The courses are aimed at advanced students and professional musicians who wish to further their knowledge of early music performance using period instruments. This year’s line-up of teachers in Lisbon will be as follows: the American soprano Jill Feldman, who regularly appears with Frans Brüggen, Andrew Parrot, Jordi Savall and René Jacobs, among others; Peter Holtslag, recorder and transverse flute; Richard Gwilt, baroque violin, conductor, composer and music publisher; Rainer  Zipperling, violoncello and viola da gamba, a member of Camerata Köln; the Norwegian Bach specialist and harpsichordist, Ketil Haugsand; and the Portuguese harpsichordist, Ana Mafalda Castro.

In addition to individual masterclasses, the Academia organizes several evening concerts of chamber music as a complement to its summer school. These sessions, culminating in the closing concert performed by students attending the courses, will be given by this year’s teachers and by musicians who have taken part in previous Academy summer schools. In addition to the summer school, which is held at the Convento de Cristo in Tomar, the academy organizes other workshops throughout the year.

These include baroque violin and viola with Richard Gwilt at the beginning of February; Baroque dance with Catarina Costa e Silva, and introduction to the clavichord with Suzana Mendes, both of which will be given in February and May, dates to be confirmed. For further details, see the Academy’s webpage www.academia-musicantiga.pt