Our last workshop of 2025 was a most memorable one, where Gawain Glenton took us through five colossal motets in 3 and 4 choirs by Stadlmayr, Massaino and Zucchini as follows:
Nos vos me eligistis a15 (Tiburtio Massaino c1550 – c1608)
Kyrie from Missa sine nomine a16 (Gregorio Zucchini c1540 – c1615)
Dies sanctificatus a14 (Johann Stadlmayr c1580 – 1648)
Dum complerentur a12 (Johann Stadlmayr)
Deus qui glorificantes a12 (Johann Stadlmayr)
Over 40 people came along, with a good mix of singers and instrumentalists, including a modern trombone and bassoon which added a real richness to the instrumental choirs. We were joined by a few MEMF members, including one who brought his rackett and alto curtal, much to the fascination of us all.
Our student representative, Bryan Au Yeung, made several video clips throughout the day which captured the remarkably high standard of our performance (and visit our YouTube channel to see a short POV clip too). Thanks to everyone who came along and made the day such a big success – a full review will follow shortly, and in the meantime, this is what Sue Pamp wrote about the day:
“I am a new NWEMF member and today I attended the workshop with Gawain Glenton in Sale.
We played five pieces with multiple choirs. The combination of the voices and instruments was wonderful. The acoustic was perfect for this event. The repertoire was all new to me and this workshop opened a whole new era of music to me as a trombonist. I found it very moving and it did bring a tear or two to my eye.
Gawain is a wonderful musical director and knows how to explain and demonstrate concepts to get the phrasing and articulation that he wants. The whole day was engaging from start to finish, and it was nice to see how the modern trombone can be included early music repertoire.
The workshop was very well organised, and ran smoothly. I enjoyed seeing how the ensembles were organised learning about new (to me) instruments. I am looking forward to the next workshop!“
The Tutor
Gawain is a regular tutor for NWEMF and other Early Music Fora around the country. After his music degree at Manchester University, Gawain studied cornett with Bruce Dickey in Basel’s Schola Cantorum. He is now Manchester-based but his work as a soloist and busy choir conductor takes him all over the world, performing and recording with many leading international groups and directors, including the Taverner Consort, I Fagiolini and Barokksolistene. He is the founder/director of In Echo and a member and co-director of The English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble.
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