Saskia Coolen — Recorders (back to top)

At the Texas Toot Summer 2014, Saskia Coolen will teach:

Modern recorder ensemble. A selection of music specially written for Saskia.s Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam in the last 20 years, plus lots of information about the composers themselves. New music of Willem Wander van Nieuwkerk and others. For advanced recorder players.

Recorder technique. Bring all your technical problems and improve your technique through awareness exercises. The motto is: Nothing is difficult! Recorders, all levels.

Italian recorder sonatas. Masterclass focusing on 18th century recorder sonatas by Vivaldi, Barsanti, Marcello and others. Please prepare a sonata or a movement of your choice. Recorders, high intermediate to advanced.

Siesta: diminution class. Learn what 'diminution' is, and how to make your own based on a melody of your choice. Recorders, all levels but beginning.

Alison Melville — Recorders (back to top)

At the Texas Toot Summer 2014, Alison Melville will teach:

Dance music of the Italian Renaissance. A romp through 16th-century Italian pavanas, gagliardas, canarios, balletti and more, including some user-friendly work on simple ornamentation of the tunes. Music by Zanetti, Cara, Negri and others, to help you prepare for your next Italian Renaissance dance party! Recorders and viols, low intermediate and up.

Music for the Tudors. Consort music from the households of the Tudor kings and queens, from Henry VII to Good Queen Bess (aka Elizabeth I). We'll play ditties by Henry VIII, dances by Holborne, and music by Byrd, Tallis, Dowland and others. (No duplication with the English Fantasies class.) Recorders, viols, and voices, intermediate and up.

English Fantasies. An exploration of several types of English fantasias or 'fancies,' for three, four and five parts, including quintessential examples by John Jenkins, William Byrd, Osbert Parsley, Orlando Gibbons, Christopher Tye and more. (No duplication with the Music for the Tudors class.) Recorders, high intermediate and up.

Siesta: Music from the Eton Choir Book, for instrumentalists. Get acquainted with some glorious music from the Eton Choirbook, the foremost source of early English Renaissance polyphony dating from the early 16th century. Cornyshe, Fayrfax, Lambe and Browne might not be household names (yet), but you'll be glad of an introduction to their music. Recorders and viols, intermediate and up.

Frank Shirley — Recorders (back to top)

At the Texas Toot Summer 2014, Frank Shirley will teach:

Italian and English Madrigals for Recorders. Recorders, intermediate to high intermediate.

Handel's "Water Music" (excerpts) and other Fun Arrangements. Recorders, intermediate and up.

Renaissance Dance Music for Recorders. Recorders, intermediate and up.

Siesta: Music by J. S. Bach for Recorders. Recorders, intermediate and up.

Jan Jackson — Recorders (back to top)

At the Texas Toot Summer 2014, Jan Jackson will teach:

Motet Joys: Medieval through Renaissance. Since motet composition involves the combination of more than one song rather than the more modern approach of adding chordal harmonies to a single melody, each line has its own melody. To play these intricate beauties beautifully, one must feel the music of each line within the whole. Perfect examples of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. Recorders, low intermediate to high intermediate.

Developing Speed & Precision. Drilling can be a drag. But drilling many different ways, in a group, can be a real challenge AND a fun approach to developing speed and coordination!! Breathing, tonguing, fingers; all have to work together, but each must also be under our control individually. A wide variety of exercises, accompanied by take-home handouts to aid memory. Recorders, low intermediate and up.

The Fabulous 1400s. Introducing the splendid harmonies and occasionally daunting rhythmic challenges of a diverse and radically different musical landscape from either that of the Medieval period or the later (and generally more familiar) Renaissance period. Pictorial, moving, and luscious to the ear, this music demands reading skills and good ears, as well as a real feel for ensemble. Recorders, intermediate to high intermediate.

Siesta: Soaring in the Stratosphere: Playing the Recorder's High Register Easily & Beautifully. There are specific tricks, not hard to develop, for becoming comfortable in the upper reaches of the baroque recorders' ranges. Learn these tricks and practice them to play those high notes easily and at sight. Recorders, all levels.

Susan Richter — Recorders (back to top)

At the Texas Toot Summer 2014, Susan Richter will teach:

Beginning recorder: welcoming those who are coming from another instrument, starting from scratch, or wanting to learn those mysterious "C fingerings" (or "F fingerings", as the case may be). All welcome!

Swing time for recorders: playing a lot of good recorder arrangements of Tin Pan Alley tunes, jazz standards, golden swing era tunes, and jazz-influenced modern compositions. Learn how to phrase and shape jazz rhythms, get comfortable with syncopation, and discover that "swing rhythm" is a very old concept. Recorder, intermediate and up. Adventuresome strings also welcome.

Recorder music by living composers: survey course of music by Glen Shannon, Will Ayton, and other recent composers, music from the ARS Members' Library, etc. For people who want to play a lot and see more contemporary music (not necessarily "modern"). Recorders, all levels but beginning.

Peter Maund — Percussion (back to top)

At the Texas Toot Summer 2014, Peter Maund will teach:

Beat Generation: An introduction to playing hand drums and other percussion instruments. We'll learn basic playing techniques for percussion instruments commonly used in early and world music traditions. We'll explore rhythms, improvise pieces and accompany music from all over the world. Some instruments will be provided but if possible, please bring a hand drum (frame drum, doumbek) and/or tambourine. No experience necessary -- all levels welcome.

Chominciamento di gioia: Medieval Dance Music from Italy and England. We'll explore the lively and lovely repertoire of 14th century instrumental dance music. Most of the music is monophonic, allowing us to create accompaniments, percussion parts and varied instrumentations. All levels of percussion welcome; melody players, high intermediate and up.

Instrumental and vocal music of the Middle Ages: We'll prepare and perform vocal music and instrumental arrangements of music from the Cantigas de Santa Maria, Llivre Vermell, and the Sephardic repertoire. Intermediate to advanced players and vocalists.

Siesta: Drum Circle. Grab a percussion instrument and get in the groove. Don't have a drum? Bring an (empty) wastebasket, box, pot or anything you can hit, slap or shake. All welcome!

Ros Morley — Viola da gamba (back to top)

At the Texas Toot Summer 2014, Ros Morley will teach:

Kings of the Consort: Jenkins and Lawes. Viols, high intermediate to advanced.

From Taverner to Purcell: Surveying the landscape of the In Nomine. Viols, intermediate to advanced.

Interpreting Ortiz - bringing the Solo Ricercars to life in both solo and group work. Viols, all levels but beginning.

Siesta: Musike Fyne: Scottish music at the time of the Stuarts. Viols and recorders, low intermediate through high intermediate.

Brady Lanier — Viols (back to top)

At the Texas Toot Summer 2014, Brady Lanier will teach:

Odhecaton (All levels) - Explore Petrucci's treasure trove, one of the earliest printed sources of viol music. Learn the "Greatest Hit Songs" of the Renaissance, and how Josquin, Agricola, and other composers used them as the basis of new, fanciful pieces. We will look at original and modern notation. Viols, all levels but beginning.

The Wacky World of Christopher Tye (intermediate / advanced) Tye composed more "In Nomines" than anyone else (21 in all!), with evocative titles such as "Trust", "Rachels Weeping", and "Crye"; and a wide range of compositional techniques (5/4 time!). Aren't you curious? Don't worry, the teacher will play the In Nomine Line! Viols, intermediate to advanced.

Consort Playing 102 - Not a beginner, but not quite ready for Lawes? Explore the essential elements of consort playing while playing the charming dance music of Holborne and Phalese. Focus on technique, ensemble skills, counting as a group, listening and matching, exploring different bow strokes and articulations. Viols, beginning to intermediate.

Siesta: Pop goes the viol - Swing a little bit! Custom arrangements of popular tunes for viol consort, arranged by Brady Lanier. Beatles, Big Band, and more. Viols, all levels.

Carol Deihl — Viols (back to top)

At the Texas Toot Summer 2014, Carol Deihl will teach:

Beginning Viol: Learn to play the viola da gamba from the very beginning, hone your skills if you've already begun, try a new size or clef, or bring your questions and problems. Attend all week, or just drop in. Some viols will be available for loan; please email info@toot.org to inquire. All welcome!

In Nomine - The quintessential viol tune! We'll learn the original plainsong, and use it as a basis for brushing up on technique. Then we'll apply that knowledge to playing some of the famous In Nomines by Taverner (the original!), Byrd, Gibbons, Tallis (and others if time). Viols, intermediate to advanced.

In love with Landini. Madrialles and ballate by Francesco, the blind organist of the 1300s. "Francesco played his love verses so sweetly that no one had ever heard such beautiful harmonies, and their hearts almost burst from their bosoms." We'll be playing songs from the Ellinwood edition of 1945, newly typeset by our own Kim Shrier! Viols, recorders and voices, intermediate and up.

Al Cofrin — Louds, Ensemble (back to top)

At the Texas Toot Summer 2014, Al Cofrin will teach:

Town Waits. This class will address the repertoire that would have been played by British town musicians in service to the guard. The repertoire will be geared toward loud band. We will address technique as well as phrasing for many of the written pieces from all of Europe. Shawms, dulcians, sackbuts, all levels but beginning.

Modal Improvisation. Improvisational music making was a critical and expected function of Medieval and Renaissance musicians. Musicians will review the different pre-16th c. modal scales as well as learning to create melodies using historical performance practices, and will learn some very fun musician ear training drinking games. All soft instruments, all levels but beginning.

Renaissance Dance Music in the British Courts. This class will focus on playing this music for its original purpose: accompanying dancers! Several different English manuscripts of choreographed dances included the music to go with them (Playford, Inns of Court, Gresley); we will also touch upon some of the dances themselves. All soft instruments, all levels but beginning.

Siesta: Medieval British and Italian Instrumental music. This class will cover instrumental dance tunes from 2 famous Medieval manuscripts. We will perform as well as analyze the forms of the tunes and perhaps attempt to write a few of our own. All instruments, all levels but beginning.

Scott Horton — Lute (back to top)

At the Texas Toot Summer 2014, Scott Horton will teach:

Lute ensemble. Lutes, all levels.

Baroque lute: technique and style. Lutes, all levels but beginner.

Technique & performance practice of Renaissance and early Baroque airs and solo madrigals and more from England & Italy, for voice and lute (with Danny Johnson). Lutenists may audit and might play as well. (Vocalists, intermediate to advanced.)

Continuo class. Learn to perform this most vital of functions, providing the harmonic and rhythmic framework for Baroque solo and ensemble pieces. Open to all.

Therese Honey — Early Harps (back to top)

At the Texas Toot Summer 2014, Therese Honey will teach:

Faenza Codex: a 15th c. manuscript of keyboard intabulations of 14th c. Italian & French vocal works. Harps, all but beginners.

Introduction to Medieval music, Medieval style and improvisation. This workshop introduces Medieval modes, music and style. Listen to music of the 12th-14th centuries, from Hildegard von Bingen, the Troubadours, estampies, Libre Vermell and the Cantigas de Santa Maria. Learn about monophonic and polyphonic music, drones and countermelodies. Harps and other instruments, all levels but beginning.

Harp technique. Review the basics and work on any areas you need improvement in. Harps, all levels.

Siesta: 17th and 18th c. Scottish music. Study original sources from the 17th and 18th c., and learn how to edit and arrange them for your harp. Harps, all levels.

Daniel Johnson — Voice and Ensemble (back to top)

At the Texas Toot Summer 2014, Danny Johnson will teach:

Continuo songs: Technique & performance practice of Baroque music from Italy and England by Strozzi, Monteverdi, Caccini, Purcell, and more. Vocalists, high intermediate to advanced.

Technique & performance practice of Renaissance and early Baroque airs and solo madrigals and more from England & Italy, for voice and lute (with Scott Horton). Vocalists, intermediate to advanced. (Lutenists may audit and might play as well.)

Modern recorder ensemble. A selection of music specially written for Saskia.s Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam in the last 20 years, plus lots of information about the composers themselves. New music of Willem Wander van Nieuwkerk and others.	For advanced recorder players.
Recorder technique. Bring all your technical problems and improve your technique through awareness exercises. The motto is: Nothing is difficult!	Recorders, all levels.
Italian recorder sonatas. Masterclass focusing on 18th century recorder sonatas by Vivaldi, Barsanti, Marcello and others. Please prepare a sonata or a movement of your choice.	Recorders, high intermediate to advanced.
Siesta: diminution class. Learn what 'diminution' is, and how to make your own based on a melody of your choice.	Recorders, all levels but beginning.

Dance music of the Italian Renaissance. A romp through 16th-century Italian pavanas, gagliardas, canarios, balletti and more, including some user-friendly work on simple ornamentation of the tunes. Music by Zanetti, Cara, Negri and others, to help you prepare for your next Italian Renaissance dance party!	Recorders and viols, low intermediate and up.
Music for the Tudors. Consort music from the households of the Tudor kings and queens, from Henry VII to Good Queen Bess (aka Elizabeth I). We'll play ditties by Henry VIII, dances by Holborne, and music by Byrd, Tallis, Dowland and others. (No duplication with the English Fantasies class.)	Recorders, viols, and voices, intermediate and up.
English Fantasies. An exploration of several types of English fantasias or 'fancies,' for three, four and five parts, including quintessential examples by John Jenkins, William Byrd, Osbert Parsley, Orlando Gibbons, Christopher Tye and more. (No duplication with the Music for the Tudors class.)	Recorders, high intermediate and up.
Siesta: Music from the Eton Choir Book, for instrumentalists. Get acquainted with some glorious music from the Eton Choirbook, the foremost source of early English Renaissance polyphony dating from the early 16th century. Cornyshe, Fayrfax, Lambe and Browne might not be household names (yet), but you'll be glad of an introduction to their music.	Recorders and viols, intermediate and up.

Italian and English Madrigals for Recorders.	Recorders, intermediate to high intermediate.
Handel's "Water Music" (excerpts) and other Fun Arrangements.	Recorders, intermediate and up.
Renaissance Dance Music for Recorders.	Recorders, intermediate and up.
Siesta: Music by J. S. Bach for Recorders.	Recorders, intermediate and up.

Motet Joys: Medieval through Renaissance. Since motet composition involves the combination of more than one song rather than the more modern approach of adding chordal harmonies to a single melody, each line has its own melody. To play these intricate beauties beautifully, one must feel the music of each line within the whole. Perfect examples of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.	Recorders, low intermediate to high intermediate.
Developing Speed & Precision. Drilling can be a drag. But drilling many different ways, in a group, can be a real challenge AND a fun approach to developing speed and coordination!! Breathing, tonguing, fingers; all have to work together, but each must also be under our control individually. A wide variety of exercises, accompanied by take-home handouts to aid memory.	Recorders, low intermediate and up.
The Fabulous 1400s. Introducing the splendid harmonies and occasionally daunting rhythmic challenges of a diverse and radically different musical landscape from either that of the Medieval period or the later (and generally more familiar) Renaissance period. Pictorial, moving, and luscious to the ear, this music demands reading skills and good ears, as well as a real feel for ensemble.	Recorders, intermediate to high intermediate.
Siesta: Soaring in the Stratosphere: Playing the Recorder's High Register Easily & Beautifully. There are specific tricks, not hard to develop, for becoming comfortable in the upper reaches of the baroque recorders' ranges. Learn these tricks and practice them to play those high notes easily and at sight.	Recorders, all levels.

Beginning recorder: welcoming those who are coming from another instrument, starting from scratch, or wanting to learn those mysterious "C fingerings" (or "F fingerings", as the case may be).	All welcome!
Swing time for recorders: playing a lot of good recorder arrangements of Tin Pan Alley tunes, jazz standards, golden swing era tunes, and jazz-influenced modern compositions. Learn how to phrase and shape jazz rhythms, get comfortable with syncopation, and discover that "swing rhythm" is a very old concept.	Recorder, intermediate and up. Adventuresome strings also welcome.
Recorder music by living composers: survey course of music by Glen Shannon, Will Ayton, and other recent composers, music from the ARS Members' Library, etc. For people who want to play a lot and see more contemporary music (not necessarily "modern").	Recorders, all levels but beginning.

Beat Generation: An introduction to playing hand drums and other percussion instruments. We'll learn basic playing techniques for percussion instruments commonly used in early and world music traditions. We'll explore rhythms, improvise pieces and accompany music from all over the world. Some instruments will be provided but if possible, please bring a hand drum (frame drum, doumbek) and/or tambourine.	No experience necessary -- all levels welcome.
Chominciamento di gioia: Medieval Dance Music from Italy and England. We'll explore the lively and lovely repertoire of 14th century instrumental dance music. Most of the music is monophonic, allowing us to create accompaniments, percussion parts and varied instrumentations.	All levels of percussion welcome; melody players, high intermediate and up.
Instrumental and vocal music of the Middle Ages: We'll prepare and perform vocal music and instrumental arrangements of music from the Cantigas de Santa Maria, Llivre Vermell, and the Sephardic repertoire.	Intermediate to advanced players and vocalists.
Siesta: Drum Circle. Grab a percussion instrument and get in the groove. Don't have a drum? Bring an (empty) wastebasket, box, pot or anything you can hit, slap or shake.	All welcome!

Kings of the Consort: Jenkins and Lawes.	Viols, high intermediate to advanced.
From Taverner to Purcell: Surveying the landscape of the In Nomine.	Viols, intermediate to advanced.
Interpreting Ortiz - bringing the Solo Ricercars to life in both solo and group work.	Viols, all levels but beginning.
Siesta: Musike Fyne: Scottish music at the time of the Stuarts.	Viols and recorders, low intermediate through high intermediate.

Odhecaton (All levels) - Explore Petrucci's treasure trove, one of the earliest printed sources of viol music. Learn the "Greatest Hit Songs" of the Renaissance, and how Josquin, Agricola, and other composers used them as the basis of new, fanciful pieces. We will look at original and modern notation.	Viols, all levels but beginning.
The Wacky World of Christopher Tye (intermediate / advanced) Tye composed more "In Nomines" than anyone else (21 in all!), with evocative titles such as "Trust", "Rachels Weeping", and "Crye"; and a wide range of compositional techniques (5/4 time!). Aren't you curious? Don't worry, the teacher will play the In Nomine Line!	Viols, intermediate to advanced.
Consort Playing 102 - Not a beginner, but not quite ready for Lawes? Explore the essential elements of consort playing while playing the charming dance music of Holborne and Phalese. Focus on technique, ensemble skills, counting as a group, listening and matching, exploring different bow strokes and articulations.	Viols, beginning to intermediate.
Siesta: Pop goes the viol - Swing a little bit! Custom arrangements of popular tunes for viol consort, arranged by Brady Lanier. Beatles, Big Band, and more.	Viols, all levels.

Beginning Viol: Learn to play the viola da gamba from the very beginning, hone your skills if you've already begun, try a new size or clef, or bring your questions and problems. Attend all week, or just drop in. Some viols will be available for loan; please email info@toot.org to inquire.	All welcome!
In Nomine - The quintessential viol tune! We'll learn the original plainsong, and use it as a basis for brushing up on technique. Then we'll apply that knowledge to playing some of the famous In Nomines by Taverner (the original!), Byrd, Gibbons, Tallis (and others if time).	Viols, intermediate to advanced.
In love with Landini. Madrialles and ballate by Francesco, the blind organist of the 1300s. "Francesco played his love verses so sweetly that no one had ever heard such beautiful harmonies, and their hearts almost burst from their bosoms." We'll be playing songs from the Ellinwood edition of 1945, newly typeset by our own Kim Shrier!	Viols, recorders and voices, intermediate and up.

Town Waits. This class will address the repertoire that would have been played by British town musicians in service to the guard. The repertoire will be geared toward loud band. We will address technique as well as phrasing for many of the written pieces from all of Europe.	Shawms, dulcians, sackbuts, all levels but beginning.
Modal Improvisation. Improvisational music making was a critical and expected function of Medieval and Renaissance musicians. Musicians will review the different pre-16th c. modal scales as well as learning to create melodies using historical performance practices, and will learn some very fun musician ear training drinking games.	All soft instruments, all levels but beginning.
Renaissance Dance Music in the British Courts. This class will focus on playing this music for its original purpose: accompanying dancers! Several different English manuscripts of choreographed dances included the music to go with them (Playford, Inns of Court, Gresley); we will also touch upon some of the dances themselves.	All soft instruments, all levels but beginning.
Siesta: Medieval British and Italian Instrumental music. This class will cover instrumental dance tunes from 2 famous Medieval manuscripts. We will perform as well as analyze the forms of the tunes and perhaps attempt to write a few of our own.	All instruments, all levels but beginning.

Lute ensemble.	Lutes, all levels.
Baroque lute: technique and style.	Lutes, all levels but beginner.
Technique & performance practice of Renaissance and early Baroque airs and solo madrigals and more from England & Italy, for voice and lute (with Danny Johnson).	Lutenists may audit and might play as well. (Vocalists, intermediate to advanced.)
Continuo class. Learn to perform this most vital of functions, providing the harmonic and rhythmic framework for Baroque solo and ensemble pieces.	Open to all.

Faenza Codex: a 15th c. manuscript of keyboard intabulations of 14th c. Italian & French vocal works.	Harps, all but beginners.
Introduction to Medieval music, Medieval style and improvisation. This workshop introduces Medieval modes, music and style. Listen to music of the 12th-14th centuries, from Hildegard von Bingen, the Troubadours, estampies, Libre Vermell and the Cantigas de Santa Maria. Learn about monophonic and polyphonic music, drones and countermelodies.	Harps and other instruments, all levels but beginning.
Harp technique. Review the basics and work on any areas you need improvement in.	Harps, all levels.
Siesta: 17th and 18th c. Scottish music. Study original sources from the 17th and 18th c., and learn how to edit and arrange them for your harp.	Harps, all levels.

Continuo songs: Technique & performance practice of Baroque music from Italy and England by Strozzi, Monteverdi, Caccini, Purcell, and more.	Vocalists, high intermediate to advanced.
Technique & performance practice of Renaissance and early Baroque airs and solo madrigals and more from England & Italy, for voice and lute (with Scott Horton).	Vocalists, intermediate to advanced. (Lutenists may audit and might play as well.)