Emma Kirkby + Florian Franke - Voice
Following an inspiring Renaissance week at the last Summer Academy, the 2026 Summer Academy will take us musically to Great Britain. The focus will be on the period between approximately 1680 and 1760 – an era full of beauty, elegance, and expressiveness – with works by composers such as Henry Purcell and George Frideric Handel. Participants in the vocal course will receive instruction from Emma Kirkby and Florian Franke, as well as the opportunity to perform together with students from the instrumental courses. During the chamber music sessions, the instrumental instructors will also provide additional artistic inspiration. Course structure: Mornings: Individual lessons alternating between Emma Kirkby and Florian Franke. Afternoons: Ensemble and chamber music work with both instructors. This ensures that all participants receive daily inspiration from both teachers. A key component of the course is the opportunity to observe each other's individual lessons. Listening and observing together is strongly encouraged, as it provides valuable insights and learning experiences and enriches the vocal development of all participants.
Content Focus: A special feature of this course is the combination of complementary teaching focuses: Emma Kirkby works on musical interpretation, style, and the crucial work with the text, while Florian Franke provides special insights into vocal technique, breath control, and body work, supporting the singers in truly "embodying" the words. This combination of stylistic expertise and technical vocal development is highly valued by many singers.
Registration and Participation: New this year is the limitation of the course to 12 singers to ensure particularly intensive and individualized support. To participate, an application with a recent audio or video recording (maximum 5 minutes) is required. Please submit this by April 15, 2026. Feedback regarding participation will be sent by May 10, 2026. We look forward to an inspiring week full of music, exchange, and artistic development!
Emma Kirkby:
Emma Kirkby's career as a singer began quite unexpectedly. While studying Classics at Oxford, she seized every opportunity to sing, especially the polyphonic works of the Renaissance. During her brief time teaching Classics, she was fortunate enough to encounter numerous pioneering early music ensembles and was impressed by their expressive voices and the historical lute, wind, and string instruments. She herself now looks back on a decades-long career as a singer, captivating audiences worldwide with her distinctive voice and the expressiveness of her interpretations. Emma Kirkby is an enthusiastic and inspiring teacher and is invited to numerous masterclasses and academies around the globe, where she is deeply committed to nurturing the next generation of singers. She has also been closely associated with the Neuburg Summer Academy for many years and always looks forward to returning to this beautiful location to spend an intensive week of music with her fellow instructors and participants.
Florian Franke:
The bass-baritone Florian Franke has earned an outstanding reputation as both a concert singer and a vocal pedagogue. A key artistic inspiration is his close collaboration with Emma Kirkby. In 2025, the two performed and taught at venues including the Wernigerode Castle Festival, the Madrigal Week in Venice, a masterclass for solo singing in Vienna, the Neuburg Summer Academy for Early Music, the Wernigerode International Autumn Academy for Singing and Conducting, and at Hawkwood College (UK). As a singer, Florian Franke is particularly in demand in the concert repertoire. Since 2021, he has performed regularly with the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra at the Laeiszhalle. Concert tours have taken him to numerous European countries. His repertoire ranges from the great sacred works of Bach to contemporary music, with a particular passion for art song. He is also active as a teacher both nationally and internationally. He is a lecturer in singing at Bielefeld University and the Schlüchtern Church Music Academy, a mentor for vocal pedagogy students at the Detmold University of Music, and is regularly invited to masterclasses, choir projects, and training courses. Florian Franke already enjoys the trust of many singers and is often praised for his sensitive and holistic approach.