Past Courses
2019 - Musica Instrumentalis: Musical Instruments, the Voice, and Instrumental Music (11th-14th centuries)
8th International Course on Medieval Music Performance
July 6-20, 2019
COURSES & WORKSHOPS:
1) Voices & Instruments: De instrumentis medii aevi – Performing with Strings, Winds, and Percussion
- Theory Class: Reconstruction of Instrumental Repertoires from Vocal Pieces (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Reconstructing the Medieval Ear: Pythagorean Tuning Class for All Students (Cristina Alís Raurich)
- Medieval Ensemble (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Chamber Music Sessions – Performance of Selected Repertoire in Small Ensembles (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Instruments:
- Vielle (Alejandro Hernández)
- Citole / Guittern / Romanesque and Gothic Lutes (Martí Beltran)
- Psaltery / Rotta (Martí Beltran)
- Harp (Claire Piganiol)
- Portative Organ (Cristina Alís Raurich)
- Bagpipes / Pipe and Tabor / Albogues (Horn Pipes) / Frestel (Raúl Lacilla)
- Frame drums and percussion (Maurico Molina, Octavio Beltrán)
2) Medieval Singing Workshop with Benjamin Bagby: The Troubadours in Northern Italy
3) Medieval Singing Workshop with Katarina Livljanić: The Art of the Medieval Cantor: Chant and Early Polyphony (9-11th c.)
4) Manuscript to Performance: Instruments, Song Accompaniment, and Extant Instrumental Music
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- Historical, Political, Spiritual, and artistic Context of Medieval Pilgrimage (Dr. Meritxell Marti)
- Materializing the Medieval Pilgrimage Song (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- The Codex Callixtinus (Juan Carlos Asensio)
- The Libre Vermell of Montserrat (Cristina Alís Raurich)
- Special Lectures:
- Estampies Royales: The French Instrumental Compositions from the Manuscrit du Roi (Paris B.N. 844) (Dr. Mauricio Molina / Raúl Lacilla)
- Istampitte and Saltarelli: Italian Instrumental Pieces from the Ms London, B. L. Add 29987 (Cristina Alís Raurich)
5) Musical Instrument Workshop I: Guittern and Romanesque Vielle (Asier de Benito)
6) Musical Instrument Workshop II: Psaltery, Romanesque Lute, Romanesque Vielle (Gonzalo Pieters)
FACULTY:
- Dr. Mauricio Molina
- Cristina Alís Raurich
- Benjamin Bagby
- Katarina Livljanić
- Alejandro Hernández
- Martí Beltran
- Claire Piganiol
- Raúl Lacilla
- Gonzalo Pieters
- Asier de Benito
- Octavio Beltrán
MEDIA
Posters:
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Medieval Music Besalú Course 2019 [pdf]
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Medieval Music Besalú Student Concert poster 2019 [pdf]
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2018 - Outremer: Clerics, Troubadours, Trouvères and the Crusades
B7th International Course on Medieval Music Performance
July 7-22, 2018
COURSES & WORKSHOPS:
1) Voices & Instrument: Chevaliers non estes guaritz: Performing Latin and Vernacular Crusaders Song Repertoire with Voices and Instruments
- Theory and Practice of Medieval Music (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Pythagorean Tuning for Singers (Cristina Alís Raurich)
- Medieval Ensemble (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Chamber Music Sessions (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Instruments:
- Voice (José Pizarro, Lorena García)
- Vielle (Alejandro Hernández)
- Citole / Romanesque Lute / Psaltery (Martí Beltran)
- Harp (Claire Piganiol)
- Portative Organ (Cristina Alís Raurich)
- Musa (Medieval Bagpipe) / Panflute (Raúl Lacilla)
- Frame Drums and Percussion (Maurico Molina, Octavio Beltrán)
2) Medieval Singing Workshop: Songs for and about medieval Crusaders (Benjamin Bagby)
3) Musicorum Concio: Crusade Conductus and Rondellus from the Ms. Pluteo 29 (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
4) Manuscript to Performance: Playing Medieval Musical Instruments –Techniques for Voice Accompaniment, and Performing Medieval Instrumental Music (11th-14th centuries)
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- The Study of Medieval Musical Instruments: Gathering Data about the Construction, Performance, and Symbolism of Instruments from Medieval Visual and Literary Sources (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Accompanying the Medieval Song with Musical Instruments (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Ornamenting Medieval Vocal and Instrumental Pieces (Dr. Mauricio Molina / Cristina Alís Raurich)
- Musical Instruments, Voices, and Medieval Tuning (900-1400) (Cristina Alís Raurich)
- What to Read: Musical Instruments in Medieval Texts (Raúl Lacilla)
- Accompanying Troubadour and Trouvère Songs with Musical Instruments (Raúl Lacilla)
- Special Lectures:
- Six strings, five fingers, one voice: Harp, mode, meter and text in the performance of early medieval epic (Benjamin Bagby)
- Inflated Cheeks, Pipes, and Finger Holes: Medieval Wind Instruments and their Performance 1000-1300 (Raúl Lacilla)
- Sliders, Keys, Bellows, and Pipes: The Pipe Organ in the Middle Ages (Cristina Alís Raurich)
- Plucking, Scratching, and Bowing: Medieval String Instruments and their Performance (Martí Beltrán)
- Striking Skin and Metal: Medieval Percussion Instruments and Their Performance (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
5) Music Pilgrimage Hike to the Churches of Palera (Martí Beltrán)
FACULTY:
- Dr. Mauricio Molina
- Cristina Alís Raurich
- Juan Carlos Asencio
- Benjamin Bagby
- José Pizarro
- Lorena García
- Alejandro Hernández
- Martí Beltran
- Claire Piganiol
- Dr. Meritxell Marti
- Raúl Lacilla
- Octavio Beltrán
MEDIA
Posters:
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Medieval Music Besalú Course 2018 [pdf]
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Medieval Music Besalú Student Concert poster 2018 [pdf]
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2017 - Pilgrimage
6th International Course on Medieval Music Performance
July 8-22, 2017
COURSES & WORKSHOPS:
1) Voices & Instrument: O Roma Nobilis – Music on the Pilgrimage Routes
- Theory and Practice of Medieval Music: Improvisation of Preludes and Postludes for Medieval Songs and Dances (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Officium in mane (José Pizarro)
- Pythagorean Tuning for Singers (Cristina Alís Raurich)
- Medieval Ensemble: Pilgrimage music from Rome, Santa María de Salas (Aragón), Limoges, Conques, and Canterbury. (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Chamber Music Sessions (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Instruments:
- Voice (José Pizarro, Lorena García)
- Vielle (Alejandro Hernández)
- Citole (Martí Beltran)
- Harp (Claire Piganiol)
- Portative Organ (Cristina Alís Raurich)
- Musa (Medieval Bagpipe) / Panflute (Raúl Lacilla)
- Percussion (Maurico Molina, Octavio Beltrán)
2) Liturgical Chant: Music from the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem (Chant of the Knights Templar) (Marcel Pérès)
3) Developing the Medieval Ear: Pythagorean Tuning Workshops I, II & III (Cristina Alís Raurich)
4) Manuscript to Performance: Reconstructing the Context and Performance of Medieval Pilgrimage Music
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- Historical, Political, Spiritual, and Artistic Context of Medieval Pilgrimage (Dr. Meritxell Marti)
- Materializing the Medieval Pilgrimage Song (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- The Codex Callixtinus (Juan Carlos Asensio)
- The Libre Vermell of Montserrat (Cristina Alís Raurich)
- Special Lectures:
- Music from Saint-Guilhem-le-Dèsert, a Stopping Place on the Route to Saint James of Compostela (Dr. Gisèle Clement)
- St. Martial, the Apostle the Never Was (Cristina Alís Raurich)
5) Making a Romanesque Panpipe (Frestel) (Gonzalo Pieters, Raúl Lacilla)
6) Music Pilgrimage Hike to the Churches of Palera (Martí Beltrán)
FACULTY:
- Dr. Mauricio Molina
- Cristina Alís Raurich
- Marcel Pérès
- José Pizarro
- Lorena García
- Alejandro Hernández
- Martí Beltran
- Claire Piganiol
- Juan Carlos Asencio
- Gisèle Cement
- Dr. Meritxell Marti
- Dr. Raúl Lacilla
- Gonzalo Pieters
- Octavio Beltrán
MEDIA
Posters:
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Medieval Music Besalú Course 2017 [pdf]
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Medieval Music Besalú Student Concert poster 2017 [pdf]
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2016 - Carmina Burana
5th International Course on Medieval Music Performance
July 8-23, 2016
PROGRAMS & WORKSHOPS:
1) Voices & Instrument: Carmina Burana
- Theory and Practice of Medieval Music: Accompaniment Techniques for the Medieval Song (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Officium in mane (José Pizarro)
- Pythagorean Tuning for Singers (Cristina Alís Raurich)
- Medieval Ensemble: Carmina Burana repertoire (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Chamber Music Sessions (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Instruments:
- Voice (José Pizarro, Lorena García)
- Vielle (Alejandro Hernández)
- Citole (Martí Beltran)
- Harp (Claire Piganiol)
- Portative Organ (Cristina Alís Raurich)
- Percussion (Dr. Maurico Molina, Octavio Beltrán)
2) Liturgical Chant: Liturgical Drama from Carmina Burana (Juan Carlos Asencio)
3) Ars Antiqua Workshop: The Conductus (Dr. Mark Everist, John Potter, Christopher O’Gorman, and Rogers Covey-Crump)
4) Developing the Medieval Ear: Pythagorean Tuning Workshops I & II (Cristina Alís Raurich)
5) Medieval Languages for Performers: Introduction to Medieval Latin (Dr. Valerie Wilhite)
6) Manuscript to Performance
- Gathering the Medieval Song – Poetic Text, Melody and Song Construction (Dr. Valerie Wilhite)
- Materializing the Song I – Performance Theories (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- The Song in the Medieval Pythagorean-Boethian Universe (Cristina Alís Raurich)
- The Song and the Voice (José Pizarro)
- Materializing the Song II – Constructing Performance with Voices and Instruments (Dr. Valerie Wilhite, Dr. Mauricio Molina, Cristina Alís Raurich, José Pizarro)
FACULTY:
- Dr. Mauricio Molina
- Cristina Alís Raurich
- José Pizarro
- Lorena García
- Alejandro Hernández
- Martí Beltran
- Claire Piganiol
- Juan Carlos Asencio
- Dr. Valerie Wilhite
- Dr. Mark Everist
- John Potter
- Christopher O’Gorman
- Rogers Covey-Crump
- Octavio Beltrán
MEDIA
Posters:
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Concert: Tempus est Jocundum – Songs from the Carmina Burana 2016 [pdf] |
Concert: Conductus – The Forgotten Song of the Middle Ages 2016 [pdf]
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2015 - Music in the Medieval Iberian Peninsula
4th International Course on Medieval Music Performance
July 4-12, 2015
1) Voices & Instrument: Music in the Medieval Iberian Peninsula
- Theory and Practice of Medieval Music: Ornamentation for Music Composed Before 1300 (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Officium in mane (José Pizarro)
- Pythagorean Tuning for Singers (Cristina Alís Raurich)
- Medieval Ensemble (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Religious Repertoires – Cantigas de Santa Maria, Huelgas Codex, Llibre Vermell de Montserrat
- Secular Repertoires – Cantigas d’Amigo, Catalan Troubadours, Manuscript Sant Joan de les Abadesses
- Chamber Music Sessions (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Instruments:
- Voice (José Pizarro)
- Vielle (Alejandro Hernández)
- Citole (Martí Beltran)
- Harp (Claire Piganiol)
- Portative Organ (Cristina Alís Raurich)
- Percussion (Dr. Maurico Molina)
2) Liturgical Chant: Mozarabic Chant (Juan Carlos Asencio)
3) Ars Nova Workshop: Music in the Papal Court of Avignon – 1309-1342 (Cristina Alís Raurich)
4) Developing the Medieval Ear: Pythagorean Tuning Workshop (Cristina Alís Raurich)
FACULTY:
- Dr. Mauricio Molina
- Cristina Alís Raurich
- Juan Carlos Asencio
- José Pizarro
- Alejandro Hernández
- Martí Beltran
- Claire Piganiol
- Octavio Beltrán
MEDIA
Posters:
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Concert Ara lausetz, lauset, lauset: Music in the Medieval Iberian Peninsula 2015 [pdf]
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2014 - Monophonic and Polyphonic Music from the 12th-13th centuries
3rd International Course on Medieval Music Performance
July 4-12, 2014
PROGRAMS & WORKSHOPS:
1) Voices & Instrument: Monophonic and Polyphonic Music from the 12th and 13th Centuries
- Theory and Practice of Medieval Music: The Rhythm of the Medieval Song – Following the Treatises and Musicological Theories (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Officium in mane (José Pizarro)
- Pythagorean Tuning for Singers (Cristina Alís Raurich)
- Medieval Ensemble (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Religious and Secular Music from the 12th & 13th Centuries
- Chamber Music Sessions (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Instruments:
- Voice (José Pizarro)
- Vielle (Alejandro Hernández)
- Citole/Lute (Pepe Morales Luna)
- Harp (Claire Piganiol)
- Recorders (Claire Piganiol)
- Portative Organ (Cristina Alís Raurich)
- Percussion (Dr. Maurico Molina)
2) Gregorian Chant: Plainchant Sources, Context and Performance (Juan Carlos Asencio)
3) Ars Nova Workshop: Roman de Fauvel – French Polyphony from the Early 14th Century (Cristina Alís Raurich)
FACULTY:
- Dr. Mauricio Molina
- Cristina Alís Raurich
- Juan Carlos Asencio
- José Pizarro
- Alejandro Hernández
- Martí Beltran
- Claire Piganiol
- Octavio Beltrán
MEDIA
Posters:
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Medieval Musical Instruments Luthier Exhibition [pdf]
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2013 - The Troubadours
2nd International Course on Medieval Music Performance
July 9-15, 2013
PROGRAMS & WORKSHOPS:
1) Voices & Instrument: The Troubadours
- Theory and Practice of Medieval Music: Melodic and Rhythmic Elements in the Performance of Troubadour Songs (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Officium in mane (José Pizarro)
- Pythagorean Tuning for Singers (Cristina Alís Raurich)
- Medieval Ensemble: Music of the Troubadours (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Instruments:
- Voice (José Pizarro)
- Vielle (Alejandro Hernández)
- Citole/Guitern (Pepe Morales Luna)
- Portative Organ (Cristina Alís Raurich)
- Bagpipes/Hornpipe (Francesc Sans i Bonet)
- Percussion (Dr. Maurico Molina)
2) Gregorian Chant: Liturgical Music for a Feast Day (Juan Carlos Asencio)
3) Ars Nova Workshop: Music by Petrus de Cruce, Johannes de Muris, and Phillippe de Vitry (Cristina Alís Raurich)
4) Weekend Choral Program (José Pizarro)
FACULTY:
- Dr. Mauricio Molina
- Cristina Alís Raurich
- Juan Carlos Asencio
- José Pizarro
- Alejandro Hernández
- Pepe Morales Luna
- Francesc Sans i Bonet
MEDIA
Posters:
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Medieval Musical Instruments Luthier Exhibition 2013 [pdf]
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Concert: Breves dies: Medieval Religious and Secular Music from France and Spain [pdf]
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2012 - Songs and Dances from the 12th & 13th centuries
1st International Course on Medieval Music Performance
July 9-15, 2012
PROGRAMS & WORKSHOPS:
1) Voices & Instrument: Songs and Dances from the 12th & 13th Centuries
- Theory and Practice of Medieval Music: Different Performance Indications from Medieval Sources / Pythagorean Tuning Theory (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Officium in mane (José Pizarro)
- Medieval Ensemble: Songs and Dances from the 12th and 13th Centuries (Dr. Mauricio Molina)
- Instruments:
- Voice (José Pizarro)
- Vielle (Meritxell Genis)
- Portative Organ (Cristina Alís Raurich)
- Recorder (Tiam Goudarsi)
- Percussion (Dr. Maurico Molina)
2) Weekend Choral Program (José Pizarro)
FACULTY:
- Dr. Mauricio Molina
- Cristina Alís Raurich
- José Pizarro
- Meritxell Genis
- Tiam Goudarsi
MEDIA
Posters:
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Early Music Besalú Choral Concert 2012 [pdf]
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The International Course on Medieval Music Performance first launched in 2012, under the name of Early Music Besalú. We officially changed to Medieval Music Besalú in our fifth year to better reflect the focus of the organization. Since then the program has grown, increasing courses and workshops, specialized faculty, and offering more concerts to the town of Besalú and the Medieval music community. In 2019, MMB became part of the official summer program at the University of Lleida. In 2020, due to the pandemic, courses were delivered online. Given the interest in and success of this format, MMB has opened virtual courses throughout the year. In 2021, the program started to offer credit courses and a university specialization certificate in partnership with the University of Lleida, with plans to expand academic opportunities in the near future.
The Medieval Music Besalú offers singers and instrumentalists the opportunity to study monophonic and polyphonic music composed between the 11th and 13th centuries.
Can I take courses for university credit without enrolling in the full specialist certificate program?
Yes, courses can be taken for credit individually without having to enroll in the full certificate program. You can transfer the credits later on should you decide to enter the full specialist certificate program.
How many credits do I have to take in the university specialist certificate program?
For the University Specialist Certificate on the Research and Performance of Medieval Music you will have to take a mixture of required (8 credits) and elective (7.5 credits) courses. Tuition is 3,900€ for the 15.5 credits.
What is the duration of the specialist program?
The certificate has to be completed within our “school year”, a nine-month period that spans between September of every year to June of the following year (example September 2022 – June 2023). For people enrolled in the program, the courses are open throughout this entire period.
Can I take courses for individual credit and then transfer them to the specialist certificate later on?
If you are not sure about enrolling in the program or you require more time, you have the option to take the courses over more than one year. However, you will have to pay the individual course credit fee (non-program). Then when you are ready to go for the specialist certificate, you will have to register in the University Specialist Certificate program. At this point you will pay the prorated program fee for the remainder of the credits you have not taken yet. (For example, if you have taken 10 credits singly, and then decide to go for the certificate, you would pay for 5.5 more credits at the discounted program rate.) Basically, any courses taken for credit through us will be transferable to the 15.5-credit specialist certificate once you enroll in the program.
Is it better to start by just taking some separate credits before joining the Specialist program?
Our recommendation is that students first take individual courses to get a taste of our program and to see the level of demand. This will also help you to figure out what is the best self-pacing for the type of work required. After you have taken some courses, then register to the Specialist program to validate your credits and earn the full degree.
After taking credits and joining the Specialist program, is there any extra work required to earn the degree?
Yes, if you are validating more than 6 credits, the university requires that you also produce some extra work. This work will be discussed between the student and the director of the program and it can be composed of research work or the creation of an essay, a full concert program proposal, or concert program notes on a specific subject.
If I have taken courses for non-credit at MMB in the past, can they be applied to the specialist certificate now?
Courses that we have offered in the past (pre-Spring 2021 only) without credit cannot be validated as credit through the University as per their rules. However, if you have already taken some required classes for non-credit, you can substitute it with another elective class as a one-time exception.
How do I pay for the University Specialist Certification Program or credit courses?
Payment for credit courses or the Specialist Certificate will be conducted directly through the University.
Are there discounts for credit courses if I take more than one?
The tuition package for the specialist certificate already is reduced by 15% compared to if you take the 15 credits individually.
No discounts are available if you take the courses for credit individually (without being enrolled in the program.)
Can I take any course at any time?
No, only a handful of courses are available each semester. Please see the Course Schedule to see which courses are available.
Are the courses easy or difficult?
All courses are university-level courses and require a good amount of work from the student. In case of difficulty, the instructors are available to help participants resolve doubts and complete assignments.
How many single courses should I take in a term?
Due to the amount of work required, we recommend that students take only one course during their first term, and then one-three courses maximum during the following terms (four months terms).
How much knowledge of medieval music is necessary to take a MMB course?
Previous knowledge of medieval music is not necessary. What is required is to possess knowledge of modern music notation and basic music theory.
Do I need to audition to take any of the voice or musical instrument courses?
An audition recording is required to enter the medieval singing courses.
Musical instrument courses do not require audition. However, depending on the case, for these courses an audition recording might be requested in order to place you in the correct level course.
How much work needs to be done in order to successfully complete a course and receive its credit(s)?
In order to successfully complete a course and receive the credit(s), participants must submit all exercises and get them approved by the instructor.
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