Concert Series
Six-concert series is open to the public and includes free pre-concert lectures by renowned musicologists, historians, artists, and linguists
The MEMF Concert Series includes four individual concerts featuring MEMF guest ensembles, a free Participant Concert showcasing consorts that have been coached throughout the week by MEMF faculty, and the All-Festival Concert presented by participants, faculty, and guest artists.
At a Glance
Piffaro, the Renaissance Band July 6, 7:30 pm
Parthenia: A Consort of Viols July 7, 7:30 pm
The Dark Horse Consort July 9, 7:30 pm
MEMF Participant Concert July 11, 1 pm
Calmus Ensemble Leipzig July 11, 7:30 pm
All-Festival Concert July 12
Click for concert ticket info»
All series concerts and lectures take place in the Mosse Humanities Building on the UW–Madison campus (map).
Piffaro, The Renaissance Band
Saturday, July 6, 7:30 pm
Pfeiffern! Music for Renaissance Towns, Courts, and Cathedrals
The 16th century saw an unprecedented flowering of musical styles and instruments. In this concert, Piffaro celebrates German Pfeiffern (wind players) and the tools of their trade with their vast Instrumentarium of shawms, recorders, dulcians, sackbuts, and bagpipes, showcasing works created by composers of the German Renaissance for civic ceremonies, courtly celebrations, and religious worship.
Pre-concert lecture presented by John W. Barker, Professor Emeritus of History, UW-Madison.
Parthenia, A Consort of Viols
Sunday, July 7, 7:30 pm
Lust Hab’ Ich Ghabt Zuer Musica (A Passion for Music from Senfl to Bach)
I had a passion for music from my youth up,
all the way to now.
It got to the point where I had no more peace,
Since my only desire was for song.
There was no remedy: that was how it all started.
—L. Senfl, “Lust habe ich ghabt zuer Musica”
Parthenia presents works by Isaac, Senfl, Scheidt, Schein, Schwartzkopf, and Bach, joined by guests William Hudson, tenor, and Christa Patton, harp.
Pre-concert lecture presented by David Crook, Professor of Musicology, UW-Madison.
The Dark Horse Consort
Tuesday, July 9, 7:30 pm
The Musical Lust-Garten
Inspired by Johann Rudolph Ahle's "Neu-gepflanzte Thüringische Lust-Garten," Dark Horse Consort presents a musical assortment of the great secular and sacred works from early 17th-century Germany and Austria, including music by Heinrich Schütz, Samuel Scheidt and Johann Schein. It is in the works of these composers that we begin to see the legacy that will be handed down to J.S. Bach.
Learn more about Dark Horse Consort»
MEMF Participant Concert
Thursday, July 11, 1 pm
Festival workshop participants perform in ensembles that have been coached by faculty artists throughout the week of the festival. There is no pre-concert lecture and no admission fee for this delightfully diverse concert.
Calmus Ensemble Leipzig
Thursday, July 11, 7:30 pm
Mythos 116: Psalm 116, Compositions from the 17th Century
A merchant from the town of Jena is saved from a mysterious disaster in 1616, and thankfully he commissions 16 composers from the area of Leipzig to write a piece about Psalm 116. Calmus Ensemble Leipzig performs a selection of these compositions.
Learn more about Calmus Ensemble Leipzig»
All Festival Concert
Friday, July 16
Stuttgart 1616
Our closing celebration is performed by MEMF faculty and workshop participants presenting a splendid Mass composed for the princely christening of the fifth son of Johann Friedrich, Duke of Württemberg in Stuttgart in March of 1616. Composers include Gregor Aichinger, Ludwig Daser, Leonhard Lechner, and Michael Praetorious. Conducted by Kristina Boerger.
Pre-concert lecture presented by Robert Wiemken, co-founder and director, Piffaro, The Renaissance Band.
Ticket info
The All Festival Concert Pass ($75) includes admission to all five evening concerts throughout the week. Tickets for individual concerts are $20 (students $17). All Festival Concert Passes and individual concert tickets may be purchased at the door (starting at 5pm on Saturday July 7; 6pm on all other days) or in advance online; at the Vilas Hall Box Office (821 University Ave); at the Wisconsin Union Theater Box Office (Memorial Union, 800 Langdon St. and Union South, 1308 W. Dayton St.); or by calling 608-265-ARTS (2787).