Baroque Discovery Day – Explore Baroque Music Through Period Instruments and Performance
Discover how Baroque music comes alive when performed on historical instruments, giving your students a deeper, more vivid understanding of music history and expression.
Our Baroque Discovery Day is a flexible, curriculum-linked workshop designed especially for secondary schools. It introduces students to historically informed performance through engaging lectures, live demonstrations, and hands-on experiences, supporting both general music education and advanced instrumental studies.
What Makes This Workshop Special
This project is led by Miki Takahashi, Baroque violinist and educator at the University of Birmingham and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, in collaboration with Masumi Yamamoto, harpsichordist and professor at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
Depending on your needs and budget, the workshop can be expanded to include additional specialists such as Baroque wind players, cellists, viola da gamba players, or singers — offering a broader experience of Baroque ensemble performance.
We really enjoyed the fantastic day that you spent with the pupils at King’s !
Option 1: Baroque Music Lecture & Performance
Perfect for KS3, GCSE, or A-Level Music students
🎻 Instrument Introduction & Demonstration: Live introduction to Baroque violin, viola, and harpsichord with short performances
🎓 Interactive Lecture: An engaging introduction to Baroque music, its historical context, and performance practices – tailored to your students’ level
❓ Q&A Session: Ask anything about early music, period instruments, or what it’s like to be a Baroque musician today
⏱ Duration: 2–3 hours (flexible based on your timetable)
Option 2: Comprehensive Interactive Experience
Ideal for schools with advanced instrumentalists or music departments
Includes everything from Option 1 plus:
- 🎻 Instrument Try-Outs: Students can explore Baroque violin, viola, and harpsichord under guidance
- 🎼 Coaching Sessions: We offer coaching for student ensembles or soloists preparing Baroque repertoire (e.g., Corelli, Handel, Bach)
- 👩🏫 Tailored Support: Flexible scheduling and content, based on the number of students and your department’s goals
- 🎤 End-of-Day Concert Option: Host a concert at the end of the day featuring performances by the visiting artists alongside selected student performances of Baroque repertoire prepared during the workshop — as successfully done at The King’s School, Gloucester
⏱ Duration: Flexible, depending on pupil numbers and coaching need
Flexible Format
We understand every school is different. Our sessions can be tailored to:
- Support exam curriculum (GCSE, A-level)
- Fit half-day or full-day schedules
- Accommodate different class sizes and levels of experience
- Expand to include additional period instrument specialists upon request
⏱ Duration: Flexible, depending on pupil numbers and coaching need
Get in Touch
Interested in bringing the Baroque era into your classroom through sound, style, and storytelling?
We’d love to hear from you and discuss how we can shape the experience to suit your students.
“Miki is a fantastic teacher and mentor. She is first and foremost a musically and technically skilled violinist who is also a very gifted pedagogue. As a student of hers, she took time to understand how I work best and then worked with me to achieve the most we could out of our lessons. After a year studying together, I got the opportunity to study at an institution in Switzerland and whenever I can, I always try to have a lesson with Miki as she always has very good information to give. She is rigorous and knows how to get the best from her students, if they are willing to work hard outside of their lessons.”
