Concerts, Lectures & other Events
Items are taken from Early Music News, Thames Valley Early Music Forum, and from viol consorts and ensembles themselves, with thanks.
You are strongly advised to check on concert dates, times etc., with the organisers.
If you would like to list a concert here, please submit your event via our online form. Please also look at 'Useful links' in the right for concert series, ensemble's diaries and concert halls.
July 28, 2026 18:00 - JS Bach: Works for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord
Venue: St John the Evangelist Church, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 8RN
Ibi Aziz: Viola da Gamba
Dan Tidhar: Harpsichord
An engaging recital of music by JS Bach and contemporaries; programme to include original works for gamba, such as Bach's Sonata in G major BWV 1027 and Schenk's Sonata in F major from ‘Tyd en Konst-Oeffeningen’ as well as transcriptions, including Bach's Sonata for Harpsichord and Violin BWV 1022 and the Air on the G String.
Free entry, retiring collection.
Full details here: https://erasmuschamberchoir.wordpress.com/2026/07/08/bach-festival-js-bach-works-for-viola-da-gamba-and-harpsichord-28-july-2026/
Part of the Bach+ Festival: https://erasmuschamberchoir.wordpress.com/2026/05/15/bach-festival-16-30-july-2026/
Dan Tidhar: Harpsichord
An engaging recital of music by JS Bach and contemporaries; programme to include original works for gamba, such as Bach's Sonata in G major BWV 1027 and Schenk's Sonata in F major from ‘Tyd en Konst-Oeffeningen’ as well as transcriptions, including Bach's Sonata for Harpsichord and Violin BWV 1022 and the Air on the G String.
Free entry, retiring collection.
Full details here: https://erasmuschamberchoir.wordpress.com/2026/07/08/bach-festival-js-bach-works-for-viola-da-gamba-and-harpsichord-28-july-2026/
Part of the Bach+ Festival: https://erasmuschamberchoir.wordpress.com/2026/05/15/bach-festival-16-30-july-2026/
August 08, 2026 16:00 - Newe Vialles - Old Viols at the Old Chapel Court Concerts in Tewkesbury
Venue: Old Baptist Chapel, Church Street, Tewkesbury GL20 5RZ
Newe Vialles - Old Viols
Dances and divisions for two historical bass viols
Henrik Persson and Caroline Ritchie - viola da gamba
A programme of fantasias, dances, and divisions by Christopher Simpson, Matthew Locke, Tobias Hume, John Playford, and others, performed on two spectacular and historically important English viols. This is a rare opportunity to hear two original viols by John Pitts (1675) and Edward Lewis (1703) played together live, exploring some of the repertoire that their original owners might have played. The concert also features our own arrangements of popular melodies and ground basses from the time.
Tickets: Eventbrite and John Moore Museum, Tewkesbury Tickets website
15 August, 2026 - 22 August, 2026 - The Irish Recorder and Viol Course
Venue: An Grianán Adult Education College, Termonfechin, Co. Louth, Ireland
The Irish Recorder and Viol Course is designed for players of recorders, viols and other early instruments, and covers a wide repertoire from the 15th to the 21st centuries. Sessions include one-to-a-part groups, lectures, consort songs, trio sonatas, choir, large and small ensembles.
Tutors include Ibi Aziz, Philip Thorby and Peter Wendland. The course takes place in An Grianán Adult Education College, Termonfechin, Co. Louth, Ireland.
Further information is available from Ms P. Flanagan who can be contacted via the course website at www.irishrecorderandviolcourse.org
Tutors include Ibi Aziz, Philip Thorby and Peter Wendland. The course takes place in An Grianán Adult Education College, Termonfechin, Co. Louth, Ireland.
Further information is available from Ms P. Flanagan who can be contacted via the course website at www.irishrecorderandviolcourse.org
August 17, 2026 14:00 - August 21, 2026 15:00 - Historically Informed Summer School (HISS)
The booking deadline is Sunday 12th July, so there’s time to look at what’s on offer this year, think about what options you’ll choose, and book your place. Find out more.
Worried you won’t know anyone? No need – it’s the friendliest course around, and if you’re new we'll pair you up with an old hand.
Venue: Bishop Burton College, Bishop Burton, York Road, Beverley, East Yorkshire, HU17 8QG
Come to HISS! It’s a unique music course in a beautiful part of the country that gathers musicians from across folk, medieval, renaissance and baroque music to find common ground.
There's a wonderful course lined up this year, for players of period or modern instruments and singers, with our usual range of daily technique classes to help you improve, larger mixed ensembles where you'll work on putting pieces together, and ad hoc sessions across a huge range of musical topics.
Whether you play or sing (or both) there's plenty on offer – previous courses have included players of shawms, crumhorns, curtals, bagpipes, portative organ, harps, hurdy-gurdies, recorders, viols, lutes, theorbos, mandolins, medieval, renaissance and baroque flutes and fiddles, cornetts, sackbuts, violins, cellos, double basses, and even an ocarina. And absolutely anything might turn up at the evening bar sessions…
The viols will be coached by Ali Kinder who will mark the 400th anniversary of the death of Coperario and we would love to welcome more viol-players.
The viols will be coached by Ali Kinder who will mark the 400th anniversary of the death of Coperario and we would love to welcome more viol-players.
HISS is housed as usual in Bishop Burton College with its excellent food, ensuite single rooms, and wonderful grounds, all for the amazing price of £645.
- If you're a student on a music course, you can apply for a bursary to cover the whole cost.
- If you can recruit a friend or two (or three?), you can save as much as £100.
The booking deadline is Sunday 12th July, so there’s time to look at what’s on offer this year, think about what options you’ll choose, and book your place. Find out more.
Worried you won’t know anyone? No need – it’s the friendliest course around, and if you’re new we'll pair you up with an old hand.
It’s huge fun, it’s in a beautiful part of the country, and it’s the best value music course there is. Come and join us!
Tickets: Tickets website
21 September, 2026 - 25 September, 2026 - THE LINAROL CONSORT’S RENAISSANCE VIOL AND RECORDER COURSE 2026
Venue: HOLLAND HOUSE, CROPTHORNE NEAR PERSHORE, WORCESTERSHIRE
Tutored by David Hatcher and Alison Kinder assisted by Claire Horáček and Timothy Lin
A=440/466
The course is for experienced viol and recorder players wishing to improve their technique and musical skills on Renaissance instruments.
Optional sessions on reading from facsimile at introductory through to advanced level
Please contact Annie Nethercott for more information
info@EarlyMusicInTheMarches.com
A=440/466
The course is for experienced viol and recorder players wishing to improve their technique and musical skills on Renaissance instruments.
Optional sessions on reading from facsimile at introductory through to advanced level
Please contact Annie Nethercott for more information
info@EarlyMusicInTheMarches.com
Useful links
- Blackheath Halls
- Brighton Early Music Festival
- Cadogan Hall
- Cambridge Early Music
- Chelys Consort Diary
- Continuo Connect Events
- Fretwork Diary
- Handel House
- Juilliard School events, NT (US)
- Little Missenden Festival
- Rose Consort of Viols
- St John's Smith Square
- Wigmore Hall
- Worcestershire Early Music Festival
- York National Centre for Early Music
If you run a Festival that is not listed here, let us know!