Special Events

Special events at the 60th International Congress on Medieval Studies (May 8-10, 2025) will be listed here.

Singing from Manuscripts: Introducing the Kalamazoo SoundWalk

May 8, 2025 — midnight
Western Michigan University
The Digital Analysis of Chant Transmission is sponsoring a SoundWalk at the 60th International Congress on Medieval Studies. This SoundWalk accompanies and promotes a workshop at the Congress where participants will learn to read music and sing from digital images of medieval musical manuscripts. The SoundWalk will open with an informal demonstration on the gathering stairs in the Student Center at noon on Thursday, May 8. There will be with live singing where attendees will learn about the event and download the DACT app. Participants will then be directed to various locales on campus to encounter posters of digital images of manuscripts, coupled with recordings of their content, delivered to their cell phone.

DISTAFF: Medieval Dress and Textile Arts Display and Demonstration

May 8
5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
On Thursday, May 8, DISTAFF (Discussion, Interpretation, and Study of Textile Arts, Fabrics, and Fashion) will hold an exhibition of members' work, open to view for all attendees of the 60th International Congress on Medieval Studies. This will be a display of reproduction textile and dress items, handmade using medieval methods and materials. Items will include textiles, decorative treatments, garments, dress accessories, and more. Exhibitors will demonstrate techniques and be available to discuss the use of historic evidence in reproducing artifacts of material culture.

The Epic Enigma of Beowulf: Riddling the Grendel Episode, A Performance

May 8
7 to 8:30 p.m.
Chris Vinsonhaler brings the gift of the bard to create a new approach to this ancient Old English poem about heroes and monsters in this 90-minute bardic performance in Modern English. Awarded a fellowship funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the performance has been hosted by schools, universities, and community groups.