Dear friends, I know this is the busy season with just a few days til Christmas, but the New Year will be here before we know it, and with it, a new series of ICA Lectures + Practitioner’s Tracks devoted to chant and HARMONY!
http://www.chantacademy.com/lecture-series

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Chant AND Polyphony, with Dr. Horst Buchholz
Lecture: Saturday, January 11, 2025 at 10 am CST* (90 minutes, includes Q & A)

In the context of musical performance, we frequently face decisions regarding the choice between singing a mass ordinary in chant or polyphony. This lecture will explore the possibilities of integrating both genres. Numerous historical precedents exist, along with a multitude of options that can be formulated for practical applications. This includes but is not limited to Requiem settings, Credo inserts, expanded chant Kyries, and alternating Glorias.

USA: 11a EST | 10a CST (UTC - 6) | 9a MST | 8a PST
Europe: 4p CET (UTC + 0)

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FAUXBOURDON FEBRUARY, with Tim Braithwaite and Nicholas Lemme

Fauxbourdon (ˈfōbə(r)ˌdän), falsobordone, falsi-bordoni, faburden, and other related musical “F” words refer to particular forms of harmonized chant. Miserere by Allegri (listen) is perhaps the most well known example of this genre. These choral techniques, which work best with Latin texts, were popular especially in the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance. When paired with plainchant tones, fauxbourdon tones bestow an invigorating air of solemnity upon the Liturgy.​ Composers: Check out the Practitioner’s Session with Nicholas Lemme, designed for composers.

Benefits of learning fauxbourdon psalm tones include:
+ More mileage out of rehearsal time, as the tones can be re-used throughout the liturgical year, in multiple parts of the liturgy
+ Cadences provide opportunity to the build skill sets necessary to sing full polyphony
+ May be used at Mass and at choral Vespers
+ Builds interest for choirs and congregations who are less enthusiastic about plainchant, and frequently paired alternatim with plainchant psalm tones
+ Can be sung with 3-4 voices or 60 voices

Saturday, February 15
1) Main Lecture by Tim Braithwaite at 10 am CST*( 90 minutes, includes Q & A)
History and terminology, basic technique (“sighting”), simple parallel models, examples from the period, practical examples and practice!
USA: 11a EST | 10a CST (UTC - 6) | 9a MST | 8a PST
Europe*: 4p CET (UTC + 0)​

2) Supplemental Lecture by Nicholas Lemme at 12 noon CST* (one hour)
Introduction to the modes, antiphons, anatomy of a psalm tone, and free rhythm.
USA: 1 pm EST | 12 noon CST (UTC - 6) | 11 am MST | 10 am PST
Europe: 6 pm CET (UTC + 0)

Practitioner’s Session with Nicholas Lemme
Tuning, phrasing and timing, keeping singers together, programming, and an overview of Nick's own fauxbourdon compositions. Familiarity with chant notation recommended, but not required. Choose one:
Tuesday, February 18* (90 minutes; ends with additional 30 minute composer’s session) USA: 8p EST | 7p CST (UTC - 6) | 6p MST | 5p PST
~OR~ Wednesday, February 26* (90 minutes): USA: 1p EST | 12 noon CST (UTC - 6) | 11a MST | 10a PST | Europe: 6p CET (UTC + 0)

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ANGLICAN CHANT - Roots, Historical Performance, and Liturgical Applications, with Dr. Horst Buchholz

The musical form of chant has extraordinary ability to breathe life into a sung text. Since each language has its own distinctive characteristics, a challenge naturally arises: How does one fit the text of one language to a chant tone or melody that was developed for use in another language? More to our purpose: How does one align texts in English (a language with far more single syllable words than Latin, lacking consistency in word accents, and exhibiting sizable range in sentence length) to chant tones and melodies which were composed for use with Latin texts?

We will trace the historical treatment of this problem, from the development of fauxbourdon (a harmonized form of chant) into today’s Anglican chant. An analysis of the workings of Anglican chant will ensue. We will also touch briefly on other tones which are better adapted to the English language than their Latin counterparts. Lecture will conclude with a Q and A session and an abundance of digital materials for further study.

Lecture: Saturday, March 15, 2025 at 10 am CST* (90 minutes, includes Q & A)
USA: 11a EDT | 10a CDT (UTC - 5) | 9a MDT | 8a PDT
Europe: 3p CET (UTC + 0)​​​​

​Practitioner’s Session
Fitting an English text to an Anglican chant setting ("pointing"), and special considerations for accompaniment and conducting of the chants. Choose one:
Monday, March 17 (90 minutes) USA: 8p EDT | 7p CDT (UTC - 5) | 6p MDT | 5p PDT (UTC - 5)
~OR~ Wednesday, March 19 (90 minutes): 2p EDT | 1p CDT (UTC - 5) | 12 noon MDT | 11a PDT | Europe: 5p CET (UTC + 0)

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Bundle more than one lecture for a reduction in tuition.
You may visit the International Chant Academy site for more info: http://www.chantacademy.com/lecture-series, or email me at info@chantacademy.com.