PERFORMANCE MASTERCLASSES

BEMF offers masterclasses by renowned Festival musicians as a way to further historically-informed performance among today’s students and performers. Auditors are encouraged to attend; admission is FREE with a BEMF Pass.

Students wishing to perform in a masterclass at the 2007 Festival may send a Masterclass Application (Word) (PDF) and audition CD to:

BEMF Masterclasses
161 First Street, Suite 202
Cambridge MA 02142

DANCE WORKSHOPS
Thursday, June 14 at 9:30am and 11:30am, Emmanuel Church Music Room

BEMF Choreographer Lucy Graham is as well-known for her fun and interactive dance instruction as she is for her inspired choreography. She leads two ninety minute classes for dancers of all levels to enjoy a selection of sociable and entertaining steps in the French style. Please bring a heeled shoe and wear soft, comfortable clothing; admission is FREE with a BEMF Pass but limited to the first 50 participants.

FAMILY DAY
Saturday, June 16 at 10am and 1pm, Radisson Hotel City Room

Music for the King’s Court: Exploring the early winds
Both you and your children will be captivated by this history of wind instruments, which encourages even the most reluctant youngster to try the rare and curious instruments of centuries past, including recorders, lutes, shawms, and rackets. Appropriate for ages 8 to 108, this engaging and interactive presentation is
followed by a guided tour of the incredible assortment of instruments on display at the BEMF Exhibition.

For more information about the Family Day program on Saturday, June 16, or to schedule a FREE concert and tour of the BEMF Exhibition for your school (grades K–8) on Wednesday and Thursday, June 13 and 14 through the BEMF Educational Outreach Program, please contact BEMF’s Director of Education, David Coffin, at 617-661-1812 or davidcoffin@bemf.org. More information on the web here. Download a flyer here (PDF)

SYMPOSIA, ROUNDTABLE/PANEL DISCUSSIONS
& LECTURE-DEMONSTRATIONS

The Museum of Fine Arts
Hours and admission at www.mfa.org

Located at 465 Huntington Avenue near Jordan Hall, the Museum of Fine Arts is home to an outstanding collection of over one thousand musical instruments, ranging in date from ancient times to the 20th century. The Museum’s musical instrument gallery will be open for daily visitation during the 2007 Festival; regular museum admission fees apply. Darcy Kuronen, Curator of Musical Instruments, will be on hand to answer questions.

Carbon Fiber in Musical Instruments: How it is new and old at the same time
Wednesday, June 13 at 9am, Radisson Hotel City Room

Carbon fiber technology is currently finding wide application, being used to manufacture everything from bicycle frames to skyscrapers, where strength, stiffness, and light weight are high priorities. These qualities are similar to those of spruce wood used to make violins and pianos, inspiring innovative instrument builders who are curious about carbon fiber’s possibilities to experiment with this exciting new technology.  This discussion explores this modern material, from its flexibility and sound quality to its fabrication techniques and cost.  Moderated by Richard Hester, Richard Hester Fortepianos (Coeyman’s Hollow, NY).

Stage Beauty: Style and substance in Baroque opera
Thursday, June 14 at 1:30pm, Emmanuel Church Music Room

Soprano Ellen Hargis, Vocal and Gesture Coach for the BEMF Psyché, offers an enlightening lecture-demonstration on stage movement in modern-day period performance. Based on her considerable knowledge of early sources on gesture, acting, and ornamentation as well as her extensive performing experience, she introduces the magic key of rhetoric as a tool for effective interpretation of operatic and other dramatic vocal works.

Visual Effects in the 17th Century: How they made opera like the movies
Thursday, June 14 at 2:30pm, Radisson Hotel City Room

In 17th-century opera, a scene change could take place faster than the eye could follow, providing the same effect as a film dissolve today. Sets depicted vast, realistic landscapes, just like matte paintings in movies. Every leaf in a forest fluttered, as lifelike as a 3D movie animation. How did they do it? This panel discussion will illustrate how stage machinery and lighting made it all happen centuries ago, with presentations by Glenn KnicKrehm (Constellation Center, Cambridge, MA) and George Ellerington and Alex Wardle (ARUP Venue Consulting, Winchester, UK).

Production and Performance Challenges in Mounting Lully’s Psyché
Friday, June 15 at 9am, Radisson Hotel City Room

Foremost among the many challenges facing the BEMF Psyché directors were uniting the dozens of surviving scores and libretti into one modern performing edition, and handling the score’s call for dazzling and elaborate stage machinery given today’s technical and budgetary constraints. These and many other issues will be discussed by Music Directors Paul O’Dette and Stephen Stubbs, Stage Director Gilbert Blin, Set Designer Caleb Wertenbaker, and other BEMF Psyché directors.

A Hole in the Cities: Where have all the record stores gone?
Friday, June 15 at 1pm, Radisson Hotel City Room

A distinguished group of former managers from Tower Records Boston, Virgin Megastore Boston, and HMV Cambridge join representatives from SONY/BMG and noted music critics to discuss the future of the CD industry, specifically the closing of local record stores, the CD as a commodity available only online, and what the future holds for fans of classical music CDs. Moderated by Ned Arnold, former Senior Classical Recording Consultant for Virgin Megastore Boston.

Performance and Production Issues in French Baroque Opera
Saturday, June 16 at 10am, Emmanuel Church Music Room

A lively discussion of staging practices, the role of dance, editorial and structural issues, and vocal and orchestration practices in opera during the time of Lully, with presentations on staging, dance, instrumentation and continuo scoring, and articulation by BEMF Psyché directors Paul O’Dette, Stephen Stubbs, and Gilbert Blin; Rebecca Harris-Warrick (Cornell University); John Powell (University of Tulsa); Robert Mealy (BEMF Orchestra Concertmaster/Harvard University); and Alexander Bonus (Pro Bono Music).

BEMF Colleagues at the Festival

American Recorder Society
Concentrated within the weekend of June 15–17, American Recorder Society events at BEMF include the 15th Annual Great Recorder Relay (vignette recitals by emerging professional recorderists), a roundtable discussion on recorder-related topics, an ARS Town Hall style meeting, a play-in, plus the Distinguished Achievement Award and Presidential Special Honor Award Ceremony and Reception honoring Anthony Rowland-Jones and Joel Newman, respectively. For a complete ARS schedule, please contact the ARS at 800-491-9588, or visit www.americanrecorder.org.

Boston Clavichord Society
The Boston Clavichord Society was founded in 1995 to promote understanding and appreciation of the clavichord among musicians and the general public. Based in Boston, Friends of the Society are found across the United States and in several other countries. During BEMF 2007 the BCS will have a table at the Exhibition and will present two recitals on June 13. See the BCS website for further details: www.bostonclavichord.org.

Cambridge Society for Early Music
CSEM, America’s oldest organization for the propagation of early music in period modes of performance, will present a concert and discussion with distinguished pianist and scholar Kenneth Drake. He will be performing music of Beethoven on his original 1814 Broadwood grand piano— the composer possessed an identical instrument. Visit www.csem.org for details.

Early Music America
Early Music America, the national service organization for the field of early music, will present a concert by Ensemble La Rota, winner of its 2006 Medieval/ Renaissance performance competition, as well the EMA Annual Meeting, Awards Ceremony and Reception, and roundtable discussions on Friday, June 15 at Emmanuel Church. For more information, please contact EMA at 888-SACKBUT, info@earlymusic.org, or visit www.earlymusic.org.

The French Library Alliance Française
The French Library combined forces with the Alliance Française in 2000 to foster knowledge of French literature and promote the French language. What began in 1898 as an endeavor to maintain a
collection of French literature has become the second largest private French library in the country, with an impressive collection of books, periodicals, DVDs, audio and video cassettes, and CDs along with
language classes and programs for adults and children, lectures, concerts, cooking demonstrations, wine-tastings, art exhibits, and more. Visit www.frenchlib.org.

Lute Society of America
The Lute Society of America is pleased to expand its presence at BEMF in 2007 with a larger booth and expanded sales of books, music, and recordings featuring the lute. In addition, the LSA will feature an exhibit in memory of Robert Lundberg in recognition of his contribution to the lute community, and will—in partnership with the Schola Cantorum in Basel, Switzerland—sponsor a concert featuring an outstanding group, Dulce Melos.

Viola da Gamba Society of America
A not-for-profit organization of players, builders, publishers, distributors, restorers, and others sharing a serious interest in music for viols and other early bowed string instruments, the VdGSA is hosted at BEMF by the Viola da Gamba Society of New England and offers a “viol petting zoo” in its Exhibition room for anyone interested in trying the viol with professional guidance. For more information, contact Ken Perlow at 708-989-1729, post@vdgsa.org, or visit www.vdgsa.org.

89.7 FM WGBH Radio Boston
In cooperation with WGBH 89.7 FM, many festival performances will be broadcast nationwide and overseas, live and by delayed broadcast. Check your local listings or go to wgbh.org/classical.