• Course begins April 18, 2026

  • Live sessions each week from 1:00 - 3:00pm Eastern U.S. time

  • All sessions are recorded so you can watch them at your convenience

Troubadours: Poets of the South

Discover the flourishing artistic world of 12th to 14th-century Occitania, where troubadours first crafted their distinctive lyrical art. We will explore their social and political environment, meet major figures such as Bernart de Ventadorn and Jaufre Rudel, and examine their key musical genres including the canso, sirventes, pastorela, tenso, crusade song, and the evocative alba (dawn song).

Trobairitz: Women’s Voices in a Medieval World

Enter the courts where the trobairitz — the women poet-composers of southern medieval France — crafted songs of love, agency, and eloquent emotional depth. Alongside their music, we will explore the societal norms, constraints, and opportunities that shaped their artistic expression. Featured voices include Comtessa de Dia, Castelloza, and Almucs de Castelnau, whose songs both reflect and challenge medieval expectations.

Trouvères: Northern Echoes and New Traditions

Travel to the north of medieval France, where the trouvères adapted troubadour traditions within a different cultural and political landscape. We will explore the courts of Champagne and Picardy, meet influential figures like Thibaut de Champagne and Adam de la Halle, and learn about genres such as the jeu parti, chanson de geste, and early formes fixes that shaped the future of medieval song.

  • Start Learning

    Course begins April 18, 2026 at 1:00pm Eastern U.S. time

  • Access

    Course materials are available for 30 days from the last course session

Meet your Instructor

Sonja Maurer-Dass

Dr. Sonja Maurer-Dass is a Canadian musicologist and harpsichordist. She holds a PhD in Musicology from The University of Western Ontario (London, Ontario, Canada) and a master’s degree in Musicology specializing in late medieval English music from York University (Toronto, Ontario, Canada). Sonja has taught Baroque music history at McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada) and undergraduate tutorials on different topics in musicology and music theory at The University of Western Ontario. Her work has been published in the Medieval Magazine, Ancient History Magazine, Ceræ: An Australasian Journal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, and Medievalists.net

“Prof Maurer-Dass was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about music. Her energy and confidence created an atmosphere in which I felt like I could ask questions, and enjoyed learning a topic that I initially would not be very interested in. I never felt judged in her class, and I loved her positivity and that she always has a smile on her face. I can tell that she worked really hard to prep materials for us and I am extremely grateful.”