At long last, after watching the progress of The Canadian Renaissance Music Summer Schools with interest for more than six years, it gives me great pleasure to finally be joining you in person!

It seems as though each year CRMSS expands. 2024 is the first year in which Greg’s vision of multiple courses in different parts of Canada, running as “equal partners”, fully comes to fruition. I’m excited to hear how the week-long formula, so well worked out in Ontario, flourishes on the west coast.

My involvement will be with CRMSS Ontario 2024, as Guest Artist. The repertoire we have planned could not be more spectacular; Thomas Tallis’ Spem in alium is as iconic and impressive a piece of Renaissance polyphonic music as there is. Greg and I have been discussing what other music could hold a candle to Spem in alium, and we have a few ideas, the first of which being Ecce beatam lucem by Alessandro Striggio, “the other 40-part piece”. Let the age-old debates over which piece is better be rekindled!

I’m glad that Greg has asked Victoria Meteyard, a regular member of The Tallis Scholars, and Tom Castle, who also appears with us often, to join me as part of a stellar tutor team at CRMSS Ontario 2024. Further, it will be a treat for me to work alongside a group of students from the University of York in the UK who will come to CRMSS Ontario 2024 as CRMSS International Scholars. The bass in that group, Edmund, is my son!

The plans for CRMSS Pacific 2024 are no less ambitious. Helen Charlston, one of the UK’s most promising Early Music soloists enjoying the beginning of a glittering career, will be on hand to work with solo singers, and there will be workshops for string players, keyboardists, and lutenists alongside the regular (and wonderful!) ensemble singing offering. Further, members of The Gesualdo Six will round out the tutor team at CRMSS Pacific 2024. I’ll be sending my best wishes in August next year, and I hope to join you in person at CRMSS Pacific in the near future.

From a broader perspective, now that The Canadian Renaissance Music Summer Schools is a federally registered charity in Canada, the hard work of the last few years is paying off. With further expansion plans in the works in the years ahead, CRMSS is here to stay. I couldn’t be happier or more proud of all you’ve accomplished.

See you at CRMSS Ontario 2024!
Peter

Peter Phillips
Director, The Tallis Scholars