Fondazione Mascarade Opera Choral Course 2025, in association with The English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble
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2025 Course dates: Singers: 29th June - 6th July Instrumentalists: 2nd - 6th July Inspiring the next generation |
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How to apply: please send an email to Adrian France at [email protected] with the following:
1. Name & Address
2. Instrument / Instruments - (ie - cornetto / sackbut)
3. CV: Please send a brief outline of your musical experience to date (200 words max)
4. Applications open to younger instrumentalists at the start of their career.
5. Personal statement: Tell us why you would like to be selected for this course and what you would hope to gain from the experience (200 words max)
6. Referee: the name and contact details of an appropriate referee (i.e. a music teacher or music professional with whom you have worked recently)
7. Recording: please send a link to a YouTube recording. If not then a smartphone recording would be acceptable.
Thanks to the generosity of The Fondazione Mascarade Opera supporters, all participants will be offered a full scholarship, meaning no course fees are payable. *Please note flights and accommodation are not included*
Deadline for applications close on May 1st 2025. ECSE reserves the right to close applications early if all places are filled. Successful candidates will be notified on or before 1st May.
1. Name & Address
2. Instrument / Instruments - (ie - cornetto / sackbut)
3. CV: Please send a brief outline of your musical experience to date (200 words max)
4. Applications open to younger instrumentalists at the start of their career.
5. Personal statement: Tell us why you would like to be selected for this course and what you would hope to gain from the experience (200 words max)
6. Referee: the name and contact details of an appropriate referee (i.e. a music teacher or music professional with whom you have worked recently)
7. Recording: please send a link to a YouTube recording. If not then a smartphone recording would be acceptable.
Thanks to the generosity of The Fondazione Mascarade Opera supporters, all participants will be offered a full scholarship, meaning no course fees are payable. *Please note flights and accommodation are not included*
Deadline for applications close on May 1st 2025. ECSE reserves the right to close applications early if all places are filled. Successful candidates will be notified on or before 1st May.
The Florence Choral Course, the annual summer programme run by Fondazione Mascarade Opera in collaboration with The English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble, is dedicated to the study, performance and promotion of the Italian Renaissance choral tradition for aspiring professional choral singers and instrumentalists. Each year, up to 25 singers from around the world are selected to participate in an immersive week of choral training at the historic Palazzo Corsini al Prato in the heart of Florence. The programme features daily rehearsals, technique workshops, tours, history lectures, sung services, and performances. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, the course is entirely free for all participants.
Students will also attend Masterclasses with major professional artists. In previous years these have been given by Maestro Massimo Palombella (Director of Milan Cathedral Choir and former Director of the Sistine Chapel Choir) and Maestro Francesco Romano (multi-recording artist, Director of Lute & Theorbo at Florence Conservatory). Again, we are delighted to welcome back multi-award winning soprano & early music pioneer, Dame Emma Kirkby. Instrumentalists will also have the opportunity to observe her masterclasses as part of developing playing in a vocal style.
Players from the virtuoso English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble will be leading a parallel course for advanced level historical instrumentalists alongside the Choral Course. Applications will be open primarily for cornetto & sackbut specialists (recorder, dulcian and other related instruments suitable for seventeenth century Italian wind repertoire would also be welcome to apply) with all being at A = 465Hz. By the end of the week, the two courses will combine, giving singers and instrumentalists alike the opportunity to perform together in some of the grandest repertoire from the high Renaissance.
Course Components and workshops
• Instrumental playing indicative of 16th and 17th century Italy.
• Vocal playing with text relevant to all, both as an ensemble and in collaboration with vocalists.
• Masterclasses on approaching ornamentation (Conor) and Finding Your Truth; a study of beauty within temperaments (Emily). These are open for instrumentalists and singers alike.
• The practical implementation of the above masterclasses in 21st century performance.
The week will culminate in concert and ecclesiastical performances in some of Florence’s most iconic buildings. In previous years these have included Palazzo Tornabuoni, Palazzo Budini Gattai, the Pazzi Chapel and the Basilicas of Santo Spirito, Santissima Annunziata, San Miniato and Santa Maria Novella.
For more information about the Florence Choral Course 2025 for singers and how to apply, please follow this link to the Opera Masacarde website for an online brochure, application and publicity video.
Students will also attend Masterclasses with major professional artists. In previous years these have been given by Maestro Massimo Palombella (Director of Milan Cathedral Choir and former Director of the Sistine Chapel Choir) and Maestro Francesco Romano (multi-recording artist, Director of Lute & Theorbo at Florence Conservatory). Again, we are delighted to welcome back multi-award winning soprano & early music pioneer, Dame Emma Kirkby. Instrumentalists will also have the opportunity to observe her masterclasses as part of developing playing in a vocal style.
Players from the virtuoso English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble will be leading a parallel course for advanced level historical instrumentalists alongside the Choral Course. Applications will be open primarily for cornetto & sackbut specialists (recorder, dulcian and other related instruments suitable for seventeenth century Italian wind repertoire would also be welcome to apply) with all being at A = 465Hz. By the end of the week, the two courses will combine, giving singers and instrumentalists alike the opportunity to perform together in some of the grandest repertoire from the high Renaissance.
Course Components and workshops
• Instrumental playing indicative of 16th and 17th century Italy.
• Vocal playing with text relevant to all, both as an ensemble and in collaboration with vocalists.
• Masterclasses on approaching ornamentation (Conor) and Finding Your Truth; a study of beauty within temperaments (Emily). These are open for instrumentalists and singers alike.
• The practical implementation of the above masterclasses in 21st century performance.
The week will culminate in concert and ecclesiastical performances in some of Florence’s most iconic buildings. In previous years these have included Palazzo Tornabuoni, Palazzo Budini Gattai, the Pazzi Chapel and the Basilicas of Santo Spirito, Santissima Annunziata, San Miniato and Santa Maria Novella.
For more information about the Florence Choral Course 2025 for singers and how to apply, please follow this link to the Opera Masacarde website for an online brochure, application and publicity video.