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.

June 20, 2026 10:30 - June 20, 2026 16:30 - Baroque workshop with Walter Reiter

Venue: Blackbridge Community Centre, Horsham RH12 1RS

Baroque workshop with Walter Reiter at pitch 415, organised by the Southern Early Music Forum. Repertoire will include the Balletto Secondo of Biagio Marini, Biber's Mensa Sonora Par VI, Schmelzer's Fencing School and Purcell's Chaconne from the Fairy Queen.

Tickets: https://semf.org.uk/event/a-day-for-strings-and-other-instruments-at-a415-with-walter-reiter

July 05, 2026 17:30 - July 05, 2026 18:15 - Recital by Sarah Small with Helen Williams

Venue: St Martin's Church, Church Street, Epsom, Surrey KT17 4PX

Finding a unique way to combine her concerns for sustainability with her concert performances, Sarah Small has been on a concert tour, titled ‘Good Again?’, cycling from venue to venue with her viola da gamba strapped to her bicycle - https://sarahsmallviol.crd.co/#goodagaintour. Since then, she’s continued to tour by bike, clocking up over 13,000km with her instrument on board.

In this 45 minute recital she will be joined by local player Helen Williams, the Eco Rep at St Martin's Church. The music featured will be old and new, drawing on the natural world.

Tea and cake will be served from 4.30pm. The concert is at 5.30pm and will be followed by Evening Prayer in the Lady Chapel at 6.30pm for those who wish to stay.

Tickets: Donations/pay what you can

23 July, 2026 - 26 July, 2026 - Dowland festival

Venue: The Octagon, 21 Colgate, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 1BN, England

Come to our Dowland festival this July!

Come and help us celebrate 400 years of the musical legacy of John Dowland (1563–1626), this

July. We have prepared a four-day music festival in the historic city of Norwich with concerts by

top musicians, talks, masterclasses, and market stalls.

Concerts from Nigel North – Bor Zuljan – Matt Wadsworth – Augustin Cormwall-Irving

Emma-Lisa Roux – Fretwork viol quintet - Dowland’s Foundry vocal quartet

Chordophony lute quartet – Fleet Street Revival broken consort – Matthew Brown harpsichordist

and the Netherlands Lute Society 10-piece lute band

Talks from Matthew Spring – Michael Lowe – Jan Burgers – Joachim Held – Sigrid Wirth

Daniel Thomson – Nigel North – Peter Holman – Luke Challinor – Peter Hauge

Dowland 400 Poster in A4 page.pdf 224 KB

Tickets: Tickets now on sale online—or on the door Tickets website

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

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

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