Madison Early Music Festival

Name: Madison Early Music Festival
Start: 2026-01-23T19:30:00-06:00
End: 2026-01-25T19:30:00-06:00
Location: Hamel Music Center

Schedule

Fri, 23 Jan, 2026 at 07:30 pm to Sun, 25 Jan, 2026 at 07:30 pm

UTC-06:00

Location

Hamel Music Center | Madison, WI

The Madison Early Music Festival (MEMF) returns in 2026 with a dedication to Uniting the Arts by bringing together Baroque music, dance, visual art, and innovation.
Led by the BBC-praised Verità Baroque, the 2026 festival features works by Vivaldi, Telemann, and Quantz, new compositions commissioned for Verità, internationally acclaimed special guests, and the lecture-recital “Quantz & Physics”, marking the 100th anniversary of Schrödinger’s seminal paper.
Explore historical repertoire through workshops, masterclasses, dance sessions, and performances guided by world-class faculty and international guests. Experience works by Vivaldi, Telemann, and Quantz, new compositions commissioned for Verità, and the lecture-recital “Quantz & Physics,” marking the 100th anniversary of Schrödinger’s paper.
Interactive family concerts, reimagined Baroque dance, and electronic soundscapes invite audiences of all ages into a living world where history, science, and imagination meet.
Learn more/purchase tickets/register for workshops at https://memf.wisc.edu/
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Events
The Storm of Emotions – Verità Baroque (Opening Celebration)
January 23 at 7:30 pm | Collins Recital Hall
$35 GA; $30 senior
Students free (ticket required)
Weekend Pass
$90 GA; $75 senior
Students free (ticket required)
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Immersive Art Experience at the Chazen Art Museum
January 24 at 11 am | Chazen Art Museum
Free | No ticket required
Verità Baroque transforms the galleries of the Chazen Museum of Art into a living stage, creating a multisensory encounter with visual art.
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Quantz and Physics Lecture Recital
January 24 at 7:30 pm | Collins Recital Hall
$35 GA; $30 senior
Students free (ticket required)
Weekend Pass
$90 GA; $75 senior
Students free (ticket required)
This program combines a physics lecture by UW Assistant Professor Dr. Elio König with a concert by Verità Baroque, exploring the incommensurability of acoustic waves, Baroque-era tunings, and reflections on quantum mechanical wave theory.
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Winter Wings in Wisconsin: Family Concert Experience
January 25 at 11 am | Hamel Music Center
Free | Ticket required
Take flight on a joyful winter journey as Taya the goldfinch searches for her lost friend — the cuckoo bird! With live Baroque music performed by internationally acclaimed ensemble, VERITÀ, and led by celebrated educator, Dr. Zeynep Alpan, the audience becomes part of the story through movement, sound-making, and musical clues from the animal kingdom.
Families can also enjoy our Wing-Making Station, Instrument Petting Zoom, and coffee and tea before the show — and join the community scavenger hunt at local Madison businesses to collect bird-themed stickers and win prizes at the concert!
Perfect for all ages — come flap your wings, listen for birdsong, and help reunite two feathered friends in a musical adventure through the Wisconsin winter.
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Student Showcase and Dance Performance
January 25 at 7:30 pm | Collins Recital Hall
$35 GA; $30 senior
Students free (ticket required)
Weekend Pass
$90 GA; $75 senior
Students free (ticket required)
The Madison Early Music Festival concludes with a celebratory Student Showcase Concert, highlighting the creativity, growth, and collaboration of participants throughout the festival.