Past
Workshops
On 21st November 1998 NWEMF - the oldest of the regional and national early music fora in the UK - was 21 years old. We celebrated in the stately surroundings of Tabley House, near Knutsford, Cheshire with a full-length rehearsal and performance of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas - coincidentally on the 303rd anniversary of the composer's death.
It was on this same Saturday in November 1977 that nearly 100 people gathered in Manchester's former College of Adult Education and decided to inaugurate the North West Early Music Forum. NWEMF was initially concerned with publishing a Newsletter, and achieving greater publicity for regional early music activities, both professional and amateur. As NWEMF's constitution puts it, "the education of the public in the study, practice and appreciation of the art of music and the allied arts and in particular...music of the medieval, renaissance and baroque periods" soon led to the promotion of day workshops, recitals and various educational initiatives. Over the years the Newsletter, which has remained an important medium for publicising concerts, recitals and courses, has featured numerous articles in addition to reviews and a diary of events which is much more comprehensive than you will find on this Web site. NWEMF's Summer School of Renaissance Music, held in Ambleside, Cumbria every year since 1981, is believed to be the first and possibly the only early music summer course devoted exclusively to Renaissance music, and designed for singers and instrumentalists of all abilities from elementary to advanced.
Over the years NWEMF has been served by a committee containing numerous distinguished musicians and musicologists, notably its first two chairmen David Fallows and Joan Wess. NWEMF is particularly keen to involve more young people in early music and is proud that several of her current junior members have gone on to membership of the National Youth Choir.
Since then NWEMF has continued to run Day Workshops and the Annual Summer School.
Some examples are listed below with links to a sample of the workshop reports that are regularly published in the newsletter.
24 November 2001 A workshop on the music of Ockeghem, with David Fallows. Held in St Matthew's Church Hall, Stretford Manchester
26 February 2002 Singers Workshop with Nigel Perrin. The Handel Coronation Anthems. Held in Bethesda Chapel Mold.
18 May 2002 Singers Workshop with Peter Syrus: From Taverner to Tomkins, Nether Alderley Church. The music included Taverner Gaude plurimum Parsons Ave Maria Tallis O sacrum convivium Byrd Attolite portas Gibbons O clap your hands and Tomkins Then David Mourned
15 June 2002 Music for Voices and Viols with Richard Tanner, Blackburn Cathedral. The workshop culminated in singing Choral Evensong in Blackburn Cathedral. The music included Gibbon's Second Service Magnificat & Nunc Dimitis and the anthem See, see the word is incarnate!
16 November 2002 Peter Wilton Vespers of the new Roman Rite A plainchant workshop. Tabley House Chapel, Knutsford
14 December 2002 Paul Spicer J S Bach ‘Magnificat’ (Joint workshop with MEMF) For Chorus, Soloists and instruments at A415. St Peter’s Methodist Church, Newcastle-under-Lyme
5th
November
2003
6th December 2003 Purcell Verse Anthems. Tutor Jonathon Wainwright. Venue The Chapel of Tabley House, Knutsford. This is one of favourite venues, the workshop was superb and some photos of Tabley House and Chapel and the workshop are available through following this link
6th March 2004 AGM and Workshop. Tutor Philip Thorby. Music from 16th Century Venice - Adrian Willaert and Andrea Gabrieli. A workshop for singers and instruments. Venue St. John's Parish Centre, Knutsford.
8th December 2007 Joint workshop with MEMF at St Andrew's Newcastle Under Lyme. Tutor Michael Procter Croce Missa Super Jubilate Deo a 16. Report of the workshop in PDF format.