Christoph Wolff Distinguished Visiting Scholar: Emma Dillon

"Love from Afar: Towards an Active Philology of Medieval Song"

In this talk, Professor Emma Dillon will discuss medieval love songs in the era of the trouvères with a performance of medieval songs performed live by members of Siglo de Oro.

Emma Dillon is Thurston Dart Professor of Music (Medieval Music and Cultures) at Kings College London. Her research focuses on European musical culture from the 12th to the 14th centuries. Her work falls at the intersection of musicology, sound studies, medieval studies, and the history of material texts. Her books include Medieval Music-Making and the Roman de Fauvel and The Sense of Sound: Musical Meaning in France, 1260-1330. She is Principal Investigator of a five-year research collaboration, Musical Lives: Towards an Historical Anthropology of French Song, 1100-1300 (MUSLIVE).

Siglo de Oro is an adventurous vocal ensemble based in London. Led by its director, Patrick Allies, the group is known for its golden tone, fresh interpretations, and innovative programming. The ensemble's repertoire stretches from the music of the Middle Ages to newly commissioned works.

Christoph Wolff Residency:
Christoph Wolff Distinguished Visiting Scholar for 2026 is Professor Emma Dillon (King’s College London), in partnership with the vocal ensemble Siglo de Oro and the MUSLIVE “Musical Lives 1100-1300” Project.

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