10/2/2026
The dates for our meetings this year will be (please note we are meeting in October rather than September for our first meeting because of scheduling conflicts with the church and my football schedule). Clinicians will be announced shortly, I'm waiting to hear back from some on availability and evaluating the number of clinicians we can invite from the outside due to budget constraints discussed last season. October 2, 2026
November 13, 2026
January 8, 2027
March 12, 2026
May 14, 2027
Music, when provided by the clinician, will be available digitally before the meetings. If anyone requires or desires a print copy for the meeting, please let me know. I'm more than happy to make as many physical copies as needed, but don't want to waste paper on unneeded copies.
Our meetings will be held from 7:30-9:30 pm at:
New Ark UCC Church
300 East Main Street
Newark, DE 19711
The fee for our meetings will be $15 per meeting or $60 for an annual membership (covers all 5 meetings). Fees help support the chapter by providing stipends for our guest clinicians as well as an honorarium for New Ark UCC for allowing us to use the space.
You can bring payment with you to the first meeting or send a check made to "Brandywine ARS" to our treasurer, Fred Litcofsky. Fred can be reached fredlitcofsky@gmail or 19 Savoy Rd., Newark, DE 19702
As always, guests are free on their first visit, so please feel free to invite a friend (or 2 or 3)!
10/3/2026
You are invited to attend CMRS' monthly chapter meeting with Professional Coach Anne Timberlake; special awards ceremony will occur at break.10/3/2026 - 10/4/2026
AEM ONLINE October 3 & 4, 2026
Saturday, October 3
1:00 - 2:30 p.m. Eastern / 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Central / 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time
You Makin’ Fun of Me? - Parody in Music with Pamela Dellal
The practice of applying new text to existing music is as old as music itself. Parody describes this technique, but we are left with many questions: Is it mockery? Is it cheating? What happens to the relationship between the music and its original text? Together we will explore the implications of parody in music and other art forms, and have some fun playing and singing through some Renaissance examples. For voices and instruments. Pitch: A=440
Sunday, October 4
1:00 - 2:30 p.m. Eastern / 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Central / 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time
Play-Ground! with Saskia Coolen
There have been many famous “divisions upon a ground,” pieces that add a beautiful melody to a repeating bass. But these grounds are not only great to listen to, but also can be helpful technique exercises! We will explore one such ground, “John Come Kiss Me Now” (Divisions Upon a Ground by Mr. David Mell) from Playford’s The Division Violinist. Players can try their hand at each variation of the ground, while we focus on specific exercises for that version of the melody. Participants are encouraged to prepare a variation or two to try by themselves. Come enjoy beautiful music while refining your technical skill!
Option to play from either facsimile or modern notation. For intermediate to advanced alto recorders. Pitch: A = 440.
10/6/2026
The Old Avoca Schoolhouse in Avoca, Nebraska will be streaming three on line Playford English Country Dance Tunes Workshops for violins, violas, cellos, basses, mandolins, soprano recorder, and alto recorder.The workshop will explore tunes from our "Playford English Country Dance Tunes for Two". This curated collection contains 37 tunes from the 1651 edition of Playford's "The English Dancing Master" arranged for two players. The melodies are on the top stave, and the harmony/backup is on the bottom stave.
The Workshops will be on Tuesday, October 6, 7 PM, Central Time, Wednesday, October 7, 10 AM, Central Time, and Friday, October 9, 7 PM, Central Time.
Different tunes will be played at each session. We will read, play, and discuss various survival skills for these tunes.
There is limited enrollment, and pre-registration is required. The cost for each workshop is $15.00. The cost of each optional book is $15.00 (includes shipping if ordered with workshop registration). To view a sample tune from the collection, and to see a list of the tunes, click on the following link:
https://greenblattandseay.com/book_42_playford.shtml
Review: This edition would make for great additions to one's recorder library. Because they contain a mix of easier and a bit more challenging pieces that are pleasingly arranged, they offer less and more experienced players both a challenge and an opportunity to play simplay for the enjoyment of the music.... ...Victor Eijkhout American Recorder, Fall 2020...
For more information, and to register for the workshop:
https://www.greenblattandseay.com/workshops_playford.shtml
10/6/2026
10:00 am - 11:15 am Pacific/11:00 pm - 12:15 pm Mountain; 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm Central; 1:00 pm - 2:15 EasternJoin Tish and Frances in three sessions. The goal is to practice (even just a little) every day. Each week we'll start with a brief check-in to see how you all did the previous 7 days. What were your challenges? Was it easy to practice all 7 days? Did you fall off the wagon, but jump back on? A short technique warm-up comes next, getting fingers, tongue and breath ready to play music together. During each session we will spend the bulk of our time playing two three-part pieces - you play with Tish and Frances. We'll discuss aspects of each piece, special challenges, and how to practice to overcome these challenges. Participants will be muted but will hear Tish and Frances.
In week 1 we'll work on Medieval pieces; week 2 Renaissance; week 3 Baroque.
Fee: $90, includes access to class recordings for two months. Geared to intermediate to advanced players.
To register and learn how to pay, please contact Tish at tibiarecorderduo@gmail.com.
Letitia Berlin
tishberlin@gmail.com
510-882-1169
10/6/2026
Back to the Bass with some of Tish's Favorites! With Tish Berlin3:00 pm - 4:15 pm Pacific/4:00 pm - 5:15 pm Mountain/5:00 pm - 6:15 pm Central/6:00 pm - 7:15 pm Eastern
Let's get back on the bass bandwagon! We'll drill exercises for intonation, resonant low notes, clear high notes and everything in-between, we'll work on solos and duets from the Middle Ages and Baroque periods. Let the bass recorder become your voice so you can let your musicality soar!
Fee: $75, includes access to class recordings for two months. Geared to intermediate to advanced bass recorder players.
To register and learn how to pay, please contact Tish at tibiarecorderduo@gmail.com.
Letitia Berlin
tishberlin@gmail.com
510-882-1169
10/6/2026
The Old Avoca Schoolhouse in Avoca, Nebraska will be streaming three on line Playford English Country Dance Tunes Workshops for violins, violas, cellos, basses, mandolins, soprano recorder, and alto recorder.The workshop will explore tunes from our “Playford English Country Dance Tunes for Two”. This curated collection contains 37 tunes from the 1651 edition of Playford’s “The English Dancing Master” arranged for two players. The melodies are on the top stave, and the harmony/backup is on the bottom stave.
The Workshops will be on Tuesday, October 6, 7 PM, Central Time, Wednesday, October 7, 10 AM, Central Time, and Friday, October 9, 7 PM, Central Time.
Different tunes will be played at each session. We will read, play, and discuss various survival skills for these tunes.
There is limited enrollment, and pre-registration is required. The cost for each workshop is $15.00. The cost of each optional book is $15.00 (includes shipping if ordered with workshop registration). To view a sample tune from the collection, and to see a list of the tunes, click on the following link:
https://greenblattandseay.com/book_42_playford.shtml
Review: This edition would make for great additions to one’s recorder library. Because they contain a mix of easier and a bit more challenging pieces that are pleasingly arranged, they offer less and more experienced players both a challenge and an opportunity to play simplay for the enjoyment of the music…. ...Victor Eijkhout American Recorder, Fall 2020…
For more information, and to register for the workshop:
https://www.greenblattandseay.com/workshops_playford.shtml
10/7/2026
The Old Avoca Schoolhouse in Avoca, Nebraska will be streaming three on line Playford English Country Dance Tunes Workshops for violins, violas, cellos, basses, mandolins, soprano recorder, and alto recorder.The workshop will explore tunes from our "Playford English Country Dance Tunes for Two". This curated collection contains 37 tunes from the 1651 edition of Playford's "The English Dancing Master" arranged for two players. The melodies are on the top stave, and the harmony/backup is on the bottom stave.
The Workshops will be on Tuesday, October 6, 7 PM, Central Time, Wednesday, October 7, 10 AM, Central Time, and Friday, October 9, 7 PM, Central Time.
Different tunes will be played at each session. We will read, play, and discuss various survival skills for these tunes.
There is limited enrollment, and pre-registration is required. The cost for each workshop is $15.00. The cost of each optional book is $15.00 (includes shipping if ordered with workshop registration). To view a sample tune from the collection, and to see a list of the tunes, click on the following link:
https://greenblattandseay.com/book_42_playford.shtml
Review: This edition would make for great additions to one's recorder library. Because they contain a mix of easier and a bit more challenging pieces that are pleasingly arranged, they offer less and more experienced players both a challenge and an opportunity to play simplay for the enjoyment of the music.... ...Victor Eijkhout American Recorder, Fall 2020...
For more information, and to register for the workshop:
https://www.greenblattandseay.com/workshops_playford.shtml
10/7/2026
The Old Avoca Schoolhouse in Avoca, Nebraska will be streaming three on line Playford English Country Dance Tunes Workshops for violins, violas, cellos, basses, mandolins, soprano recorder, and alto recorder.The workshop will explore tunes from our “Playford English Country Dance Tunes for Two”. This curated collection contains 37 tunes from the 1651 edition of Playford’s “The English Dancing Master” arranged for two players. The melodies are on the top stave, and the harmony/backup is on the bottom stave.
The Workshops will be on Tuesday, October 6, 7 PM, Central Time, Wednesday, October 7, 10 AM, Central Time, and Friday, October 9, 7 PM, Central Time.
Different tunes will be played at each session. We will read, play, and discuss various survival skills for these tunes.
There is limited enrollment, and pre-registration is required. The cost for each workshop is $15.00. The cost of each optional book is $15.00 (includes shipping if ordered with workshop registration). To view a sample tune from the collection, and to see a list of the tunes, click on the following link:
https://greenblattandseay.com/book_42_playford.shtml
Review: This edition would make for great additions to one’s recorder library. Because they contain a mix of easier and a bit more challenging pieces that are pleasingly arranged, they offer less and more experienced players both a challenge and an opportunity to play simplay for the enjoyment of the music…. ...Victor Eijkhout American Recorder, Fall 2020…
For more information, and to register for the workshop:
https://www.greenblattandseay.com/workshops_playford.shtml
10/9/2026
The Old Avoca Schoolhouse in Avoca, Nebraska will be streaming three on line Playford English Country Dance Tunes Workshops for violins, violas, cellos, basses, mandolins, soprano recorder, and alto recorder.The workshop will explore tunes from our "Playford English Country Dance Tunes for Two". This curated collection contains 37 tunes from the 1651 edition of Playford's "The English Dancing Master" arranged for two players. The melodies are on the top stave, and the harmony/backup is on the bottom stave.
The Workshops will be on Tuesday, October 6, 7 PM, Central Time, Wednesday, October 7, 10 AM, Central Time, and Friday, October 9, 7 PM, Central Time.
Different tunes will be played at each session. We will read, play, and discuss various survival skills for these tunes.
There is limited enrollment, and pre-registration is required. The cost for each workshop is $15.00. The cost of each optional book is $15.00 (includes shipping if ordered with workshop registration). To view a sample tune from the collection, and to see a list of the tunes, click on the following link:
https://greenblattandseay.com/book_42_playford.shtml
Review: This edition would make for great additions to one's recorder library. Because they contain a mix of easier and a bit more challenging pieces that are pleasingly arranged, they offer less and more experienced players both a challenge and an opportunity to play simplay for the enjoyment of the music.... ...Victor Eijkhout American Recorder, Fall 2020...
For more information, and to register for the workshop:
https://www.greenblattandseay.com/workshops_playford.shtml
10/9/2026
The Old Avoca Schoolhouse in Avoca, Nebraska will be streaming three on line Playford English Country Dance Tunes Workshops for violins, violas, cellos, basses, mandolins, soprano recorder, and alto recorder.The workshop will explore tunes from our “Playford English Country Dance Tunes for Two”. This curated collection contains 37 tunes from the 1651 edition of Playford’s “The English Dancing Master” arranged for two players. The melodies are on the top stave, and the harmony/backup is on the bottom stave.
The Workshops will be on Tuesday, October 6, 7 PM, Central Time, Wednesday, October 7, 10 AM, Central Time, and Friday, October 9, 7 PM, Central Time.
Different tunes will be played at each session. We will read, play, and discuss various survival skills for these tunes.
There is limited enrollment, and pre-registration is required. The cost for each workshop is $15.00. The cost of each optional book is $15.00 (includes shipping if ordered with workshop registration). To view a sample tune from the collection, and to see a list of the tunes, click on the following link:
https://greenblattandseay.com/book_42_playford.shtml
Review: This edition would make for great additions to one’s recorder library. Because they contain a mix of easier and a bit more challenging pieces that are pleasingly arranged, they offer less and more experienced players both a challenge and an opportunity to play simplay for the enjoyment of the music…. ...Victor Eijkhout American Recorder, Fall 2020…
For more information, and to register for the workshop:
https://www.greenblattandseay.com/workshops_playford.shtml
10/10/2026
Join us for a series of Consort Studio Workshops in central New Jersey, monthly sessions in ensemble playing for intermediate to advanced level recorder players to learn to play with one another and other instruments under a skilled conductor, with professional accompaniment.
These events will be led by conductor, recorder player, and harpsichordist, Steven Russell (see below). It is an opportunity to play a variety of Baroque literature for small ensembles, through rehearsal, instruction, and demonstration, in a supportive environment, with a focus on ensemble playing, and end with the option to play the lead alto part with a professional ensemble. We will have opportunities to warm up on Renaissance music with SATB recorders, so bring all sizes. Register early to receive the music well in advance. Auditors welcome to attend. Sessions culminate in a performance.
Dates: One Saturday of the month, 1:00 – 5:00 P.M. w/ a 15-min. break
Nov. 8, 2025 Open for General Registration. A Taste of Things to Come
Jan. 10, 2026 Feb. 28, 2026 March 14, 2026 April 25, 2026
May 9, 2026 Workshop-Rehearsal June 13 Oct. 10 Nov. 14, 2026
Location: Reformed Church of Highland Park, 19-21 South Second Avenue, Highland Park, NJ. There is plenty of parking at the location, which is a 30-minute walk or 5-minute taxi ride from the New Brunswick NJT train station.
To register, Visit https://hprecorder.org/events/2026-consort-studio/. For more information contact recorderdonna@gmail.com
10/10/2026
Welcome to the 2026-2027 season of the Tucson Recorder Society, a Chapter of the American Recorder Society. We provide opportunities for people to play recorders and other early instruments, to learn more about early music, ranging from the Medieval through the Baroque periods, and to have fun. We have players of all ages and abilities, and we meet about once a month from the fall through the spring. We welcome all members, new and old.The first meeting of the season is on Saturday, September 19th, 1:30 p.m. to 3:15, at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, 602 N Wilmot Road at 5th Street. There is plenty of parking in the NW parking lot under the solar panels. Park and walk around the north end of the church to the east, and meet in the Smith Parish Hall. Please see the attached map.
The annual TRS dues are $50 per person this season. The full day Play Day will be a separate charge, and registration will open in January.
TRS Meetings
Meetings are on Saturdays from 1:30 pm - 3:15 pm, except for the Play Day as indicated
Sat., 09/19/2026 - Andy Bade
Sat., 10/10/2026 - Sierra Norris
Sat., 11/14/2026 - John Snavely
Sat., 01/09/2027 - TBD
Sat., 02/13/2027, 8:30am-4:00pm - Play Day - Tish Berlin
Sat., 03/13/2027 - Brian Cochran
Sat., 04/10/2027 - Performance Meeting
If you have your own copy of our Consort Music Book, remember to bring it to the meetings. We encourage the session leaders to begin with some warm-up exercises, such as scales, breathing, and technique. The leaders may choose to use the book if applicable.
For those who do not have a "Consort Collection Vol I" book (actually edited by Larry Bernstein not Leonard Bernstein as the web site states) and would like to buy one, it is available for $13 from:
https://www.performersmusicchicago.com/bernstein-the-consort-collection-vol-1-ultimate-anthology-sc-mag-dol0101/
Please see the web site "Library" tab for a message from our Librarian, Ben Eisenstein, about the TRS music library: http://tucsonrecordersociety.mason701.info/
We especially encourage any member to open a meeting with a short 5 to 10 minute performance. Please try to present a short performance if possible. Please let Scott Mason know which month you or your group would like to perform.
If you are interested in receiving the newsletter via e-mail, please send me your e-mail address at scottmason701@gmail.com, with a subject line "TRS Newsletter", and include your real name and address so I can match it up with the member list. Help save the cost of mailing.
The TRS Officers: Scott Mason, President (721-0846); Moshe Ben-Yeoshua, Treasurer (949-748-9091); and Ben Eisenstein, Librarian (847-987-4093).
Respectfully, Scott Mason, President, Tucson Recorder Society
10/10/2026
DATE: Saturday, October 10TIME: 1:30-3:30 p.m. Doors open at 1:00 p.m.
LOCATION: The Church of St. Mary the Virgin, 145 West 46th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues.
FEES: $20 for members. $30 for non-members.
MUSIC: PDFs of the music for each meeting are sent in advance to NYRG members. Other players who plan to attend should contact newyorkrecorders@gmail.com to register and request the music.
"While scrolling through my voluminous Sibelius files to see what might interest the Guild members, I realized that an overview of music of the 15th through 19th centuries could be presented simply by sticking with one letter of the alphabet. So there you have it...as simple as that!" -Susan Iadone
This session will include music by:
Bach
Bateson
Beale
Bertali
Binchois
Bortniansky
Boyce
Brahms
Byrd
10/10/2026
Many of the ARS member benefits are right at your fingertips, only a few keystrokes away. In an ongoing effort to make these perks as accessible as possible, we offer a tour of the website twice a year. Join us on Saturday, October 10, at 2 pm Eastern Time for a tour of the website, an orientation of our redesigned menu, and an overview of the member benefits that help you take advantage of all we have to offer. ARS President Jody Miller will lead the tour, assisted by former Board member Phil Hollar, who will also lead an online playing session using music from our online music library.10/11/2026 - 10/12/2026
East Bay Recorder Society Workshop with Phil and Gayle Neuman. The full option is a day and a half: Sunday, October 11 from 2 PM to 4:30 PM music will feature early 15th century Cypriot-French music. This unique repertoire is stylistically related to lat 14th century French Ars Subtilior music. Monday, October is a full day with a half-day option. The music will be a selection of Italian and Spanish pieces from the late 15th century through the early 17th century.10/13/2026
10:00 am - 11:15 am Pacific/11:00 pm - 12:15 pm Mountain; 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm Central; 1:00 pm - 2:15 EasternJoin Tish and Frances in three sessions. The goal is to practice (even just a little) every day. Each week we'll start with a brief check-in to see how you all did the previous 7 days. What were your challenges? Was it easy to practice all 7 days? Did you fall off the wagon, but jump back on? A short technique warm-up comes next, getting fingers, tongue and breath ready to play music together. During each session we will spend the bulk of our time playing two three-part pieces - you play with Tish and Frances. We'll discuss aspects of each piece, special challenges, and how to practice to overcome these challenges. Participants will be muted but will hear Tish and Frances.
In week 1 we'll work on Medieval pieces; week 2 Renaissance; week 3 Baroque.
Fee: $90, includes access to class recordings for two months. Geared to intermediate to advanced players.
To register and learn how to pay, please contact Tish at tibiarecorderduo@gmail.com.
Letitia Berlin
tishberlin@gmail.com
510-882-1169
10/13/2026
Back to the Bass with some of Tish's Favorites! With Tish Berlin3:00 pm - 4:15 pm Pacific/4:00 pm - 5:15 pm Mountain/5:00 pm - 6:15 pm Central/6:00 pm - 7:15 pm Eastern
Let's get back on the bass bandwagon! We'll drill exercises for intonation, resonant low notes, clear high notes and everything in-between, we'll work on solos and duets from the Middle Ages and Baroque periods. Let the bass recorder become your voice so you can let your musicality soar!
Fee: $75, includes access to class recordings for two months. Geared to intermediate to advanced bass recorder players.
To register and learn how to pay, please contact Tish at tibiarecorderduo@gmail.com.
Letitia Berlin
tishberlin@gmail.com
510-882-1169
10/17/2026
A Musical Adventure in Sounds and Styles -
Traveling the world with your recorder!
with Vicki Boeckman
Saturday, October 17, 2026 9am - 4pm
Join Vicki in a globe-trotting day of music. We’ll explore early Italian instrumental canzonas, German and Norwegian motets, then cross the Channel to England for some folk tunes and ballades before making our way over to the United States and ending up in South America with a toe tappin’ rendition of “Brazil.” Come enjoy the music of Biumi, Bruckner, Bach, Grieg, Barroso, and the infamous anonymous, as we play clever arrangements by her brilliant Seattle colleagues Peter Seibert, Charles Coldwell, and Miguel Rode.
10/17/2026
Led by the ARS Board President, this meeting will be a great opportunity to learn what ARS has been up to in the past year. ARS members may be wondering where the organization is putting its focus. How does the ARS plan to maintain and build on the progress made in the past couple of years? The Annual Meeting addresses questions such as these and offers a question and answer session between members and the ARS Board.To add an agenda item, please email Administrative Director Susan Burns at director@americanrecorder.org.
Sign up to receive a link to attend the ARS Annual Meeting, held this year via Zoom, on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. EDT. You will receive a link to the Zoom meeting, both in your confirmation email and in a reminder email closer to the event.
10/18/2026
When we make music, alone or together, it is a fleeting thing. Once each sound has died away, it’s gone forever. You would think that any musician would hear every note, and enjoy musical satisfaction, but in reality, we get very busy as we play, thinking about playing the right note, the right rhythm, not squeaking, being in tune, moving fingers and tongue with proper agility… And then we fail to hear what we have played, let alone what anyone else has played! What a pity to have missed our music.In this class we will practice opening our ears and honing our attention as we play, learning to listen to ourselves, and our fellow players, even while doing all that it takes to play. Through playing and listening to examples, we'll learn to focus our aural attention. As we hear more, we derive ever more musical satisfaction from our own playing and from playing with others.
Level - open to all levels. Although the music won't be overly difficult, the listening tasks will challenge all players.
About Frances Blaker
10/19/2026
NAVRS is excited to present the 5th edition of Medieval Mondays taught by NAVRS music director Annette Bauer.Medieval Mondays runs from September to December 2026 in four sessions. Each class will focus on a particular medieval topic, composer, or musical source. The sessions include a brief overview of the composer and information about the music’s historical context then a selection of music to discover and play. Scores will be available for registered participants a week ahead of each class.
Medieval Mondays will take place on the following dates, always from 12:30-2pm Eastern:
September 14: Famous Burgundian Songs - A 15th-century Hit Parade
October 19: “La Fortune de Fauvel” - Music from the Roman de Fauvel
November 16: Music from the Old Hall Manuscript
December 14: “Gaudete!” A Medieval Christmas
More detail about the topics
All music will be provided in modern notation. The playing level is geared towards recorder players of intermediate and higher skill levels - fluency on C- and F-instruments is expected. For the most part, the chosen music will be accessible on alto and tenor recorders, occasionally also on soprano or bass. Since some portion of every class is spent on the historical and musical background, everyone is welcome to join the series, even if your playing level is a bit lower than suggested. In that case, feel free to work with and absorb the given materials over a longer period of time, at your own pace.
10/20/2026
10:00 am - 11:15 am Pacific/11:00 pm - 12:15 pm Mountain; 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm Central; 1:00 pm - 2:15 EasternJoin Tish and Frances in three sessions. The goal is to practice (even just a little) every day. Each week we'll start with a brief check-in to see how you all did the previous 7 days. What were your challenges? Was it easy to practice all 7 days? Did you fall off the wagon, but jump back on? A short technique warm-up comes next, getting fingers, tongue and breath ready to play music together. During each session we will spend the bulk of our time playing two three-part pieces - you play with Tish and Frances. We'll discuss aspects of each piece, special challenges, and how to practice to overcome these challenges. Participants will be muted but will hear Tish and Frances.
In week 1 we'll work on Medieval pieces; week 2 Renaissance; week 3 Baroque.
Fee: $90, includes access to class recordings for two months. Geared to intermediate to advanced players.
To register and learn how to pay, please contact Tish at tibiarecorderduo@gmail.com.
Letitia Berlin
tishberlin@gmail.com
510-882-1169
10/20/2026
Back to the Bass with some of Tish's Favorites! With Tish Berlin3:00 pm - 4:15 pm Pacific/4:00 pm - 5:15 pm Mountain/5:00 pm - 6:15 pm Central/6:00 pm - 7:15 pm Eastern
Let's get back on the bass bandwagon! We'll drill exercises for intonation, resonant low notes, clear high notes and everything in-between, we'll work on solos and duets from the Middle Ages and Baroque periods. Let the bass recorder become your voice so you can let your musicality soar!
Fee: $75, includes access to class recordings for two months. Geared to intermediate to advanced bass recorder players.
To register and learn how to pay, please contact Tish at tibiarecorderduo@gmail.com.
Letitia Berlin
tishberlin@gmail.com
510-882-1169
10/23/2026
We are delighted to announce that all four of our Voices of Music concert series for the 2026-27 season include the wonderful recorder artistry of Voices of Music director Hanneke van Proosdij! The first set is the weekend of October 23-25 in the Bay Area. The full season schedule is outlined below.
Grammy-winning soprano Amanda Forsythe joins the ensemble for Baroque vocal masterpieces. There will also be instrumental fireworks (yes, including recorder!), and a little Baroque-style jamming. The program features music by Antonio Vivaldi, Alessandro Scarlatti, Luigi Rossi, Cazzati, Tarquinio Merula, and Giovanni Battista Buonamente. It also brings the music of two remarkable women composers to the forefront: Maria Margherita Grimani and Isabella Leonarda.
Instrumental works include Vivaldi’s La Follia, Leonarda’s Sonata Terza, Cazzati’s Passacaglia, Merula’s Ciaconna, and Buonamente’s Il Ballo del Gran Duca.
Three San Francisco Bay Area dates:
October 23, 2026 7:00 pm Palo Alto: First Congregational Church of Palo Alto, 1985 Louis Rd, Palo Alto CAOctober 24, 2026 7:30 pm San Francisco: Old First Presbyterian Church, 1751 Sacramento St, San Francisco CAOctober 25, 2026 7:30 pm Berkeley: First Congregational Church of Berkeley, 2345 Channing Way, Berkeley CA
10/24/2026 - 10/25/2026
Directed by Valerie Horst and Wendy Powers
With faculty: Rachel Begley, Deborah Booth, Eric Haas, Susan Hellauer, Susan Iadone, Emily O'Brien, Wendy Powers, Sian Ricketts, and Nina Stern.
AEM's tailor-made workshop for recorder players, with an exciting line up of faculty and classes. The workshop takes place Saturday and Sunday, October 24 & 25, at the beloved Ella Baker School on the upper east side of Manhattan. Easily accessible by subway or bus.
Class topics will run the gamut from Medieval estampies to Burgundian chansons to Spanish Renaissance villancicos to the extraordinary 17th-century composer Claudia Rusca to the always fabulous Telemann to gorgeous contemporary works by women composers such as Amy Beach and Florence Price.
10/24/2026
With its independent, interweaving melodies, Renaissance polyphony offers great satisfaction to both the player and the listener. The recorder’s close connection with breath makes it an instrument well-suited to shaping the individual melodies that each play an important role in a polyphonic composition. In this session, we’ll explore fifteenth- and sixteenth-century polyphony from both England and the Continent, including works by Robert Johnson, Christopher Tye, and Cristóbal de Morales. And: NAVRS's anniversary number 5 will make a special appearance in the selected compositions!Miyo Aoki is a dedicated recorder player and teacher and creator of Recorder from the Ground Up, a unique teaching method forthcoming from Seattle Historical Arts for Kids. She is a member of the Farallon Recorder Quartet and has performed in the US, Germany, and Poland, with groups including The Eurasia Consort, Utopia Early Music, and Gamut Bach Ensemble; and at the Amherst Early Music Festival, Berkeley Early Music Festival and Whidbey Island Music Festival. She has premiered works by contemporary composers Natalie Williams, Agnes Dorwarth and Adam Haws, and in recent years she was delighted to play with the Boise Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony, Oregon Symphony, and Eugene Symphony, respectively, in performances of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. In addition to private lessons, she teaches regularly for Seattle Historical Arts for Kids and at workshops around the country, including the Port Townsend Early Music Workshop, Amherst Early Music Festival, Early Music Week at Pinewoods, and Hidden Valley Early Music Workshop. Miyo holds a KAZ Diplom (Artist Diploma) from the Hochschule für Künste in Bremen, Germany, where she studied with Professor Han Tol, and degrees in both early music performance and mathematics from Indiana University, where she studied with Professor Eva Legêne.
10/24/2026
We are delighted to announce that all four of our Voices of Music concert series for the 2026-27 season include the wonderful recorder artistry of Voices of Music director Hanneke van Proosdij! The first set is the weekend of October 23-25 in the Bay Area. The full season schedule is outlined below.
Grammy-winning soprano Amanda Forsythe joins the ensemble for Baroque vocal masterpieces. There will also be instrumental fireworks (yes, including recorder!), and a little Baroque-style jamming. The program features music by Antonio Vivaldi, Alessandro Scarlatti, Luigi Rossi, Cazzati, Tarquinio Merula, and Giovanni Battista Buonamente. It also brings the music of two remarkable women composers to the forefront: Maria Margherita Grimani and Isabella Leonarda.
Instrumental works include Vivaldi’s La Follia, Leonarda’s Sonata Terza, Cazzati’s Passacaglia, Merula’s Ciaconna, and Buonamente’s Il Ballo del Gran Duca.
Three San Francisco Bay Area dates:
October 23, 2026 7:00 pm Palo Alto: First Congregational Church of Palo Alto, 1985 Louis Rd, Palo Alto CAOctober 24, 2026 7:30 pm San Francisco: Old First Presbyterian Church, 1751 Sacramento St, San Francisco CAOctober 25, 2026 7:30 pm Berkeley: First Congregational Church of Berkeley, 2345 Channing Way, Berkeley CA
10/25/2026 - 10/31/2026
Revel in the lyrical sounds of the recorder, viola da gamba and harpsichord as you share your musical gifts during a week-long intensive early music workshop. Enhance your skills in small classes taught by expert instructors with emphasis on improving technique and playing with ensembles. At Hidden Valley Music Seminars, An Institute of the Arts, in Carmel Valley, California, nestled amongst oak and buckeye trees below majestic hillsides, enjoy a serene and inspiring place for playing music. This unique experience includes opportunities for daily early morning stretching and breathing, daily happy hour, locally sourced meals, free time for local exploration or playing, live faculty and student performances, and interaction with the local community.
The 2026 musical theme is Music from Spain and England from the Middle Ages on, as well as music of the New World and Netherlands. Specific class offerings differ by date and will be given out 6 weeks before the program begins.
Week #1 (Oct 25 - 31, 2026) Faculty: Letitia Berlin (recorder), Frances Blaker (recorder & orchestra), Lawrence Lipnik (recorder & viola da gamba), David Morris (viola da gamba), and Shira Kammen (early strings & repertoire).
Week #2 (November 1 - 7, 2026) Faculty: Letitia Berlin (recorder), Frances Blaker (recorder & orchestra), Lawrence Lipnik (recorder & viola da gamba), Mary Springfels (viola da gamba), and Alison Gangler (dulcian and shawm).
10/25/2026
We are delighted to announce that all four of our Voices of Music concert series for the 2026-27 season include the wonderful recorder artistry of Voices of Music director Hanneke van Proosdij! The first set is the weekend of October 23-25 in the Bay Area. The full season schedule is outlined below.
Grammy-winning soprano Amanda Forsythe joins the ensemble for Baroque vocal masterpieces. There will also be instrumental fireworks (yes, including recorder!), and a little Baroque-style jamming. The program features music by Antonio Vivaldi, Alessandro Scarlatti, Luigi Rossi, Cazzati, Tarquinio Merula, and Giovanni Battista Buonamente. It also brings the music of two remarkable women composers to the forefront: Maria Margherita Grimani and Isabella Leonarda.
Instrumental works include Vivaldi’s La Follia, Leonarda’s Sonata Terza, Cazzati’s Passacaglia, Merula’s Ciaconna, and Buonamente’s Il Ballo del Gran Duca.
Three San Francisco Bay Area dates:
October 23, 2026 7:00 pm Palo Alto: First Congregational Church of Palo Alto, 1985 Louis Rd, Palo Alto CAOctober 24, 2026 7:30 pm San Francisco: Old First Presbyterian Church, 1751 Sacramento St, San Francisco CAOctober 25, 2026 7:30 pm Berkeley: First Congregational Church of Berkeley, 2345 Channing Way, Berkeley CA