What does it take for a song to leap across national boundaries, flick away language barriers, slip from the secular to the ecclesiastic, and remain at the top of the charts for more than 70 years? We don’t have the formula, but we know why these pieces wedged themselves into the cultural background of medieval Europe. The music is fabulous, and people today love it too.

You get to play it all day, and then listen to it again in the evening!

The International Guild of Town Pipers (https://townwaits.org.uk) is delighted to be working with medieval and renaissance musicians Blondel to offer Guild members and non-members an exciting workshop day of music making, followed by their evening concert which brings their Cover Story tour to an energising close! Tickets options are available to include workshop+concert or workshop day only.

Blondel are renowned for their engaging and spirited performances of Medieval and Renaissance wind music and their past performances include concerts in the Cheltenham Festival (broadcast live by the BBC) Cambridge Early Music, Brighton Early Music Festival, King’s Lynn Festival, Medieval Music in the Dales, Beaminster Festival, Leeds International Medieval Congress, the Wimbledon International Music Festival, Totnes Early Music Society, Barnes Music Festival, Worcester Early Music Festival, and Colchester Early Music. The Agincourt600 Committee commissioned them to record a CD based around the life of Henry V which is available as a free download.

Full time members of Blondel are Belinda Paul, Emily Baines and Lizzie Gutteridge

The pre-concert workshop day will include large group playing sessions, smaller coaching sessions for established or ad hoc groups, and a big play through at the end. IGTP trustees Willem Gerritsen and Barry Pope will provide additional support during small group sessions and the Great Noyse.

Participants will be working on larger scale versions of some of the music from Blondel’s evening performance, such as J’ay pris amours, La spagna, T’Andernaken & Een vrolic wesen

Music: will be provided on the day

Music stands: please bring your own.

Instruments: loud winds, recorders, sackbuts, percussion. There will be some opportunities to play bagpipes (in D & G)

Please indicate on the form which clefs you prefer to read from

Food and Refreshments: Please bring your own packed lunch. Teas and Coffees will be available.

Further details and information requests will be sent following booking.

Workshop Day with BLONDEL