Tag Archives: MEMS Festival

The last song: Minerva Voices at MEMSFest

The final musical hurrah of the term has seen members of Minerva Voices performing at the ancient Pilgrims’ Hospital in Canterbury earlier today, as part of the Medieval and Early Modern Studies Festival curtain-raising Illuminating the Past: Gothic Colour day.

The Choir assembled in the priory garden this morning for the first of two sets; the latter saw them sing in the resonant acoustic of the refectory, bringing the historic stones to life in a variety of choral works, from medieval plainsong to Alvin Lucier’s Unamuno.

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Led by Your Loyal Correspondent, together with assistant conductor, third-year Joe Prescott making his final appearance, it was standing-room only beneath the minstrel’s gallery.

A huge thank you to everyone involved in the choir for their commitment over the course of this year, and to the MEMSFest team for having us.

Exploring musical colour at the Gothic Colour day ahead of the MEMS Festival next month

The University’s Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies MEMS Festival takes place next month, a two-day event highlighting new research, round-table discussions, exhibitions, talks and performances celebrating developments in the field.

A special preview day on Thursday 16 June at Eastbridge Hospital, Illuminating the Past, will explore the making and meaning of Gothic colour, as part of which Minerva Voices will be singing in the ancient Pilgrim’s Hospital during a day of interactive workshops and talks.

Ahead of the day, Your Loyal Correspondent reflects on the idea of colour in music, and reflects on the immediacy of performing ancient music in historic spaces, where song meets stone, over on the event webpage here.

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The Choir will sing music from the period, including a skirling Kyrie by Hildegard von Bingen. Find out more about the festival here.