open Presentation/Last Bash (1630-1730)
  • The final chaos with John Ma.

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An introduction to baroque dance

Baroque dance was as important an art form in eighteenth century Europe as music was. Its rhythms permeate almost every bar of baroque music, from the grandest mass to the humblest popular song. Composers from Lully to Bach understood the art of baroque dance intimately. Yet how many of us have ever seen a gavotte, menuet or gigue performed today, let alone danced one ourselves?

In this lecture-workshop, Simon will give an introduction to baroque dance, teach you a few basic steps, and examine how it can make you better musicians.