Claudio Merulo ~ Missa Cara la vita mia
Andrea Gabrieli ~ Eructavit cor meum, Usquequo Domine
Cipriano de Rore ~ Descendi in hortum meum, Gaude Maria virgo
Giaches de Wert ~ Adesto dolori meo, Egressus Jesus
The repertoire for this course is drawn from the generation of composers working in Venice and other important musical centres in northern Italy such as Mantua and Ferrara in the generation between Adriaan Willaert, who brought the Franco-Flemish polyphonic style south of the Alps, and the achievements of Monteverdi. Claudio Merulo played an important part in the development of the Venetian polychoral style, of which his mass Cara la vita mia is an example. Cipriano de Rore, and Giaches de Wert, known for his spectacular ability to improvise counterpoint, both followed Willaert in his journey from Flanders. Cipriano’s music in many ways foreshadows that of Monteverdi. De Wert worked in Mantua, where in the last years of his life he would have met Monteverdi. Andrea Gabrieli, true Venetian, friend of Lassus and uncle of Giovanni, also held the important post of organist at San Marco.
Eamonn Dougan has been a regular Lacock director since 2013. He is himself a singer and his courses always contain a substantial element of vocal technique. 
He is Associate Conductor of The Sixteen and founding Director of Britten Sinfonia Voices. Eamonn is an engaging communicator with a particular passion for the Sixteenth and Twentieth Century repertoire, Bach, the French and Polish Baroque. Recent engagements have seen Eamonn conduct Così fan tutte at the Ryedale Festival, Fauré Requiem with the newly formed Chiltern Arts Festival Chorus, and Mozart La finta giardiniera with The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Experience Ensemble. Eamonn has a highly successful five-disc Polish Baroque series with The Sixteen. The first disc, music by Bartlomiej Pekiel, was shortlisted for a Gramophone Award (‘Richly dramatic’ – The Observer). The fifth disc, music by Marcin Mielczewski, was released to widespread critical acclaim in September 2017. Since 2008 Eamonn has been a Visiting Professor to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, where he teaches ensemble singing and directs the Guildhall Consort.
The Hotel Monteconero began life in the 14th century as a monastery, latterly occupied by the Camaldolites, an offshoot of the Benedictine order. In the first half of the 20th century, abandoned and ruinous, it was taken over by the Melappioni family and over several decades converted into a comfortable hotel and restaurant with a reputation for the traditional dishes of Le Marche. Its Romanesque church in the central courtyard, spectacular setting in a natural park on a mountain overlooking the Adriatic and distant views of the Apennines have made it a favourite Lacock venue for over two decades.
For practicalities, fees and enrolment, click the tab at the top of this page.
THE COURSE
The group will be around 34 singers, with five or six places each for sopranos I & II, altos I & II, tenor and bass. The plan is to meet at Hotel Monteconero for a 6pm rehearsal in the church on Sunday the 7th of June 2026. Then from Monday to Friday there will be rehearsal sessions each morning and at the end of the afternoon. We have dinner together in the hotel. We will give a final concert in the church at the hotel in the evening of Friday the 12th of June. The course ends after breakfast on Saturday the 13th of June.
HOTEL MONTECONERO
We all stay at the Hotel Monteconero, which gives exceptional value for the degree of comfort on offer. The rate for half board per person per day excluding drinks in a double room is €114 (for the whole course €684, about £600). There is a daily supplement of €24 for single occupancy. A room will be booked for you on registration; you pay the charges direct to the hotel. Ancona is the nearest airport; Ryanair fly there from Stansted, and Lufthansa from Munich, with connecting flights from many other airports. The hotel will send a minibus taxi to meet the Ryanair flight on Sunday the 7th of June and we will arrange the sharing of taxis for other arrivals. The nearest railway station is Ancona.
FEES AND ENROLMENT
The fee for the course is paid in two parts: a deposit of £350 or the equivalent in euros on registration and €400 on or before arrival at Monteconero. The deposit may be credited to another course if you have to withdraw and we are able to allocate your place to another singer. The fee includes payment for a booklet containing all the music, which will be sent to you in advance but not travel; meals and accommodation are paid separately direct to the hotel. To apply for a place on this course just fill in the application form below and press ‘send application’.
