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Friday, May 1

Machaut Weekend: Opening Festivities: Keynote, Performance & Sing-Along
Blue Heron (Scott Metcalfe, director)
Our celebration of Machaut begins with a keynote talk by one of the world’s leading scholars of 14th-century music, Anne Stone (CUNY Graduate Center), performances of pieces in several of the genres represented in Machaut’s oeuvre, and a sing-along of the Kyrie from the Messe de Nostre Dame.
7:30pm - The Allen Center, 35 Webster St. West Newton, MA
$11.50-$32.50
https://www.blueheron.org/machaut-weekend/

Saturday, May 2

Le grant rhetorique: The Music & Poetry of Guillaume de Machaut
Blue Heron (Scott Metcalfe, director)
A feast of songs and motets by the most famous poet and composer of the 14th century. Experience a broad range of Machaut’s captivating secular music—by far the largest part of his output—including the lay, the most virtuosic of the old forms; the polytextual motet, combining French courtly texts with plainchant melodies deployed allegorically; and the three modern lyric forms codified by Machaut himself: the ballade, virelai, and rondeau.
Tickets $11.50-$95.50, Under 18 FREE
2pm - First Church Congregational, 11 Garden Street, Cambridge
https://www.blueheron.org/concerts/le-grant-rhetorique-machaut/
Making Overtures: Overtures and Overture Selections by Telemann, Bach, Zelenka and Fischer
Arcadia Players (Andrus Madsen, director)
The centerpiece of this joyous concert will be Telemann's own "Water Music," the glorious Hamburger Ebb' und Fluth (Hamburg Ebb and Flow), a musical homage to the city where the composer lived and worked for over 40 years. Telemann's tribute captures various moods of the Elbe River as it makes its way through the city, while also honoring a variety of water-deities and even celebrating the local boatmen with some boisterous sailors' dances.
​2:30pm - Wesley Methodist Church, Hadley, MA
​
https://www.arcadiaplayers.org/
The Organ Masters
Peter Sykes rouses the great Roosevelt Organ at the First Congregational Church in Great Barrington in a program of works from the great French organ tradition that brings the beauty and power of this cultural treasure to life.
3pm - First Congregational Church, Great Barrington, MA
$40-45
​https://berkshirebach.org/events
Monteverdi and Schütz
The Jameson Singers
Join the Jameson Singers in celebration of their 15th anniversary for a concert of Baroque blockbusters, including Claudio Monteverdi’s stunning sestina setting, Lagrime d’amante al sepolcro dell’amata and Heinrich Schütz’s profoundly moving Das ist mir lieb. Along with more by Monteverdi and Schütz, the performances will also include Robert Lucas Pearsall’s beloved work Lay A Garland, and Munus by contemporary composer Steven Sametz, written especially for the group’s founder, Dr. Jameson Marvin.
7:30pm - 1st Church Congregational, 11 Garden St. Cambridge, MA
https://www.jamesonsingers.org/
Machaut Weekend: Candlelight Concerts: Messe de Nostre dame
Blue Heron (Scott Metcalfe, director)
Join us on Saturday evening for an intimate performance of Machaut’s entrancing Messe de Nostre Dame in the most gothic venue in Boston, lit entirely by candles—as close as we could come to the piece’s likely original context, a Saturday evening Lady Mass at a side altar in Reims Cathedral. These performances will take place at 7:00 PM and 8:30 PM. 
7:00pm - Lindsey Chapel at Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street, Boston, MA
$11.50-$37.50
https://www.blueheron.org/machaut-weekend/
Machaut Weekend: Candlelight Concerts: Messe de Nostre dame
Blue Heron (Scott Metcalfe, director)
Join us on Saturday evening for an intimate performance of Machaut’s entrancing Messe de Nostre Dame in the most gothic venue in Boston, lit entirely by candles—as close as we could come to the piece’s likely original context, a Saturday evening Lady Mass at a side altar in Reims Cathedral. These performances will take place at 7:00 PM and 8:30 PM. 
8:30pm - Lindsey Chapel at Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street, Boston, MA
$11.50-$37.50
https://www.blueheron.org/machaut-weekend/

Sunday, May 3

Machaut Weekend: Talks & Demonstrations: Machaut & Nature's Children
Blue Heron (Scott Metcalfe, director)
Machaut was both a poet and a composer, and he took great pains to preserve his artistic creations in complete-works manuscripts that were lavishly illustrated and illuminated. This pair of talks by Ardis Butterfield of Yale University, a specialist in medieval French literature and music, and Domenic Leo, the world’s foremost expert on the Machaut illustrations, offers a guide to the forms, genres, and themes of 14th-century lyric poetry and a survey of the visual art in the Machaut manuscripts. We’ll also include a demonstration of middle French pronunciation.
10:00am - Margaret Jewett Hall at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA
Free, no ticket required
https://www.blueheron.org/machaut-weekend/
​BRS Monthly Meeting
The Boston Recorder Society is excited to return to a full season of monthly meetings for the first time since the pandemic. If you play recorders, baroque flute, early winds (including reeds and brass), or early strings, we look forward to making music with you. Please join us for our 70th year of playing together! Visit our Registration page to sign up. 
1-3:30pm - Lesley University building at 1815 Massachusetts Ave. (Porter Square) Cambridge, MA
$25-30
http://bostonrecorders.org/
Monteverdi and Schütz
The Jameson Singers
Join the Jameson Singers in celebration of their 15th anniversary for a concert of Baroque blockbusters, including Claudio Monteverdi’s stunning sestina setting, Lagrime d’amante al sepolcro dell’amata and Heinrich Schütz’s profoundly moving Das ist mir lieb. Along with more by Monteverdi and Schütz, the performances will also include Robert Lucas Pearsall’s beloved work Lay A Garland, and Munus by contemporary composer Steven Sametz, written especially for the group’s founder, Dr. Jameson Marvin.
3pm - Second Church, 60 Highland St. Newton, MA
$15-$45
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1984716826455?aff=oddtdtcreator
Machaut Weekend: Cabaret Concert: Machaut & the Ars subtilior
Blue Heron (Scott Metcalfe, director)
Wrap up the weekend with a program connecting Machaut to the next generation. Late-14th-century Ars subtilior (the “more subtle art”) composers built on his work, crafting songs about mysterious, smoky speculators known as fumeurs. Enjoy projected texts and illustrations, a taste of French food & drink, and—as an extra treat—learn how to sing and dance a virelai!
6:00pm - The Allen Center, 35 Webster St. West Newton, MA
$11.50-$57.50
https://www.blueheron.org/machaut-weekend/

Friday, May 8

Williams Chamber Choir Spring Concert
Williams Chamber Choir conducted by Anna Lenti, with period ensemble.
The spring concert features Bach's Christ lag in Todesbanden BWV 4 and Buxtehude's "Ad Manus" and "Ad Latus" with period instruments. This concert is part of the Williams College Department of Music's 2025-2026 season.
7:30 PM - Chapin Hall, Williams College
Free and open to the public 
Music from 17th Century South Germany: Bertali, Schmelzer, Biber, Capricornus
Newton Baroque: Susanna Ogata, violin, Laura Jeppesen, viola da gamba, Andrus Madsen, harpsichord
7:30 pm - Goethe-Institut, 170 Beacon St., Boston, MA
https://www.newtonbaroque.org/concerts.html
All in the Family
Sarasa Ensemble: Daniel Bates, oboe; Christina Day Martinson, Rebecca Nelson, Danilo Bonina, violins; Anna Griffis, viola; Jennifer Morsches, Timothy Merton, cellos; John McKean, harpsichord
Sarasa traces the extended Bach family tree and its many musical talents. 'All in the Family' highlights works for oboe, strings and continuo by sons Wilhelm Friedemann and Carl Philipp Emanuel, cousin Johann Bernhard, wife Anna Magdalena & the master himself, Johann Sebastian Bach. 
7pm - Brattleboro Music Center, 72 Blanche Moyse Way, Brattleboro, VT
$25
www.bmcvt.org

Saturday, May 9

All in the Family
Sarasa Ensemble: Daniel Bates, oboe; Christina Day Martinson, Rebecca Nelson, Danilo Bonina, violins; Anna Griffis, viola; Jennifer Morsches, Timothy Merton, cellos; John McKean, harpsichord
Sarasa traces the extended Bach family tree and its many musical talents. 'All in the Family' highlights works for oboe, strings and continuo by sons Wilhelm Friedemann and Carl Philipp Emanuel, cousin Johann Bernhard, wife Anna Magdalena & the master himself, Johann Sebastian Bach. 
7pm - Friends Meeting House, 5 Longfellow Park, Cambridge, MA
$30
www.bmcvt.org
Music from 17th Century South Germany: Bertali, Schmelzer, Biber, Capricornus
Newton Baroque: Susanna Ogata, violin, Laura Jeppesen, viola da gamba, Andrus Madsen, harpsichord
7:30pm - Nathaniel Allen House, 35 Webster St., Newton, MA
​https://www.newtonbaroque.org/concerts.html

Sunday, May 10

All in the Family
Sarasa Ensemble: Daniel Bates, oboe; Christina Day Martinson, Rebecca Nelson, Danilo Bonina, violins; Anna Griffis, viola; Jennifer Morsches, Timothy Merton, cellos; John McKean, harpsichord
Sarasa traces the extended Bach family tree and its many musical talents. 'All in the Family' highlights works for oboe, strings and continuo by sons Wilhelm Friedemann and Carl Philipp Emanuel, cousin Johann Bernhard, wife Anna Magdalena & the master himself, Johann Sebastian Bach. 
3:30pm - Follen Church, 755 Massachusetts Ave. Lexington, MA 
$25
www.bmcvt.org

Saturday, May 16

Fugues & Fire: Masterworks by Bach & Vivaldi
Join Aurora Camerata, under the direction of Artistic Director James Kennerley, and ChoralArt Camerata (Robert Russell, Music Director) for a stunning evening of historical performance at St. Luke’s Cathedral in Portland, Maine. The program features four iconic Baroque works inspired by the seasons, including the ever-vibrant Concerto for Two Trumpets by Vivaldi, the joyous splendor of Vivaldi’s “Gloria”, the virtuosic Jig Fugue for organ solo, and the majestic grandeur of Bach’s Magnificat.
3pm - St. Luke's Cathedral, Portland, ME
https://auroracamerata.org/concert/fugues-fire/
Worthy of the Highest Praise: Bembo and Vivaldi
Cappella Clausura
Are you familiar with the name “Antonia Bembo”? How about “Antonio Vivaldi”? I’d wager that you’re familiar with the latter but not the former - which is exactly the point. Antonia Bembo was an Italian composer and singer of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. The reason you haven’t heard of her isn’t because her music is underwhelming: Bembo’s talent actually took her from Italy to France, where she was employed by King Louis XIV as a composer and singer. Her music has been unduly neglected because of her gender; she is every bit as good as her male contemporaries, and we’re proving it by putting her music side-by-side with the Vivaldi Gloria - one of the classics of the choral repertoire - and letting you draw your own conclusions. According to one etymology, the name “Antonia/o means “worthy of praise”. In this little-heard work by Antonia Bembo, you’ll hear that she’s just as praiseworthy as any Antonio. Featuring music by Antonia Bembo, Antonio Vivaldi, and others
4PM - Grace Episcopal Church, Newton, MA
https://www.clausura.org/

Sunday, May 17

Worthy of the Highest Praise: Bembo and Vivaldi
Cappella Clausura
Are you familiar with the name “Antonia Bembo”? How about “Antonio Vivaldi”? I’d wager that you’re familiar with the latter but not the former - which is exactly the point. Antonia Bembo was an Italian composer and singer of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. The reason you haven’t heard of her isn’t because her music is underwhelming: Bembo’s talent actually took her from Italy to France, where she was employed by King Louis XIV as a composer and singer. Her music has been unduly neglected because of her gender; she is every bit as good as her male contemporaries, and we’re proving it by putting her music side-by-side with the Vivaldi Gloria - one of the classics of the choral repertoire - and letting you draw your own conclusions. According to one etymology, the name “Antonia/o means “worthy of praise”. In this little-heard work by Antonia Bembo, you’ll hear that she’s just as praiseworthy as any Antonio. Featuring music by Antonia Bembo, Antonio Vivaldi, and others
4PM - Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury St. Boston, MA
​https://www.clausura.org/

Friday, May 22

Baroque to Broadway: A Cabaret for Community
The Henry Purcell Society of Boston invites you to enjoy and evening of music from Baroque to Broadway, a theatrical cabaret spanning the era of Restoration England through the present day. From the lively and satirical stages of 17th-century London to the voices of modern Broadway, music has long carried the currents of protest, hope, humor, and resilience. In times of uncertainty, artists have turned to song not only to entertain, but to question, to challenge, and to bring communities together.
In this intimate evening of music, our artists explore that enduring tradition through works that are witty, poignant, and deeply human. This concert also serves a humanitarian purpose. Proceeds from the evening will support the PAIR Project (Political Asylum/Immigration Representation Project) and Compassion in Action, organizations dedicated to assisting individuals and families navigating the immigration and asylum process. Through legal advocacy, volunteer support, and community-based aid, their work helps ensure that vulnerable members of our community receive guidance, dignity, and care. 100% of proceeds will benefit the PAIR Project, and Compassion in Action. Join us for an evening of music, reflection, and community—and help support meaningful work close to home!
7pm - 14 Bedford Rd. Lincoln, MA
Tickets are pay-what-you-can
CSEM Presents Viennese Impressions - String Quartets from the Age of Enlightenment 
Arrow String Quartet: Amelia Sie, violin, Alyssa Campbell, violin, Jimmy Drancsak, viola, Chelsea Bernstein, cello. 
For the 2025-26 season finale, CSEM is proud to present the Arrow Quartet, an up-and-coming string quartet founded in 2021 by students from Julliard’s Historical Performance program with a concert of eighteenth century string quartet works!
7:30pm - University Lutheran Church, 66 Winthrop St. Cambridge, MA
Pay-As-You-Can
https://csem.org/concerts/arrow-quartet/

Friday, May 22 - Monday, May 25

AEM Memorial Day Weekend Workshop
Directed by Valerie Horst with faculty Rainer Beckmann, recorder, Deborah Booth recorder & flute, Eric Haas, recorder & flute, Lawrence Lipnik recorder & viol, Patricia Petersen recorder & early notation, Gwyn Roberts recorder & flute, Catherine ("Cat") Slowik, viol
Get a head start on your summer with a weekend of small and larger ensemble music in an idyllic retreat center in rural Connecticut. Classes include mixed ensembles, special Medieval and Renaissance topics, early notation ensemble, and all-group playing of grand Renaissance works, for small and large instruments. In the evenings enjoy all-workshop group sessions, a Sunday evening faculty concert and a gala party! The von Huene Workshop is in residence with music and instruments for sale.
Tuition: $365 regular, $195 work-study
4pm Fri.-12:30pm Mon. - Wisdom House, 229 E. Litchfield Rd. Litchfield, CT
​https://www.amherstearlymusic.org/workshops/memorial-day-weekend-workshop

Saturday, May 23

CSEM Presents Viennese Impressions - String Quartets from the Age of Enlightenment 
Arrow String Quartet: Amelia Sie, violin, Alyssa Campbell, violin, Jimmy Drancsak, viola, Chelsea Bernstein, cello. 
For the 2025-26 season finale, CSEM is proud to present the Arrow Quartet, an up-and-coming string quartet founded in 2021 by students from Julliard’s Historical Performance program with a concert of eighteenth century string quartet works!
4:00pm -  Village Church in Weston, 130 Newton St. Weston, MA
Pay-As-You-Can
https://csem.org/concerts/arrow-quartet/

Sunday, May 24

CSEM Presents Viennese Impressions - String Quartets from the Age of Enlightenment 
Arrow String Quartet: Amelia Sie, violin, Alyssa Campbell, violin, Jimmy Drancsak, viola, Chelsea Bernstein, cello. 
For the 2025-26 season finale, CSEM is proud to present the Arrow Quartet, an up-and-coming string quartet founded in 2021 by students from Julliard’s Historical Performance program with a concert of eighteenth century string quartet works!
4:00pm -  St. John's Episcopal Church, 705 Hale St. Beverly Farms, MA
Pay-As-You-Can
https://csem.org/concerts/arrow-quartet/

Saturday, May 30

Baroque Brilliance: Bach’s Motets in Concert
Crescendo Vocal Ensemble directed by Christine Gevert
While not composed as a set, these six motets BWV 225- 230 are considered to be among the pinnacles of the choral repertoire. All were written for St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, where Bach was director of music. Four of the six were written for funeral services of prominent Leipzig citizens, and are scored for double chorus without instrumental accompaniment. Bach took the traditional motet and elevated it into a more ambitious, multi- movement choral concerto, expanding the boundaries of the genre. Beyond their technical brilliance these motets express a unique emotional and theological depth.
4pm - Saint James Place, Great Barrington, MA
May 31, 2026 at 4pm - Trinity Church, Lakeville, CT
https://crescendomusic.org/programs/liveperformances/

Sunday, May 31

Baroque Brilliance: Bach’s Motets in Concert
Crescendo Vocal Ensemble directed by Christine Gevert
While not composed as a set, these six motets BWV 225- 230 are considered to be among the pinnacles of the choral repertoire. All were written for St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, where Bach was director of music. Four of the six were written for funeral services of prominent Leipzig citizens, and are scored for double chorus without instrumental accompaniment. Bach took the traditional motet and elevated it into a more ambitious, multi- movement choral concerto, expanding the boundaries of the genre. Beyond their technical brilliance these motets express a unique emotional and theological depth.
4pm - Trinity Church, Lakeville, CT
https://crescendomusic.org/programs/liveperformances/

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