The National Centre for Early Music (NCEM) is organisation encourages, promotes and disseminates

early music Early music generally comprises Medieval music (500–1400) and Renaissance music (1400–1600), but can also include Baroque music (1600–1750). Originating in Europe, early music is a broad musical era for the beginning of Western classi ...

. Located in

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

, England, it is based in the converted and extended, Grade I listed medieval church of

St Margaret, Walmgate St Margaret's Church, on Walmgate, in York, is a Grade I listed former parish church in the Church of England in York. History The church dates from the 12th century of which the south porch is the only surviving element. The nave is 14th ce ...

. Each year, the NCEM organises the

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, organised by the National Centre for Early Music, York ...

Overview

van Heyningen and Haward Architects van Heyningen and Haward is an architectural practice, founded in 1983 by Birkin Haward and Joanna van Heyningen, and now owned and managed by James McCosh and Meryl Townley. The London architects work primarily in education, and have also work ...

, the centre was opened in April 2000. It was created, with the aid of a grant from the National Lottery and partnership money from organisations such as

English Heritage English Heritage (officially the English Heritage Trust) is a charity that manages over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places. These include prehistoric sites, medieval castles, Roman forts and country houses. The charity states that i ...

. 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 A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument played using a keyboard, a row of levers which are pressed by the fingers. The most common of these are the piano, organ, and various electronic keyboards, including synthesizers and digital pian ...

s are available for hire. The church building, which had been redundant for some years, was upgraded to meet the needs of varying types and size of performance as well as many alternative uses such as teaching, conferences and exhibitions.Dreaming of those early gates!
''The Press''. 1998 The roof has been rebuilt for enhanced acoustics, and there are baffles to allow the acoustics to be modified. The annual

is organised from the church and is administered through the York Early Music Foundation, a UK registered charity. During the rest of the year, the Foundation promotes an educational programme based at the National Centre: events include seminars, workshops and master classes. New music is also promoted, for example there is an annual Young Composers Award to encourage composers to work with early music groups. File:National Centre for Early Music, York.jpg, Outside the NCEM File:National Centre for Early Music, York 2.jpg, A performance at the centre Polling Station at the National Early Music Centre, York.jpg, Polling station outside the NCEM

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* * {{Coord, 53.956403, -1.073322, display=title Music in York Early music Tourist attractions in York Music organisations based in the United Kingdom Music education in the United Kingdom Music education organizations Walmgate

Overview

See also

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External links