Calling All Medievalists

An invitation to participate in a web-based study that examines the reception of medieval vocal music within varying performance spaces

A doctoral student at the Sorbonne in Paris, Sarabeth Mullins, is studying French acoustic heritage related to music by the Notre-Dame School of composers, part of a larger project on the sonic history of Notre-Dame Cathedral.

In a note to EMA readership, Mullins writes: “I have prepared a web-based listening test to examine the relationship between performances of several styles of liturgical music within varying performance spaces. To that end, I am looking for specialists in medieval music (both musicians and musicologists) to participate in the assessment. The assessment is anonymized and has been approved by the Ethics Committee at the Sorbonne and may be completed in either English or French.”

Requirements for participation:

• Familiarity with medieval music and historically informed practice
• A computer with an internet connection and the Chrome browser
• A pair of wired headphones
• Normal hearing without impairments

The study is offered in English and French. Please choose the language you feel the most comfortable in and only complete the study once.

English version:  http://experiment.dalembert.upmc.fr/sbm/?config=default_en.yaml

French version: http://experiment.dalembert.upmc.fr/sbm/?config=default_fr.yaml

Please use the Chrome browser to access the website and have patience while the experiment loads. The test protocol can take up to a minute to load in Chrome, though its speed is affected by the strength and quality of the internet connection. Once loaded, there should be no further buffering between the trials contained inside the test.

The study should take about 45 minutes to complete. After submission, your results will be transmitted, and an alphanumeric code will be displayed. If you would like to receive a 15€/$ Amazon e-gift card in thanks for your participation with the study, simply email the code to sarabeth.mullins@sorbonne-universite.fr

---

Recent EMA Features

A Half-Century of the York Early Music Festival

Published: February 22, 2026

Hailed as the top of its field, the York Early Music Festival celebrates a milestone anniversary in 2026 with a deluxe calendar of celebrated and emerging artists. Across its 50 years, they've made 'important scholarship come to life through vibrant and sometimes bewildering performances.’

Read More A Half-Century of the York Early Music Festival

When Good Music Happens to Really Bad People

Published: February 17, 2026

Last week, on Friday the 13th, New York's Music Before 1800 hosted the U.S. premiere of 'Death of Gesualdo,' a ghostly retelling of the Renaissance composer's life and grisly crimes, set to his avant-garde music. Performed by puppets, actors, and the British vocal ensemble the Gesualdo Six, the show is the latest from Bill Barclay, whose 'Secret Byrd' was a revelation for putting ancient music in a profoundly living context.

Read More When Good Music Happens to Really Bad People

A Deep South Collection of Old Instruments

Published: February 13, 2026

The Sigal Music Museum, in South Carolina, is the only such public collection in the South and includes the oldest-known piano, from the 1770s, that was commercially build and sold in the nascent United States. With performances from its collection and substantive lectures on historical instruments, the Sigal is a treasure trove of musical history.

Read More A Deep South Collection of Old Instruments

More News & Reviews