VdGS - Meetings

Next meeting

Meetings are meant for people who are interested in the viol to get together to learn more and meet each other. They are a great place for newcomers to start as well as a forum for the latest research and ideas to be debated. There are always a number of different speakers and live music. There are usually three meetings each year (normally in March, June and November), at least one of which is in central London.

Our meetings are free to members, but a small charge or donation is requested from non-members. Please take note of our safeguarding policy. Zoom link for an online meeting is on the Members page.

Future meetings still being finalised:
November/early December: Robert Smith on the lyra viol music of William Corkine, its context and technique [online].
January 2027: Caroline Ritchie on learning divisions in the 17th century: a comparison between Christopher Simpson's methods and manuscript examples of contemporary sets of divisions [online].
Please keep an eye on the Meetings page for more detailed information

Online Meetings

5pm Wednesday 26th August 2026 (note early start, to allow for the time difference)

We are delighted to have been able to arrange (at rather short notice) an extra VdGS Zoom meeting where we will have the chance to learn more about our appeal to provide viols for young musicians studying in Lviv, and to hear from the students themselves. They have now received the instruments that VdGS members kindly donated.

The programme for the meeting is still being sorted out: there will a short presentation by UK-based John McMunn (Chief Executive of Academy of Ancient Music) - and maybe others, some of whom were in the group that visited Lviv in November 2025, or who were in the team who delivered the viols in June 2026. We will also hear live from the Lviv young musicians, who are very pleased to have the opportunity to thank VdGS members directly for their generosity. We hope that the brand new Lviv viol consort will be able to play some pieces for us on the donated viols!

If you want to be reminded of the details of the Lviv project, please look at Emily Ashton’s articles in Winter 25/26 and Summer 2026 issues of The Viol. The VdGS has now closed its special appeal, but if anyone would like to continue to support the ‘Viols for Lviv’ scheme in the future, please make direct contact with Emily: emilyashton1000@gmail.com

Zoom link to join

Wednesday 9 September at 7.00 pm
Thomas Baeté and Gesina Liedmeier: Early viols in Northern Italy

This presentation explores the big revolution in Northern Italy just after 1500 that saw the transition from medieval fiddles to the viol, the coming together of different construction techniques, a change in musical aesthetics and the arrival of printed music and the first florescence of the viol in that context.

In person Meetings

Saturday 17 October
Blackheath Quaker Meeting House, Lawn Terrace, Blackheath, London SE3 9LL
John Dowland's Music for Viols - after 400 years

Elizabeth Dodd: 'Dowland non Dolens'
An exploration of Dowland's writing for dances, especially looking at the three dance songs in The Firste Booke of Songes or Ayres (1597) and the instrumental versions of them in his Lachrimae collection of 1604.

Michael Fields: 'A Pilgrimes Solace'
An investigation into philosophical considerations on the significance, and rare opportunity to hear a performance, of all three songs from A Pilgrimes Solace (1612) that include obbligato parts for treble and bass viols.

Tess Roberts: 'Young Performer's Platform'
Having recently completed her final recital as a postgraduate student at the Royal Academy of Music, Tess will briefly discuss her research into the benefits of social consort playing for music students, and give a short recital.

Speakers will include Elizabeth Dodd on Dowland's music in dance forms and Michael Fields on the songs from A Pilgrimes Solace with obbligato viol parts. There will also be a Young Performers' Platform recital by Tess Roberts, a recent graduate of the Royal Academy of Music.
Further details will follow.

Videos of previous online sessions & meetings