Festival introduction and preview day

Flora Dennis (University of Sussex) chair

A day of free talks, tasters, live music and open discussions on subjects and ideas arising from this year's theme – Nature and Science.

Topics include:

• The history, development and conservation of musical instruments
• An introduction to historic temperaments and tuning
• Music inspired by the natural world
• An introduction to and background story behind several festival events.

Stay for the whole day or just drop in.

Free event

11.00

	Deborah Roberts Welcome and introduction
THE SCIENCE OF MUSIC
11.10	General introduction Flora Dennis (Senior Lecturer In Art History and Cultural Studies, University of Sussex) Have you ever wondered how music began? How and why did humans start making music, and also to understand the nature of sound? What do we know about the earliest instruments, and what does that tell us about music making in the past? How do we take care of these precious relics from the past?		4,200-year-old flutes made from mammoth and bird bone Music making in prehistoric times
11.30	Notating music: From stone tablets to iPads Flora Dennis and Ed Hughes (Professor of Composition in Music, University of Sussex) When did we start to write music down? How has it changed through the ages? How much does it reveal about performance? A fascinating survey of music notation from the earliest times to the present day. Bringing us right up to date, Ed Hughes will talk about a cutting-edge project using connected iPads to help both children and adults, with very little experience, to read music and play with confidence in an ensemble. Read more		Babylonian music notation on stone, 2000-1700 BC A survey of notation from the 11th–16th century A group of children playing from the iPad system
12.00	General discussion with questions
12.20	Musical clocks Ensemble Hesperi Early Music Live! 2016 participants, Ensemble Hesperi, talk about the earliest mechanical instruments and play live examples. They will be performing as part of Early Music Live! on 5th November.		Musical clock
12.45	Galileo Clare Norburn talks about researching and writing the script for this year’s BREMF production on 29th and 30th October about the life, work and musical connections of the famous scientist and inventor of the telescope, Galileo Galilei.		Galileo shows his telescope to the Doge of Venice
LUNCH
SOUNDS AND INSTRUMENTS: NATURE AND SCIENCE FUSED
14.00	Tuning and temperaments explained Malcolm Rose, Lewes-based harpsichord maker and tuner, sheds light on the fine art of tuning using historic temperaments. Includes live music examples played by Early Music Live! harpsichordist Tom Allery. See Malcolm at work in his workshop		Pythagorean tuning
14.30	Trumpets, natural and unnatural Sabine Klaus (Joe R. and Joella F. Utley Curator of Brass Instruments National Music Museum), author of Trumpets and Other High Brass with Gareth Hoddinott and Katie Hodges, two trumpeters from Spiritato!, the ensemble presenting Guts and Glory! at the festival on 11th November. With support from the Joe R. and Joella F. Utley Foundation (Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA)		Spiritato!
15.00	The history of the oboe Richard Earle (maker of historic oboes and reeds, former oboe principal of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and regular principal with the BREMF Players). Discover the fascinating and long history of this beautiful double reed instrument.		Richard Earle
15.30 – 16.00 Tea break
INSPIRATION FROM NATURE
16.00	In imitation of nature A mini concert of music inspired by natural sounds. Artists include Richard Earle oboe, Ensemble Hesperi recorder and harpsichord, Julia Bishop violin, and members of BREMF Consort of Voices.
16.30	Gaia Deborah Roberts talks about the festival’s big community project, a set of ‘intermedi’ style scenes celebrating the earth from the core to the skies.
16.45	General discussions …to continue in the pub!
17.00	FINISH

By: Edward Hughes
Last updated: Friday, 14 October 2016