The Newberry Consort is delighted to announce the forthcoming release of its first full-length digital concert under Artistic Director Liza Malamut. I Sing a New Song: The Epic Journey of a Traveling Musician in the Middle Ages is a concert of Medieval music produced in collaboration with Cleveland-based ensemble Trobár. Following in-person performances in Cleveland and Chicago (February 29 – March 3), the digital release will be available for online viewing from March 20 – April 18.
I Sing a New Song: The Epic Journey of a Traveling Musician in the Middle Ages is a program of music that would have been performed by musicians who undertook the perilous journeys to Europe’s famous menestrel schools in the Middle Ages. The word menestrel, literally “minstrel,” refers to the secular musicians who were active in Europe between 1250 and 1500. I Sing a New Song tells the story of a menestrel and her companions as they journey from Paris to a menestrel school in Brussels. These schools were international conventions where musicians gathered to buy instruments, network, compete for prizes, and learn new songs to take back to their home cities. France, Germany, and the Low Countries were popular locations for menestrel schools, though participating musicians came from around Europe, sometimes traveling hundreds of miles through challenging territory.
Voices, organetto, shawms and medieval slide trumpet create the cast for rollicking dances and ornamented song melodies. While most of the music at menestrel schools was learned by ear, some of it was later compiled into collections by Liebhard Eghenvelder, Judocus de Windsheim (the Lochamer Liederbuch), and other scribes. French musicians were also particularly well-represented, and the program will include music by composers such as Guillaume de Machaut and Pierre des Molins. The music will be brought to life with vivid art and text curated by musicologist and graphic designer Shawn Keener.
The program was developed by Newberry Consort Artistic Director Liza Malamut, who will play slide trumpet, and Trobár Artistic Director Allison Monroe, who will play vielle and rebec. Featured performers include singers Elena Mullins and Karin Weston, Shawm and early wind players Priscilla Herreid and Debra Nagy, and historical keyboard specialist Gabe Smallwood, who will play organetto.
Tickets and more information can be found at newberryconsort.org/newsong.
