The University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of the Arts announces the 21st annual Madison Early Music Festival (MEMF), though this year it will be MEMF Online!, from July 11-18 2020. This year’s virtual festival can be accessed at Facebook.com/MadisonEarly or www.madisonearlymusic.org.
MEMF Online! will feature unique excerpts from live performances of MEMF concert artists including The Orlando Consort; Piffaro, The Renaissance Band; Trefoil; and Nota Bene viol consort along with lectures recorded by J. Michael Allsen, William Hudson and Peggy Murray. The week will end with featured videos of previous All-Festival Concerts and a virtual performance by MEMF Faculty members of “Pastyme with good companye” by Henry VIII.
The Madison Early Music Festival is internationally recognized as a top early music festival that features music from medieval, Renaissance and baroque eras from award-winning performers and distinguished faculty.
MEMF Online Programming
The MEMF Online Festival Concert Series features videos of short performances by four guest ensembles, three lectures and videos of past All-Festival Concerts ending with a sing-along with MEMF Faculty. All lectures and special features begin at 11 a.m. and concerts begin at 7 p.m. (CST). All events are free.
Saturday, July 11 | 7 p.m.
featuring the Orlando Consort
Sunday, July 12 | 7 p.m.
featuring Piffaro, the Renaissance Band
Monday, July 13 | 12 p.m.
featuring a lecture by J. Michael Allsen
Tuesday, July 14 | 7 p.m.
featuring Trefoil
Wednesday, July 15 | 12 p.m.
featuring a lecture by William Hudson
Thursday, July 16 | 12 p.m.
featuring a lecture by Peggy Murray
Friday, July 17 | 7 p.m.
featuring Nota Bene viol consort
Saturday, July 18 | 7 p.m.
featuring an All-Festival Sing-Along
About the Madison Early Music Festival
A program of the UW–Madison Division of the Arts, the Madison Early Music Festival (MEMF) was established in 2000 to provide an opportunity for musicians, scholars, teachers and early music enthusiasts to gather and exchange information and ideas about medieval, Renaissance and baroque music – and to bring acclaimed early music artists and scholars to Madison. Each year MEMF explores a different cultural, historical and regional theme and offers numerous workshops during the festival to correspond to that specific theme (except for this year due to the pandemic).
MEMF Online! is presented by UW–Madison Division of the Arts in collaboration with campus partner Mead Witter School of Music. Generous program support is provided by the UW–Madison Anonymous Fund and Brittingham Trust. Additional funds provided by the William J. Wartmann Endowment for the Madison Early Music Festival, the Jane Graff Bequest for Madison Early Music Festival and Friends of the Madison Early Music Festival.