London Ontario Concert Presented By Canada's Only Renaissance Music Summer School

On Saturday May 25 at 8pm in the pristine acoustics of St Peter's Cathedral Basilica at 196 Dufferin Avenue, choral music enthusiasts are invited to attend "Musica Transalpina", a performance which marks the final concert in the unique 2019 London-based "Canadian Renaissance Music Summer School (CRMSS) ". In its second year, this school is the only Renaissance choral music workshop of its kind in Canada.

Directed by internationally-acclaimed baritone and choral workshop leader Greg Skidmore https://www.gregskidmore.co.uk , this year the school takes place from May 19 to 26. Aimed primarily, but not exclusively, at undergraduate students, graduates, and young professional singers, it is dedicated to the study and performance of Renaissance polyphonic vocal music at the highest levels. Students will learn from internationally-acknowledged specialist tutors from the worlds of performance and academia https://www.crmss.org/tutors.html, and be immersed in this magnificent music for a full week. It will be an intensive period of rehearsal and performance, both liturgically and in concert, all with an emphasis on quality in performance. This school is on par with the best of these types of workshops run by The Tallis Scholars (Seattle), the Early Music Academy (Boston) and those held across England and Europe.

The "Music Transalpina" concert explores the historical connection between English Sacred Polyphony and Italian secular madrigals (of the 16th century). The ambition of this year's curriculum is to explore English music from the Eton Choirbook through the works of Byrd and Tomkins alongside Italian madrigals from throughout the period.

There will be no tickets and seat reservations, but a retiring collection will be shared between The Canadian Renaissance Music Summer School and St Peter's Cathedral Basilica.

As well, the public is welcome to attend the following performances, free of charge:
Thursday, May 23rd 2019 at 5:30pm ~ Choral Evensong at All Saints Church, Hamilton Road: This was a major venue for last year's CRMSS 2018 and the choir is delighted toreturn and contribute to their worship while exploring some of the magnificent music written for it in the English Cathedral tradition.

Friday, May 24th 2019 at 5:30pm ~ Choral Vespers at St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel, St Peter's Seminary: This year the choir has the special privilege of singing a Choral Vespers service in one of London's truly breathtaking and rarely enjoyed liturgical spaces where they hope to present a Catholic service entirely in Latin, following the pre-Vatican II rite found in the Liber Usualis.

Sunday, May 26th 2019 at 10:00am ~ Eucharist at St Paul's Cathedral. In the final event of the course the choir performs a large scale a capella polyphonic Latin mass setting, and accompanying motets. It is hoped to also include Gregorian chant propers in this service as well.

Daily evening services: Throughout the week, at the end of each day, the choir will sing Vespers, Compline, or Evensong. These services will be simple and largely made up plainsong, with a few simple motets for contrast. While these services will be open to the public, they will mainly serve as a way for this choir to come together as a course and to experience the daily rhythm of liturgical music-making which formed the wider context for most of the music which they are studying.

For detailed info about the school, workshop leaders and each performance plse visit our website www.crmss.org.

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