Dear Medieval and Renaissance Music list,

Below are the current details for the British Museum Citole Symposium to 
be held a the British Museum 4-5 November 2010. Please note that the 
British Museum website only has very brief information about the 
symposium. The "trombamarina" website at the bottom of this page has 
more details. Apologies for cross-posting. Thank you and best wishes - 
Alice Margerum



The British Museum Citole: New Perspectives
Stevenson Theatre, British Museum
4-5 November 2010
http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/events_calendar/november_2010/citole_symposium.aspx 


The British Museum will host the first international symposium to focus 
on this unique instrument. The symposium will highlight recent work 
undertaken by scientists at the British Museum as well as present 
significant new research by scholars in various fields.

The British Museum Citole (formerly known as the ‘Warwick Castle 
gittern’) is one of the few medieval stringed musical instruments to 
have survived, providing an invaluable link between iconography and 
reality. It is also important as one of the most extraordinary examples 
of craftsmanship and decorative arts from the 14th century. A 
masterpiece of medieval secular art, it is now prominently displayed in 
the British Museum’s recently renovated Medieval Europe gallery.

The rich post-medieval existence of the British Museum Citole is 
indicated by an engraved silver plate which links the instrument to 
Queen Elizabeth I and her favourite, Robert Dudley. The instrument was 
modified into a violin, receiving a new soundboard, fingerboard, 
tailpiece, peg arrangement, and other fittings. The history of these 
later accretions yield valuable insights into the early violin and 
violin making in Britain.

The two-day symposium will address the following topics:

- Science and Conservation of the British Museum Citole
- The Art of the British Museum Citole
- Medieval Citoles in Art and Literature
- Tuning and Stringing of Citoles and Related Instruments
- Performance Practice for Medieval Citoles
- Instruments in Medieval Culture and Society
- Queen Elizabeth I, Her Music and Instruments

There is no admission charge to attend the symposium. Because places are 
limited pre-registration is advised, but it is not required.

Pre-registration and a detailed schedule of the symposium and other 
related events can be found at:
http://www.trombamarina.com/Citole_Symposium_Nov_2010.html
----------------------------------
As a complement to the symposium, there will also be a concert of music 
for citole, vielle and harp,
/Crossing Borders: An Entertainment Inspired by Images of Jongleurs and 
Clerks In Illuminated French and English Psalter/,
at the priory Church of St Bartholomew the Great, West Smithfield, City 
of London, EC1A
at 7:30pm on Friday, 5 November.
Tickets available at the door (cash or cheque only): £15 general 
admission, £5 conc.