• Overview
• Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute
  • Overview of Instrumental Programme
  • Overview of Vocal Programme
  • Overview of Programme for Conductors & Directors
  • Schedule
  • Faculty
  • Who Should Apply
  • Professional Development
  • Application Process
  • Fees
  • Financial Assistance
  • International Exchange: JOA
  • TBSI Concerts
  • Audit the Institute
  • Accommodations
  • Accreditation
  • Acknowledgements
  • Testimonials
  • Photo Gallery
  • Contact
  
• University of Toronto Programmes
• Baroque Mentors

Teachers Ann Monoyios and Peter Harvey explore the solo repertoire of the baroque in masterclasses, addressing issues of style, performance practice and vocal technique. Class topics will include 17th-century Italian repertoire, French repertoire, ornamentation in Handel arias, and Bach recitative.

Ivars Taurins and Peter Harvey direct the vocalists in daily choral rehearsals, exploring issues of style, intonation, expression and ensemble. The choral element of the Institute is central to the vocal programme and involves all the vocal participants. Each singer will participate in a choral piece with one or few singers to a part, as well as in the full choral piece selected for the Grand Finale Concert. All soloists for the latter are drawn from amongst the participants, and are chosen by an audition held during the first week of the Institute. Music for the choral works is mailed to participants in early May.

We recognize that many of the vocal participants attending TBSI plan to pursue a predominantly solo career. Choral singing was an essential part of singers’ professional activities during the baroque era, and is an increasingly significant part of the careers of singers performing with period ensembles today as one- or few-to-a-part choral performances are embraced. It is also an invaluable hands-on (or voices-on!) method of teaching a great deal about baroque style at a very detailed level in a short period of time.

The small TBSI Choirs will perform with the TBSI Orchestras at a public concert on Wednesday, June 13, and all vocalists join forces with members of the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, the TBSI Orchestra and Tafelmusik Orchestra for the Grand Finale on Saturday, June 16. Click here to see a list of TBSI Choir repertoire from past institutes [repertoire for TBSI 2012 tba].

Marshall Pynkoski, Co-Artistic Director of Opera Atelier, will workshop scenes from baroque operas, focusing on gesture and deportment and their relation to music and text in the 17th and 18th centuries. Operas selected for workshops in previous institutes have included Blow's Venus & Adonis, Purcell's Dido & Aeneas, Handel's Acis & Galatea, and scenes from Purcell semi-operas [opera repertoire for 2012 tba]. Each vocal participant will be assigned a role in one of the selected scenes.

Opera workshop scenes will be showcased for other participants and faculty at the end of the Institute.

Vocalists participate in small vocal ensembles, coached by members of the vocal faculty and exploring the rich ensemble repertoire of the early 17th century, including madrigals by Gesualdo, Monteverdi, Strozzi, etc. They also participate in mixed vocal/instrumental ensembles, in which singers have the opportunity to sing an aria or duet with a small group of instrumentalists. These ensembles are coached by members of both the vocal and instrumental faculty. Click here to see a list of repertoire from previous institutes [repertoire for TBSI 2012 tba].

All chamber ensembles will have the opportunity to perform for other participants, faculty, friends and family at an informal in-house concert on Thursday, June 14.

One private lesson is included in tuition. Extra lessons can be arranged for an additional fee. Ann Monoyios and Peter Harvey are both available for lessons.

Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg, Co-Artistic Director of Opera Atelier, will lead classes in baroque dance for musicians. All participants are encouraged to join in.

Faculty Concerts

Participants will attend a concert by the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir, with soloists Ann Monoyios and Peter Harvey, on Monday, June 4, as well as a Faculty Chamber Recital on Saturday, June 9.

Participant Performances
There will be a public concert by the TBSI Orchestras and Choirs on Wednesday, June 13.

All chamber ensembles will perform for other participants, faculty, friends and family at an informal in-house concert on Thursday, June 14.

Opera workshop scenes will be showcased for other participants and faculty at the end of the Institute (date and time tba).

Grand Finale Concert
The Institute ends with a public concert by the combined forces of the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, TBSI Orchestra and TBSI Choir. This concert is held in the resplendent acoustics of Grace Church on-the-Hill on the final evening of the Institute, Saturday, June 16.

All participants are invited to join in a spirited reading of one of Bach’s large-scale choral works, directed by Ivars Taurins and assisted by Ann Monoyios and Peter Harvey. Vocalists take turns singing the arias, and join to sing the choruses. Past ‘bashes’ have featured the St. John Passion, St. Matthew Passion and B-Minor Mass.

Lectures will be offered by faculty members and guests on various aspects of baroque music, performance practice, theatre and art.

All work and no play is good for neither body nor soul, so we will plan a few pub gatherings, as well as the annual TBSI Picnic, traditionally held on the Toronto Islands.

On concert days, Early Music Imports will be on site selling facsimiles and reputable editions of baroque music, as well as tuning forks in various pitches.

The TBSI Library includes a range of books and articles on baroque repertoire, performance practice, instruments and iconography, as well as a selection of chamber music. In addition, the Faculty of Music Library has an extensive collection of scores and research material.