"Musical execution may be compared with the delivery of an orator. The orator and the musician have, at bottom, the same aim in regard to both the preparation and the final execution of their productions, namely to make themselves masters of the hearts of their listeners, to arouse or still their passions, and to transport them now to this sentiment, now to that. Thus it is advantageous to both, if each has some knowledge of the duties of the other." - Johann Joachim Quantz, "On Playing the Flute", 1752 Tha ancient Greek art of rhetoric was once a cornerstone of education in the Western world. Virtually every musician of the 17th and 18th century was familiar with its principles, and frequently made use of them in the composition and interpretation of music. We will follow in their footsteps, learning to perform baroque music persuasively with the techniques of rhetoric.

Singers of early music are presented with a unique challenge: how do you connect with the audience via a composition that was written several centuries ago? We will take a fresh look at some famous motets and madrigals from the perspective of text painting, using the composers' intent to motivate our dynamics, tempo, and phrasing. The goal of this course is for you to learn how to take an unfamiliar piece of music and make it awesome. We will spend most of the class singing. Please show up well-rested, hydrated, and ready to learn!