Harvard University, Houghton Library, MS Typ 133, Antiphonary (Flemish or Northern French, ca. 1480), “Benedicamus domino”.
Performance from Historical Notation
Auditions will be held on September 29 and 30.
Rehearsals: Wednesdays, 5:00-5:45 p.m.
Vespers: Wednesdays, 5:45-6:30 p.m.
@St. Paul’s Church, Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA.
Beginning in the Fall 2026 semester, a small ensemble of singers and instrumentalists at St. Paul’s Church in Harvard Square will perform medieval and Renaissance music from historical notation. Whenever possible, we will work from facsimiles of original sources held in the Houghton Library at Harvard University.
The ensemble will focus on Gregorian chant and polyphonic music from the Low Countries and Northern France.
What the Project Offers
In addition to a weekly Vespers program at St. Paul’s, Harvard Square, in which musicians gain experience performing from historical notation – from neumes through sixteenth-century mensural notation – ὕδραυλις is working toward two concerts in April 2027: one in Cambridge/Boston and one in New York City.
The ensemble’s Supervisory Board includes Thomas Forrest Kelly, Morton B. Knafel Professor of Music, Emeritus, who will join the group as advisor. Kelly will also
lead a visit to Houghton Library to study its medieval manuscripts firsthand, and will give occasional (optional)
specialist workshops for the ensemble’s participants.
The project will cover all necessary expenses, including food and refreshments, travel expenses, accommodation (when necessary), music and scores, workshops and other educational activities.
Apply
We welcome applications from talented singers and instrumentalists. Please visit Audition Applications to sign up and receive further information. You can also subscribe below to our general mailing list for updates about the project and its public performances.
About the Project
Artistic Direction
Willem Peek, Ph.D. student in Historical Musicology and Presidential Scholar at Harvard University.
Supervisory Board
Thomas Forrest Kelly, Morton B. Knafel Professor of Music at Harvard University, Emeritus.
We are very grateful to all our partners
ὕδραυλις runs in collaboration with and is sponsored by the Harvard Catholic Forum and St. Paul’s Church, Harvard Square.
This project is supported by a Cultural Grant from the Netherland-America Foundation.
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ὕδραυλις [(h)ydraulis], a water organ; Cic. Tusc. 3.18.43; Plin. Nat. Hist. 9.8.8, §24.