We’re delighted to announce that Neil McEwan has agreed to speak at our next EMA-style meeting. Neil has studied and worked all over the world and has a rich history in church music and choral conducting. Awarded a PhD in Gregorian chant semiological research, Neil transcribed a number of chants from the historic Rimini Antiphonale of 1328 housed in the State Library of New South Wales and prepared and performed these chants in a series of concerts, and for a documentary program on the Foxtel History Channel. Neil has recently retired from The Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney, where, along with lecturing in paleography and conducting, he directed the Conservatorium choirs for nearly thirty years.

Neil will talk to us about plainsong and its significance to the development of Western music. The talk will be followed by afternoon tea, performances (please prepare some!) and group playing at 415Hz with our conductor, Hans Sangtoki. We have a brand new arrangement of Johann Kaspar Ferdinand Fischer’s Suite No. 8 to play! We’ll begin this rather massive work, by playing the Overture, Passepied and Echo at this meeting. Please contact Robert Small for the link to the music.