Atelier

Short (5 days)

C05

European oral tradition in song

How should we sing Europe’s traditional music today? Keeping tradition alive means reinventing it! Come explore folk music from across Europe and learn to adapt your vocal style. Discover polyphonic pieces from Sardinia, Albania and Georgia, mainly taught by ear.

European oral tradition in song

Performing folk music from oral traditions in today’s world raises important questions: Where is the line between cultural appreciation and appropriation? How can we adapt our modern vocal styles while staying true to the unique modes, melismas and tunings of these songs?
Led by Emmanuel Pesnot, an expert who has collaborated with various traditional music artists and groups, this atelier is an immersive dive into Europe’s musical heritage. You’ll explore the harmonic bliss of Sardinian cantu a cuncordu, the rich melismas of Albanian Lab polyphony and the distinctive beauty of non-tempered Georgian harmonies.
You’ll learn the songs mainly by ear, fine-tuning your vocal expression to resonate with this fascinating repertoire. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced singer, this is a one-of-a-kind chance to expand your vocal skills and uncover the hidden gems of European folk music.

Biography

Emmanuel Pesnot

Emmanuel Pesnot, the son of a music-loving pastor and a piano teacher, rediscovered polyphony, especially Renaissance and Baroque music, after a career in radio. A graduate of the Tours Conservatory with training in choral conducting, he has sung with and directed ensembles performing everything from Bach’s motets to the multi-voice pieces of Debussy and Ravel. Emmanuel has a real passion for folk music passed down through oral tradition and has studied it with numerous masters. To bring this music to the stage, he started the Mundovox ensemble and the Brigade d’Intervention Vokale in Nantes. He is particularly drawn to Italian folk songs, Occitan music and the intricate harmonies of Sardinian, Georgian and Albanian polyphony. Today, Emmanuel spends his time mentoring polyphonic ensembles to share this rich musical heritage. He also gives talks on subjects close to his heart, like traditional music, the history of polyphony, the relationship between sound and meaning, and how language and culture intertwine.

Start and End Dates :

31/07/25

-

04/08/25

Level :

easy

Voicing :

Mixed voices

Language :

French

Country of the conductor :

France

Preparation :

Without preparation

Short (5 days)

Atelier concert during festival