National Centre for Early Music
Encyclopedia
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, England. It is based in the converted and extended medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
church of St Margaret, Walmgate.
The Centre was opened in April 2000. It was created, with the aid of a grant from the National Lottery
National Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
and partnership money from organisations such as English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
, by the York Early Music Foundation. It houses the offices of the Foundation and those of the annual York Early Music Festival
York Early Music Festival
The York Early Music Festival is an English arts festival devoted mainly to classical music from the 18th century and earlier. It was established in 1977, and takes place in York each July at various venues such as York Minster, the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall at the University of York and the...
, and, during the Festival, it hosts concerts and talks.
During the rest of the year, the Foundation promotes an educational programme based at the National Centre: events include seminars, workshops and master class
Master class
A master class is a class given to students of a particular discipline by an expert of that discipline—usually music, but also painting, drama, or any of the arts....
es.
The buildings of the Centre include a performance space (in the former church) and facilities for conferences and other events and recordings. Historic keyboard instrument
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
s are available for hire.