EarlyMusicNews.Org

The International Association of Harpists and Friends of the Harp. Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 18, 2008 | Hits: 487

“ .. Véronique’s repertoire extends from the 13th to the 18th century.

 As Professor of harp and early music at the Ivry-sur-Seine and Palaiseau Conservatories and the Center of Medieval Music in Paris, Véronique teaches a variety of classes: modern and early harps, Chamber Music and Early Improvisation.

She is also particularly interested in the repertoire, history and organologie of harps and has presented papers on these subjects at conferences.  Most recently she presented her findings on Bray Pins at the Conference on Interdisciplinary Musicology in Paris in October 2009.

Véronique is also very interested in Contrapunto alla werke Polyphonic Improvisation and organizes courses and workshops on this. ..“

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 19, 2010 | Hits: 413

“Over the past decade Edin Karamazov has established himself as today’s most exciting and charismatic player of the lute, garnering rave reviews and critical acclaim across Europe and America for his dazzlingly virtuosic and emotionally committed performances of an adventurous repertoire that ranges from sixteenth-century classics to the music of today.

Edin Karamazov began his musical career as a classical guitarist before taking up the Baroque lute, which he studied at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basle, Switzerland.

He made his solo debut as a lutenist in 1998. Significantly, it was as a last-minute substitute for the legendary Julian Bream, the player who had single-handedly led the modern revival of interest in the lute a generation earlier. ..“

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 20, 2009 | Hits: 429

“I was born in 1983 in Israel, raised in the city of Karmiel, where I started to study Guitar with Erez Suto. Beside my late grandfather, who played the Oud, the was not much connection between my family and music. In my early twenties I relocated to the small town Kiryat-Tivon in where I still live today.

I started to learn Lute and early music and became a student of Dr. Levi Sheptovitsky and a student in Thomas Edison State College, New Jersey where I study for my B.A. in Music. My goal is to be able to teach young children on the importance of music to our life, as I came to learn and as many before me learned.


As you may already understood, I see music and art as the basic building blocks of our civilization and these building blocks must be maintained to keep the civilization alive. ..“

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 30, 2010 | Hits: 439

“Born in Rome, he begins his career as a jazz double-bass player. After many years in classical music, when he performs a solo bass in important orchestras as the “Teatro Massimo” of Palermo, he dedicates to ancient music with the viola da gamba under the coaching of Paolo Pandolfo.

In 1991 he graduates in Physics at the University of Rome.

Side to his solistic activity that he has with tha harpsicord player Leonardo Garcia Alarcon, he collaborated with important groups specialized in ancient music, as Elyma directed by G.Garrido, Concerto Italiano  (R.Alessandrini), La Cappella Mediterranea  (Leonardo Garcia Alarcon), wich whom he had an intense recording and concert activity.

He is invited to give masterclasses in Cuba, Ambronay (France), Pamplona (Spain), Foligno (Italy), and he is professor of Viola da Gamba at the Conservatory at L’Aquila (Italy).

In 2005 MA Recordings released a solo Cd with music by Marin Marais (M069A), and in 2008 a Cd with an orchestration of the Orgelbuchlein by J.S.Bach.“

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Sep 30, 2011 | Hits: 204

"I was born in Milan in 1968 and I graduated in guitar with Mauro Storti afterwhich I dedicated myself to the study of practices of Renaissance and Baroque music; ...

In 1996 I graduated with honors in Musicology at the School of Music Palaeography and Philology of Cremona (University of Pavia) with a thesis on theorbo as an instrument used for the realization of basso continuo.

I have attended courses of early music and accompanied singers organized by the School of Music Palaeography and Philology of Cremona ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Aug 04, 2008 | Hits: 422

"The Baroque Cello International Society (Associazione Internazionale del Violoncello Barocco) was founded in 2006 by the cellists Renato Criscuolo and Andrea Fossà.

The purpose of the Association is being a point of reference for all those interested in the baroque cello and related instruments (such as il basso di violino, il violoncino, il bassetto etc.) as well as musicians, philologists, researchers, violin makers, organists, string makers etc.

The Association organizes concerts, courses, workshops, recordings and and all that can help fulfil the above mentioned purpose of the Association. As well, the Association is developing and maintains an on-line library, iconography and virtual museum with pictures of several instruments from all over the world. ... "

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Aug 02, 2008 | Hits: 521

"Donatella Galletti studied guitar with Aldo Minella and lute (Renaissance, Baroque, Archlute, Theorbo and Baroque guitar )with Paolo Cherici , and she got the two Diplomas at the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi of Milan. She has taken part in International Master Classes (Jakob Lindberg, Paul O' Dette, Nigel North and others).She recorded CDs for Stradivarius Editions with Euterpe Group , playing musics by G.Croce and A.Willaert . She gave lectures on English music for the British Council. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 19, 2008 | Hits: 373

"Since starting his professional career as lutenist and theorbist in 1982, he has participated in a great number of concerts and early music festivals in Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Israel, Great Britain, New Zealand, and Brasil. " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Feb 10, 2008 | Hits: 385

"Graduated in Viola da Gamba under the guide of Maestro Paolo Pandolfo, it has been perfected in Viola da Gamba following the courses of Jordi Savall in Italy and Spain and baroque Violoncello following the course of Gaetano Nasillo in the School of Music of Fiesole. With Viola da Gamba, from 1992, he has carried out an intense concert activity (124 concerts) in Italy and to the foreign country. It has collaborated with prestigious groups exhibiting himself in very many Italian localities and to the word like as an example to Vienna (Musikverein - Brahms Saal) in Austria, Copenaghen and Odense in Denmark, Sydney in Australia, Saint Cruz and Seattle in U.S.A., Belgrade (Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts) in Serbia, Hamburg (Musikhalle - Study E), Kiel and Wolfsburg in Germany, Hong Kong in China, etc. In Italy it has played with several ensemble and as soloist in most important reviews and seasons of concert like as an example to Udine where, for the season of the "Amici della Musica", it has executed a program for Viola da Gamba in billboard, between the others, with Trevor Pinnoc. With the vocal group and instrumental "Rinascenza" of Rome, in 1993, it has gained the First Absolute Prize of the T.I.M. (International Torneo of Music). In 1995 he has been soloist in the" Johannes Passion " by J.S.Bach with the Regional Orchestra of the Lazio and the Markuschor of Munchen directed by H.Boenstedt . He has recorded for the Radio Vatican and has recorded for RAI and Channel 5. Often it is exhibited from soloist or in pair with the harpsichord with programs in which it inserts all the main composers who wrote for this instrument from Ortiz to Forqueray. He has recorded 6 Compact Disc. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jun 29, 2008 | Hits: 324

"The "Liuto" (or "lute") derives both in name and form from the Arab instrument known as "al 'Ud" (in spanish "laúd"), which means literally "the wood". Normally a lute is described as a musical instrument which has a body with a round back and a flat top, a long neck and strings which are played with the fingers. We associate this instrument with the classic painting of the renassaince with an angel playing a "lute" while fliying. Is not so simple but is a good first contact with the lute.

We would consider a "lute" or "liuto" as a concept more than a single instrument.

Liuto com want to be a full web resource of lute, old plucked instruments and early music. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 31, 2008 | Hits: 358

"Ex classical guitar player, after this I dedicated at Lute (Renaissance and Baroque), Theorbo and Baroque Guitar with T. Stone, T. Bagnati and F. Torelli. I hearned my Diploma in Lute at the Italian State Conservatory "A. Pedrollo" in Vicenza under the guidance of T. Stone. I attended several courses with Nigel North, R. Cicero, A. Curtis and D. D. Sherving. With bursarship I attended a course with J. Lindberg by G. Cini Foundation in Venice. I make an intense concert activity as soloist and with little ensemble and orchestras. I'm member of Ensemble Foscarini, NovArt Baroque Ensemble and in the "Ancient Orchestra" of the Conservatoire in Vicenza directed by M. Paolo Faldi. I Work with the theatre company "Bel Teatro" in Padua for which I play the music, with original instruments, in the production af ancient theatre. Since four years I teaching guitar and lute at "Centro di Educazione Musicale Beethoven" in Padua where I've founded the "Accademia di Musica Antica del Centro di Ed. Mus. Beethoven".

I make an intense research activity working on ancient musical manuscript, besides I make pubblications by the editor "Armelin" in Padua. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jun 29, 2008 | Hits: 362

“Mara Galassi graduated from the Civica Scuola di Musica di Milano and the Pesaro Conservatory of Music with honors. Subsequently, she studied pedal harp with Luciana Chierici, David Watkins, and Emmy Huerlimann, performance practice with harpsichordist David Collyer and lutenist Patrick O'Brien and musicology with Michael Morrow in London. She served as principal harpist for the Teatro Massimo Opera House in Palermo, Italy. She currently lives in Milan where she teaches modern and historical harps at the Civica Scuola di Musica di Milano. She develops her activities as soloist and as a member of the most famous early music Ensembles in Europe: Concerto Vocale (dir. René Jacobs), Concerto Italiano (dir. Rinaldo Alessandrini), Mala Punica (dir. Pedro Memelsdorff), Cantus Cölln (dir. Konrad Junghänel). As musicologist she has done extensive research in the field of historical harps. She recorded for Tactus, Symphonia, Ricordi, Harmonia Mundi, Opus 111 and Glossa. ..“

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 18, 2009 | Hits: 342

"Paolo Zebolino musician, singer, actor and historian. His main instrument is the hurdy-gurdy, but he also plays the guitar and other stringed plucked instruments (saz, bouzouki, oud) or violin, fiddle bow. ... " (Google translation.) Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 25, 2008 | Hits: 439

“

The American lutenist Paul Beier graduated from the Royal College of Music, London, where he inherited a passion for research into early performance practices from his teacher, Diana Poulton.

He has performed throughout Europe, Australia, North and South America with a solo repertoire extending from the early Sixteenth Century to the music of Bach and Weiss. Founder and director of  Galatea, he collaborates with many baroque music groups and has taken part in productions of early opera in theaters such as La Scala, Milan and the Santa Fe Opera in New Mexico

 He has recorded for labels such as Opus 111, Stradivarius, Glossa, Cantus, Synfonia, Nuova Era, Tactus, Amadeus and Concerto.  His CDs (10 solo lute recordings and 4 as director of Galatea) have been received very well; some of them earned important recognition such as Disque du Mois of Répertoire, 5 Diapason, 5 stars of Goldberg, etc.

In 1981 he was invited to create the lute program at the Civica Scuola di Musica in Milan,Italy, where he also teaches basso continuo and Renaissance ensemble. A founding member of the Italian Lute Society, he is a consulting editor of the Lute Society of America Journal.“

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 18, 2009 | Hits: 334

“Riccardo Minasi, was born in Rome in 1978. He has performed both as soloist as well as concertmaster with Le Concert des Nations of Jordi Savall, Accademia Bizantina, Concerto Italiano, Il Giardino Armonico, Al Ayre Español, Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di S.Cecilia, Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid. He has also worked with the Concerto Vocale of René Jacobs, Ensemble 415, Luca Pianca, Viktoria Mullova, Albrecht Mayer, Christophe Coin and Reinhard Goebel. As a conductor he conducted the Kammerakademie of Potsdam, Zurich Kammerorchester, Balthasar Neumann Ensemble, Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Orquesta Barroca Argentina, L'Arpa Festante, Recreation-Grosses Orchester of Graz, Attersee-Akademie Orchestra, ensemble Resonanz, European Union Baroque Orchestra (EUBO), Il Complesso Barocco and the Helsinki Baroque Orchestra, of which he is the associate director since 2008. In 2006 he was invited to conduct the opening concert of the Camerata Strumentale Fiesolana - the most recent formation created at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole of Piero Farulli. Invited by Kent Nagano he performed as concertmaster at the Belcanto Festival in Knowlton and collaborated as historical advisor for the Montrèal Symphony Orchestra in Canada. In 2010 he worked as assistant conductor, concertmaster, curator and editor of the critical edition (In collaboration of Maurizio Biondi) of the upcoming publication of the opera Norma by Vincenzo Bellini with Cecilia Bartoli and Thomas Hengelbrock. From 2004 to 2010 he was professor of chamber music at the Conservatorio V. Bellini of Palermo. He has also given violin and baroque orchestra master-classes, and lectures in historical practice at the Juilliard School of Music in New York, at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge (USA), at the Sibelius Academy of Helsinki, the Chinese Culture University of Taipei (Taiwan), the Conservatory of Sydney (Australia), the Kùks Residence in the Czech Republic, at the Zurich Opera House, at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole, and, as the italian representative of the jury in 2009, at the auditions for the European Union Baroque Orchestra (EUBO). His recording of Biber’s Rosenkranz Sonaten published by Arts was a finalist at the Midem Classical Award in Cannes as album of the year in 2009.”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 21, 2012 | Hits: 129

“The Associazione Settimane Musicali di Stresa, from its beginings in 1962 until the managerial changes of 1998, is responsible for organizing the Festival bearing the same name on the banks of Lake Maggiore during the months of August and September.

In 1999, the Festival adopted the new identity Settimane Musicali di Stresa e del Lago Maggiore and increased its programming both in terms of concerts (from 16 in 1998 to 30 in 1999) and venues. New ancillary activities were introduced: promotional partnerships with other institutions and the extension of knowledge of classical music through involvement in other forms of artistic expresssion. ..“

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jun 17, 2010 | Hits: 258

"Sergio Zigiotti and Fabiano Merlante Duo has been created in 1996 with the purpose of studing and performing the vast original repertoire for mandolin and guitar, that includes a large number of baroque sonatas – which manuscript are scattered everywhere in the european libraries – the 18th century’s works of the Italian and German instrumental schools, up to modern and contemporary music which research of the timbre pursuits go well with the crystalline sonority of these instruments. This stimulating historical sphere is on the same wavelenght as the musicological interests of the musicians that in this case have got the opportunity to have not only a techincal-executive musical approach with these works. All of this had led the Duo to an in-depth knowledge of the plucked instruments and to interest themselves to the execution – in particular occasions – of the 18th century repertoire with copies of instruments of those ages (Lombard, Brescian, Milanese, Genoese mandolin – Louis Panormo's guitar, London 1838). In 1997 the Duo had won the first award at the XI National Competition “Nei Giardini dell’Aulòs” in Rimini; in 1999 had been among the winners of the VII° Internationa Competition “Città di Cortemilia” (Cuneo), and had been shortlisted for the IX International Exhibition for young musicians in Macerata Feltria (Pesaro), had won the second prize (first prize had not been awarded) at the II International Competition Giacomo Sartori in Ala (Trento) on mandolin and guitar specific category. In 2000 had won had won the first award at the National Competition “Città di Castelfidardo” for guitar in chamber groups category and another first prize at the National Competition “G. Ansaldi” in Villanova Mondovì (Cuneo).

Sergio Zigiotti and Fabiano Merlante edit for Armelin Musica Edition the collection of music for plucked instruments "Conserto Vago". ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jun 29, 2008 | Hits: 347

"Dmitry Badiarov was born in Russia, lived and worked in Saint-Petersburg, Brussels and Tokyo. Dmitry Badiarov's career is a symbiosis of two professions: violin playing and making. As a luthier he made approx. 60 instruments, including the innovative violoncellos da spalla for players such as Ryo Terakado and Sigiswald Kuijken. In 2007 he made a set of innovative early baroque violins which have been played by La Petite Bande in March and October 2007. As a soloist on the violoncello da spalla he performed with Bach Collegium Japan and La Petite Bande. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 23, 2008 | Hits: 410

“Why 'Edo Land'? Because my name is Edo. Well, actually it's Ed but Japanese people pronounce it as Edo. Edo is also the old name for Tokyo and I've lived in the Tokyo area since 1982. Finally, Edo is the name of the period 1600-1850 when Japanese culture blossomed and reached the masses, a Japanese Renaissance. I'm very interested in the European Renaissance and its music. How's that for a tenuous connection?

Here you will find information about my musical activities, my family, a page of musical jokes and interesting/useful links. I like to compose many styles of music, sing, play guitar (electric and acoustic), Renaissance & Baroque lute, archlute, Baroque guitar and of course, use my computer to play synthesizers and create and edit music. (You can see a sample of my Lute CD). 

Of particular interest for lutenists are the interviews found on the “Lute Information and Resources” page.“

View website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 25, 2011 | Hits: 234

"The LGS is a lute and early guitar society with members in Japan and abroad.

The LGS has a newsletter, Nostalgia, appearing four times a year both in Japanese and in English.

The LGS organises concerts and workshops in Japan. It imports instruments and gut strings for its Japanese members and publishes cds and music for all. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 20, 2008 | Hits: 252

The Lute Society of Japan. Visit website for more information. (site is in Japanese with no English, ed.)

Added on: Apr 20, 2008 | Hits: 404

“Alfonso Marin began his musical studies in the “Conservatorio Superior de Tenerife” (Spain), and afterwards in the “Conservatorium van Amsterdam” were he continued his classical guitar and vihuela studies under Lex Eisenhardt.

From 1998 he devoted himself entirely to the study of early plucked instruments as the lute, theorbo and vihuela, continuing his studies in the same conservatory for five more years with the lutenist Fred Jacobs. ..

His collaboration with the soprano Valeria Mignaco is one of his most rewarding and fruitful musical activities, having performed with her in numerous recitals and festivals in Holland, Germany, England, Belgium and Spain. ..”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Dec 27, 2009 | Hits: 354

“Jonathan Talbott began to play the violin at the age of 4, made his solo debut at 16, and now performs a repertoire that spans more than 800 years. He has led baroque orchestras on four continents and is known for his performances on renaissance and  baroque violins, rebec and medieval fiddle.

As co-director of the violin consort Ensemble Braccio, his research into early violins, their repertoire, and playing styles has led to concerts and recordings which have generated acclaim throughout the world, as well as to a redefinition of the sound of early stringed instruments.  

His distinctive playing can be heard on recordings by Il Concerto Barocco, Ensemble Braccio, The Boston Camerata, Super Librum and Currende. Also well known as a teacher, he gives lectures and masterclasses on such diverse topics as medieval improvisation and renaissance polyphony at universities and summer courses in his native United States, as well as in Africa and Europe.

Talbott holds degrees from the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, where he studied with Sigiswald Kuijken and Monica Huggett, and the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where he studied violin with Peter Salaff of the Cleveland String Quartet and early music with lutanist Paul O'Dette. His early training in Portland, Oregon was with Carol Sindell (a pupil of Jascha Heifitz) and Catherine Petersen (who followed the pedagogic approach of Paul Rolland). Further study was with the early violin expert David Douglass and the medieval strings guru Margriet Tindemans. …”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 25, 2011 | Hits: 212

“Composer-lute player Jozef Van Wissem is renowned for his unusual approach of the Renaissance and Baroque lute. He cuts and pastes classical pieces, reverses melodies, adds electronics and processed field recordings made at airport lounges and train stations. The unusual wedlock of composition and improvisation creates an unheard amalgam of contemporary folk and late Renaissance music. He has accomplished the strange feat of bridging the idiom of seventeenth century lute literature and twenty-first century composition. Although Van Wissem uses subtle electronic sound manipulation, he has largely stayed faithful to the particular timbre, resonance and playing technique of the lute. Van Wissem first came to be noticed a few years ago because of his radical conceptual approach to Renaissance lute music: he deconstructed existing compositions, for instance by playing them backwards. He also composes his own pieces for lute, using palindromes and mirrored structures. His music therefore does not have a traditional linear progression, nor leads to a climax, it rather stays on the same level of intensity. ..“

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 18, 2009 | Hits: 372