Cappella Pratensis
Cappella Pratensis is an internationally renowned ensemble with an extensive educational background, with members of the group holding positions at a variety of educational institutions including the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, the Royal Conservatoire of the Hague, the University of Vienna, and Amsterdam Conservatoire.
Aside from the ensemble’s established educational program, which ranges from introductory outreach sessions at a local level to appearances at international conferences and festivals, including an annual ‘Summer School’ hosted by the Antwerp-based Laus Polyphoniae, the group engages in regular ‘discovery’ workshops during their international tours. These workshops have been held with great success at such notable institutions as Yale, Harvard, Princeton, and Oxford, among many others.
All sessions are intrinsically practical, with active participation from the students being essential. The sessions typically involve an introduction to our own unique, research-based practices such as singing from historical (mensural) notation, exploring historical solmisation and the Guidonian Hand, and rediscovering Renaissance traditions of improvised counterpoint. In addition, such workshops offer the opportunity to sing alongside members of the group, allowing the participants to benefit directly from the singers' experience and expertise as international ensemble musicians.
On a personal note, our own experience of these sessions continues to be overwhelmingly positive, with our enthusiasm for the subject matter being consistently matched by the eagerness of the students!
