Emily Eagen

A Medieval and Renaissance Banquet with Emily Eagen

Singing | Emily Eagen | All Levels | Period 2 | Week 2 (July 14-19, 2024)

This feast of European early music (medieval and Renaissance) will give you a broad introduction to some of the most enduring and versatile tunes of pre-17th century western music, found in manuscripts as notated music and/or passed down through oral tradition. This will include Gregorian chant, songs in Latin, French, and Italian, the oldest known English songs (try singing in old English!), troubadour solos, ballads, rounds, canons, and simple multi-part pieces. Because many have survived via oral tradition, these songs can be thought of as both “folk” and “early” music to varying degrees. We’ll touch on interesting, ear-opening aspects of early music, such as modes, drones, and descants, and experiment with the songs to make them feel contemporary and relevant. The class will give you an exposure to the vast and rich field of Early Music, and provide a practical result – a handful of tunes useful for spicing up any folk music concert. Come one, come all! Instruments are welcome, too! Notation will be provided for reference, but all songs will be taught by ear – no knowledge of musical notation required.

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About the Instructor 

A native of Cincinnati, OH, Emily lives and works in NYC as a performer, songwriter, and teacher, where she divides her time between folk music, early music, and new music. Emily has worked with artists such as Meredith Monk, Ann Hamilton, Annie Dorsen, and Bang on a Can, and is a teaching artist for Carnegie Hall, where she leads Lullaby songwriting workshops for parents and families and hosts the video series “Sing with Carnegie Hall.” As part of a Carnegie Hall commission, Emily co-wrote Nooma (2019), an immersive opera for babies ages 0-3, and co-wrote songs for the album A Colorful World by Falu, which won a Grammy for Best Children’s Album in 2022. Also a specialist in early music, Emily is the Assistant Festival Director at Amherst Early Music, and weaves elements of medieval and renaissance music into her original work. Emily teaches vocal harmony and vocal technique at the Jalopy Music Theater and School of Music, and is a professional whistler and two-time International Whistling Champion. Emily was a founding member of NYC’s old time/blues/bluegrass band The Whistling Wolves, and currently can be heard with the vocal improvisation ensemble Moving Star, the close-harmony trio Up At Dawn, and on her forthcoming album of songs for the young and young at heart.

 

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