Dr Oliver Doyle

That's a wrap on our February tour - next stop: the album launch! #baroque #earlymusic #se16 #rotherhithe

We start touring a beautiful programme of rarely-heard (and unheard since 1650s) music from Venice in just over two weeks. If you're near Oxford, Durham, Sheffield or London, take a look at our website! #sheffield #durham #oxford #opera #earlymusic

And we're live! A tour of music from 17th century Venice and four programmes of beautiful music by Rameau, Binchois, Purcell, Strozzi, Bembo & the Caccini sisters make up Musica Antica Rotherhithe's 10th anniversary season. Tickets via our website! #se16 #rotherhithe #earlymusic #classicalmusic

I always had better luck near Surrey Docks Farm (everything from a Tiberius denari to a 12th c. spear, but that said I’ve not been for a few years now!

Flyers ready and out for delivery! A Banchieri comedy and some lovely madrigals by Monteverdi, Marenzio and Casualana next month - tickets via our website! #earlymusic #concert #renaissance #se16 #rotherhithe

Hard copy of our book arrived!

My worst bits in a shitstorm so far are William in England (and what Duke travels to a coronation with only two blokes in attendance) and Count Baldwin living in a tent city and presenting a daytime cookery show while agreeing to shelter William even though he never lost control of Normandy

Gorgeous 17th century house going to ruin on the Three Peaks trail today. Original glass in the windows??

Do not forget Gaza. Do not forget Anas Al-Sharif.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The brilliant @lmbd1418.bsky.social has suggested people write to the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper re: my case. If you could spare five minutes, she's created a draft letter which you can use to send to coopery@parliament.uk. I appreciate everyone's support. ❤️

docs.google.com/document/d/1...

Sounding the Bookshelf 1501: Music in a Year of Italian Printed Books This volume explores how everyday texts in Renaissance Italy engaged with music, sound, and hearing. Of the 358 known editions printed in 1501, only a few contained formal music notation or specialist...

And it’s live! We read every book published in Italy in 1501 looking for references to music, and this is the first volume on what we found. Thanks to @sheffielduni.bsky.social and @leverhulme.ac.uk, it’s free to read, though you can buy hard copies too www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.116...

YouTube video by MusicaSecreta Crowdfunder 5: Nuns have fun!

And it's Week 5 in our crowdfunder! Donations are slowly coming in but we would love it if you would share, share, share! This week's history lesson is on how nuns had fun, with lovely video spots from Kristiina Watt, Victoria Couper, Yvonne Eddy, and Elspeth Piggott. www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fhQ...

Yes avoid like the plague in this case! Lots of people enjoyed it but my partner read the books and wasn’t impressed

We watched it as a friend played Brother Guy, but we thought it was a lesson in how not to tread the line between authenticity and accessibility… the depiction of monastic life really poor on all fronts (the scene with the choir was pretty painful to watch) and the whole thing lacking in atmosphere

“Authentic”

The gentrification of Plumstead begins

When I pointed out King’s will lose 90% of its AHRC student-led places under the new scheme, I got piled on by the AHRC Chair claiming I was wrong and scaremongering.

It wasn’t quite 90%.

This year King’s students got 27 AHRC student-led scholarships.

Next year they’re giving us 3.

So 89% then.

Ridiculous new toy given what I actually need is a new harpsichord, but very grateful to Glenn Braun, who makes instruments that are usually wholly unaffordable accessible - in this case a lira da braccio, one of the go-to instruments for self-accompanied singing in the 15th century!

A gift from my partner’s family in Punjab!

Circe leaves the room when she hears most music, but apparently loves ars nova keyboard intabulations

The Israeli government and the IDF are, categorically, committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

Go ahead: arrest me.

The concentration in Southern Germany/Austria/Switzerland/Northern Italy is interesting!

My colleagues say Swiss Transfer is the way to go now - still free, no sign in requirements and a higher filesize limit!

Prince William made £22.9M last year. But he won’t say how much tax he paid. What is he trying to hide? We fund the monarchy, so the least we deserve is transparency. ✍️ Sign the petition if you agree:

Ripieno Choir, based near Esher, is recruiting a choral scholar for 25-26. Deadline tomorrow!

Looking for Tenor, Baritone or Bass aged 18-30. Sunday night rehearsals and termly concerts. £1200 stipend.

ripienochoir.org.uk/join-us/choral-scholarship/

That might be because I’m writing about Renaissance gender bias

Reform has lost 11 councillors and 2 MPs in a matter of months… and when I say ‘lost’ I mean, they’ve quit following rows, impropriety or inability to do their jobs.
So, if Brexit weren’t proof enough, then this barrelling shitshow should confirm forever that they should be nowhere near govt.

Israeli strikes kill at least 38 in Gaza as ceasefire talks reach critical point Benjamin Netanyahu travels to Washington as momentum gathers in negotiations for a US-sponsored deal

Another day, another war crime.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

We’re already knee-deep in sources for ornamentation and continuo realisation! We’re all challenging our approaches to Historical Performance with this album, and can’t wait to share our work from this Autumn!

So glad you enjoyed it! We’ve a lovely French baroque programme which the department are giving in November