A Window To Medieval Music With Internationally-Known Musician And Scholar Benjamin Bagby

When

Monday January 27, 2014: 7:00pm to 8:30pm  Add to Calendar /   Add to Google Calendar

Where

Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Description

Vocalist, harper and scholar Benjamin Bagby, ensemble leader of Sequentia, an international group of singers and instrumentalists of medieval music, will discuss the life and music of Saint Hildegard von Bingen, a unique mystical voice from 12th-century Germany. The lecture, entitled “A 12th century composer and her world: The visionary music of Saint Hildegard von Bingen” will include demonstrations of her music.

Benjamin Bagby has been an important figure in the field of medieval musical performance for more than 30 years. In addition to his many writings, he has taught courses and workshops around the world including the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, Harvard University, the Autunno Musicale (Como, Italy), the New England Conservatory of Music (Boston), Stanford University, the Studio Alte Musik (Berlin), the Royaumont Foundation (Paris) and the Stary Sacz Festival (Poland) among others.

Saint Hildegard is known as a healer and natural scientist, a feminist icon, and a brilliant Latin poet and musician who created over 75 spiritual songs of astonishing originality and beauty as well as the earliest surviving music-drama written by a known composer.

The event is part of the U-M Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments Virginia Martin Howard Lecture Series, and is cosponsored by the Ann Arbor District Library and the Academy of Early Music. The Academy of Early Music will also feature Sequentia in performance on Tuesday, January 28th at St. Andrew's Church in Ann Arbor.