Viola da Gamba Society of America

B+-LI

Learn to play consorts in a supported and friendly way. Each day we will take the fantasia-du-jour part by part, solving tricky fingerings, rhythms, and other pitfalls, then reassemble the fantasia until we can not only play happily through it, but also find some musical pleasure in our efforts.

LI-I

This class will focus on bow technique, using pavanes and other dances to learn/practice both smooth and articulated (lifting and catch-and-float strokes). Music of John Dowland and others.

LI-I+

A wealth of English consort music lends itself to developing the capacity to listen to each other, blending or imitating the parts of the whole. We will work on a piece a day, repeating it the next to see how it has developed, or working on it further, but covering several pieces.  Performance optional.

LI-I+

Countless instrumental treatises from the early modern period recommend imitating the voice. We also know that pieces of vocal music, such as madrigals, are frequently found in collections of instrumental consort music. What conclusions should we draw from this and how can we articulate words with the bow when playing vocal music on viols? Doubling possible.

LI-I+

This class will explore some of the fascinating polyphony by both European and New World composers present in great quantities in New World manuscripts and Cathedral libraries. Viols are known to have been present in New Spain from the early decades of the 16th century, where they were used for religious and community music making. Alongside wind instruments and (of course) singers, strings were a regular feature of sixteenth-century Cathedral music in the Iberian world and its colonies.

I-UI

What did the first viol consorts play? The early history of the viol consort is told in a tantalizing array of hints recorded in correspondence on title pages and in obscure manuscripts. This class’s repertoire list is inspired by those tiny data points, and includes works by Senfl, Josquin, Willaert, Lassus, and more. Ficta geeks: we will work through Willaert’s famous puzzle, “Quid non… ebrietas.” The singers of the Vatican choir failed to figure it out, but their viol playing colleagues solved it. Doubling welcome.

I-UI

Expand your horizons into the fascinating world of the lyra viol. Learn to play from tablature!  We will center on Hume’s works in standard tuning, and see how tablature illustrates Hume’s quasi-polyphonic style, and helps us to read chords. Some work on string crossings and playing chords will be part of the classes. For tenor and bass viols!

I-UI+

Consortopiates, needless to say, are pieces that makes us feel amazing. The six part fantasies of “the fastest finger of his age” offer consort playing at its most satisfying.

I+-UI+

Monteverdi madrigals (primarily Books II and III)  on poetry of  the infamous Torquato Tasso. Expand your ability to convey the sound and meaning of text with your bow.  Each class begins with technique exercises pertinent to the madrigals and a short discussion of Tasso and the poetry itself.  A new setting will be introduced each day, with some exploration of contemporaries such as Wert and Marenzio and their settings of the same poetry.  This class will aim to perform at the final concert. Doubling possible.

I-UI+

The goal of this class is to equip you with practice strategies and exercises you can use to become more comfortable improvising and help dispel the notion that you have to just sit down and intuitively know what to play. We’ll break things down into exercises like finding "guide tones," filling in intervals, transposing a motive through a phrase, and combining these and other tricks to improvise simple melodies. While we’ll mainly look at improvising on a ground, we’ll also practice applying the skills we learn to our consort playing.

I+-UI+

A festive feast of German 17th century consort music: works by Schein, Scheidt, Brade, Widmann, more. Doubling welcome. Tenor players should be comfortable reading treble and octave treble clefs (G and G8).

I+-UI+

In honor of the 400th anniversary of William Byrd's death this class will focus on the instrumental works and adapt some of the consort songs for a consort of viols. Although we are concentrating on the end of an era, we are indulging in any and all that is representative of Byrd's output, adapting some of his vocal works for instrumental "consortopia."

I+-A

Discover this mysterious, rhythmically complex body of work dating from the late 14th - early 15th centuries.  Compare modern editions and original manuscripts of works from the Chantilly and Modena Codices, by composers such as di Perusio, Senleches, and Ciconia.  We will practice strategies for dealing with the rhythmic complexity of these works: subdividing the tactus, transitioning between rhythmic proportions, beat displacement, and more!

UI-A+

A whole week to really get to know one of the Lawes sets we rarely play. From technical issues to thoroughly understanding the music, this will be a chance to play some challenging music, but also explore the finer points of consort playing: truly unified bow strokes, deep listening, shaping the argument of the whole piece. Music will be sent out beforehand, to practice for a head start!

B-B+

This beginning viola da gamba class is free to off-campus beginners, ages 18 and older (or a minor with a guardian), who would like to learn to play the viol in a relaxed and supportive group environment. This class is tuition-free for those staying on campus. Instruments will be provided upon request as much as possible. Please check the appropriate box when you register for the Beginning Viol Program to indicate that you are interested in borrowing an instrument.

LI-I+

We’ll make sure we know the origin of the In Nomine genre, and that everyone leaves being able to sing the In Nomine tune in full. We’ll focus on In Nomines in 3, 4 and 5-parts with warm-ups and doubling with teacher playing the “IN” line. Music of Byrd, White, Johnson, and others. 

LI-I+

Getting a good sound on the top string and developing some facility on the bottom. Exercises for bow arm movement and coordination with the left hand. Scale patterns will be used as a vehicle for practice. 

I-I+

Consorts imitating an object, describing a scene, or elaborating a well-known chant or popular song may have been among the most engaging music played in music rooms of the late 16th century.  This class will focus on quintets, heavy on low viols, by Parsley, White, Tye, and others.

I-UI+

Anthony Holborne’s 1599 publication of Pavanes, Galliards, Almains, etc. never ceases to satisfy, every one of its 65 pieces offering the kind of continuous euphonious counterpoint that viol consorts players revel in. We will play the entire book in the course of the week, starting with the simplest pieces, moving to the most complex. The class will use the beautiful 2019 edition of Ben Maloney. This edition uses mensurstrichen rather than full barlines, and preserves some features of the original notation. Doubling welcome.

I-UI+

Some of the juiciest writing in consort music is for tenor viol, but the parts can be scary! This class focuses on gaining skills in starting pieces and mastering the tenor’s high and low ranges, and will include a daily dose of instruction on challenging fingering and bowing excerpts for tenor from the consort repertory.

I+-UI+

What makes an ideal consort bass player? In this class, we will develop the skills that allow you to excel as the foundation of the consort, including sense of meter/time feel, harmonic awareness, and articulation vocabulary. Become the person of whom it is said, “In my ideal world, THEY are the bass player.” This class will alternate technical exercises with time spent developing ensemble skills through playing consort pieces together. The class repertoire will include music that can be played exclusively on bass and great bass/g-violone, and we will take turns on the lowest part. 

I+-UI+

Byrd’s 6-part fantasias present a unique integration of learned polyphony and exuberant dance rhythm whilst his 6-part Pavan and Galliard are perfect examples of stylized instrumental dance form. Playing them offers a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the centenary of one of England’s greatest composers. We'll look at them in the light of other works which they inspired, as well as some sacred music in which dance makes a surprising appearance.

UI-A

Jenkins lived a long life, long enough to flourish through three monarchs and the civil war (James I, Charles I, Cromwell, Charles II). As an elder statesman, in the employ of Charles II, he contributed to the evolving musical styles of the times, inspiring emerging composers. While in isolation during the civil war, Jenkins spent the time in service to several noble families including the Norths. 

UI-A

6-part instrumental fantasias and vocal works by musical giants Orlando Gibbons and Thomas Tomkins.

UI-A

These pieces are pure heaven, musical conversation at its most developed. We will dig in and perfect ensemble and interpretation, sound and bowings, phrasing and structure. Music will be sent out beforehand, to practice for a head start!

UI+-A

The music of William Lawes inhabits an utterly unique estate in Consortopia. It has been described as “delightfully, timelessly weird” and you really have to play it to fully experience it.

UI+-A+

A master class in the music of the master! Choose any pieces you want to prepare from any of Marais’s five books of viol pieces, for coaching, improvement, and possible performance. If possible, please prepare four pieces, including at least two different dance movements.

UI+-A+

This class will serve as a primer for tackling the fiendishly difficult works of Antoine and Jean Baptiste Forqueray. We will focus on the unique technical and stylistic challenges that these Pièces de Viole pose, and we will work on exercises and practice techniques to help tame these devilish masterpieces.

LI-I

Holborne's huge collection of dances is a gold mine of musical treasures. Rewarding at first reading, they still offer plenty of scope for working on sound, ensemble, rhythm, and phrasing. Doubling  is welcome, and we will take the time to work on bow technique for resonance, clarity, blend, and articulation.

LI-I

While we all pine to play Lachrimae Pavans, some of Dowland's other dances are are a good place to start getting familiar with the style and idiom of his music. Doubling welcome.

I-I+

Explore the 4-part instrumental and vocal music of Isaac, teacher of Senfl and highly esteemed by Lorenzo di Medici. We will learn several pieces well by playing them each day, and add new works as we progress through the literature. We will work primarily with modern notation but an opportunity to explore original notation will be a part of this course. Doubling encouraged. Performance optional.

I-UI

Explore the beauty and excitement of Coprario's 49 fantasias for five viols. All but one have titles that hint at possible Italian texts and perfectly blend the idioms of madrigals with those of imitative viol fantasias. These pieces are elegantly composed, sit wonderfully on the viol (no super-high treble parts!), and offer excellent opportunities to practice your ornamentation skills if you choose.

I-UI

Bicinia and three-part fantasies are a great training ground for learning to swim fluently in the seas of imitative counterpoint. This class will start with dialogues scripted by Thomas Morley, Orlando Lasso, and Giovanni Coprario, and move on to three-voiced conversations by Coprario and William Byrd.
Doubling is welcome.

I-UI

We will play two different Bach chorales every day, using these timeless and beautiful pieces as a starting point to discuss musical issues, ways the text can inform our performance, and how to lead an ensemble. We will discuss how to choose the best fingerings and bowings to negotiate the trickier passages, and marked-up music can be sent out in advance if you wish. Doubling possible.

I-UI

We will explore the instrumental works as well as adapt some of the vocal works for viols.  We will first work on the pieces in modern notation and then explore the part books in facsimile of the companion pieces. The music is exquisite and definitely brings a sense of Consortopia to the environment.

UI

A musical celebration to mark the 400th anniversary of William Byrd’s death, explore his life and work. Contemporaries such as Robert Dow held him in the highest esteem: "Among singers you are as the sun in the sky, good Birde”, we explore a sampling of works from different eras in his life including sumptuous motets and anthems to instrumental consorts and rollicking secular works. Survey the musical development of this great composer whose music defined an age. Including works by Parsons, Tallis, and continental contemporaries featured for contrast and comparison. Doubling possible.

I+-UI+

The Uppsala University Library has a manuscript containing a fabulous wealth of French ensemble music from the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Préludes, fantasies, and aires for consort share pages with a rich selection of dances, most by composers and musicians associated with the court of Louis XIII. We will explore the beautiful and distinctly French music that survives only in this unique and compelling source. High parts for treble viol. Pardessus encouraged. Music in 4-6 parts.

I+-UI+

An introduction to Thomas Tomkins’s brilliant fantasies and pavans as well as select vocal music including his wrenching “When David Heard.” Doubling welcome.

I-A

The Odhecaton (Petrucci’s groundbreaking 1501 publication containing a treasure trove of the “greatest hits” from the late 15th century by composers such as Josquin, Agricola, Isaac, and Ockeghem) will be our vehicle to become comfortable (OR gain more experience) reading 16th-century notation.  Topics covered include moveable C and F clefs, barless notation, early note and rest shapes, intervalic reading, musica ficta, and ligatures. Doubling welcome.

UI-A

In this class, we will learn Bach’s beloved Cantata 106, which features two fabulous and equally challenging viola da gamba parts, and a terrific basso continuo part suitable for the g violone. We will work on learning the passagework through a series of exercises and studies customized for the class and develop ensemble skills by rehearsing together, in addition to studying the work's score and cultural context. This summer is “die allerbeste Zeit” to wrap your fingers, head, and heart around this magnificent piece. 

UI-A+

Arranging polyphonic vocal music to be sung to a single viol. We’ll discuss strategies for writing these arrangements and work on aspects of our technique that will help us play them and bring out the text. We'll spend class time collaboratively arranging short excerpts and playing and examining pre-written examples. We'll start the week with more homophonically-textured 3-part music and gradually introduce pieces for more voices and with more polyphonic textures. Optional performance on the last day of class or at the student recital.

UI+-A+

Commune with the masters of “Consortopia” in instrumental works by William Lawes and John Jenkins. One on a part consort playing.

UI+-A+

We will explore the technical and musical intricacies of these recently-discovered gems for solo viol. Participants should prepare select movements to be worked on throughout the week.

Any

This freebie class will be led by colleagues who have lived with William Byrd’s songs, anthems and consort music for many years. Bill and Wendy will share their expertise about the performance of this memorable English repertory. They are keen to encourage singers to participate in the principal ranges (a) mezzo (low soprano) (b) alto (including high tenors); (c) 'normal’ tenors (and baritones) (d) basses (‘real’ basses especially!). This is the opportunity to release your “inner singer”. Low viols especially welcome!

Any

Release your creativity with this approachable, refreshing class that rebalances both body and mind. Relieve overused muscles and bring a greater sense of physical and mental flow both while playing and away from your instrument. In addition to gentle standing postures and movements, we will utilize our chairs to find more balance and ease in our playing postures. Bring your instrument.

I-UI

With Martha McGaughey and Patricia Halverson as your ensemble mates, build your skills as we play musical chairs, switching parts, clefs, and instruments in 3-part music. If you play (and have) a bass, a tenor, and a treble, here’s your chance to improve your flexibility switching from one instrument to the others – without having to travel with so many instruments! Repertoire will be some old favorites (Locke, Gibbons, Purcell), some older favorites (French chansons, Obrecht, Ockeghem) and some 18th-century music (Marais Pieces en trio; Lully Trios pour le Coucher du Roi). Each piece will be played three times, so you’ll have a chance to play all three voices, while we cover the other two. 

I-UI+

We will work on various technical exercises to improve fluidity and control of the left and right hands. In addition, we will work on excerpts from the treble repertoire in order to maximize enjoyment and confidence when playing with others.

LI-I+

How was the viol taught in the 16th and 17th century? This class will explore the pedagogical contents and play repertoire from early viol method books – primarily Gerle’s Musica Teutsch and Ganassi’s Regola Rubertina, and including works by Agricola and others. The class will include consort repertoire, as well as bass viol etudes adapted for treble and tenor viols. Bring a bass viol if possible.

LI-I+

All the fun of late-night reading but before lunch! Play through a wide variety of consort music along with a group of advanced players. We'll have drop-in visitors and vary the number of parts throughout the week. We'll cover all the voices so you can choose any part to play along. All pieces will be played twice.

I+-UI

Many composers, including Richard Dering, Peter Philips, John Bull, William Brade, and Thomas Simpson, left England and lived abroad, some for religious reasons, and some for better career prospects. This class takes a comparative look at their compositional styles and the effects of the growing Italian influence in the mid-17th century. 

I-I+

Tiburtino was a Papal musician in Rome in the mid-16th century and was likely familiar with the work of Josquin des Pres. Tiburtino’s trios were composed on short hexachord-based themes which are present throughout these pieces, and distributed evenly among the three voices. All voices can be played on any viol (in any octave), so students are encouraged to play along on all the parts, as we practice the hexachord themes in all their rhythmic variety, and hear how the parts fit together.

Any

This freebie class will be led by colleagues who have lived with William Byrd’s songs, anthems and consort music for many years. Bill and Wendy will share their expertise about the performance of this memorable English repertory. They are keen to encourage singers to participate in the principal ranges (a) mezzo (low soprano) (b) alto (including high tenors); (c) 'normal’ tenors (and baritones) (d) basses (‘real’ basses especially!). This is the opportunity to release your “inner singer”. Low viols especially welcome!