The Center for Early Music Research and Performance

About CEMRAP

The successful 21st-century musician is fluent in the widest possible range of musical styles, thus positioning historical performance practice as one of the essential components in the formation of performers for tomorrow. The Center for Early Music Research and Performance (CEMRAP) has set as its mission the embracement of the past, present, and future through its research, performance, and teaching activities. At the interface of theory and practice, students and faculty explore applications of historical performance aesthetics in 21st-century musical cultures. With core issues of historical performance including instrumental technique, ornamentation, and style as its focus, CEMRAP promotes a unique approach to early music by using improvisation as the cornerstone of its transhistorical quest, and it provides innovative platforms to present results of its scholarly and artistic activities.

The Center maintains a collection of early keyboard instruments (17th-century style organo di legno, Flemish double manual harpsichord by Joel Katzman, Flemish single manual harpsichord by Gerald Self, 5.5-octave Viennese fortepiano by Paul McNulty). Students can pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in early keyboard performance while being provided opportunities to apply early music performance practices in ensemble and solo settings.

-Dr. Mario Aschauer, director

Students about CEMRAP