EarlyMusicNews.Org

In April 2009, The Orchestra of the Clarion Music Society will perform in Sir Jonathan Miller’s beloved staging of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion at BAM. Following highly acclaimed and sold-out BAM engagements in 1997, 2001, and 2006, the production returns as part of BAM’s 2009 Spring Season.

In November, Le Mercure will debut its two new programs in Mexico City! For more information, please visit our website at http://www.mercurequartet.blogspot.com

About Le Mercure: Inspired by the 'Paris' Quartets of G.Ph. Telemann, the ensemble Le Mercure was formed in the Netherlands. With an international core of members and a wide palette of instrumental colors, we are able to concentrate o­n music written in a true quartet style as well as trio sonatas for two melody instruments and continuo. The quartet, however, is our starting point and remains as our main focus in concerts. Le Mercure has recorded multiple times for the Bavarian Radio of Germany, as well as given concert tours in Germany, The Netherlands, and Poland.The name Le Mercure was taken from various periodicals that existed in France during the 17th and 18th centuries, in which o­ne often found reports of important musical performances of the time. It also refers to Mercury, the messenger of the gods in Roman mythology. We feel ourselves as messengers who wish to transmit the richness and beauty of music to our audience.

Booking is now open for the 2008 York Early Music Christmas Festival, which runs from 11th - 14th December. 

An ABC of Baroque Dance

Introductory workshop for beginners / false beginners.  This workshop introduces to the basics of baroque dance style (17th-18th centuries). Try and dance selected sequences from well-known ballroom dances of the French court, like "Aimable Vainqueur" or "Gigue à deux" (= "Gigue de Roland")!

No previous knowledge required. No need to bring a partner.
     
Teacher: Alexander Fischer.
Date: September 27-28, 2008,  Sat. 4-7pm, Sun 11am-2pm ...
     

The York Early Music Festival invites applications from young artists to take part in the York Early Music International Young Artists Competition. The competition (which was previously held in association with the Early Music Network) will take place at the National Centre for Early Music from 16 - 18 July as part of the 2009 York Early Music Festival. ...

"THANK YOU to all who attended, performed, worked for and supported “Of Friends and Foes”, the second annual Fredericton Baroque Music Festival. We could not have done it without you!

The festival opened o­n Friday night with “A Friendly Competition” in the form of rousing concerti by Handel and Vivaldi performed by the York Early Music Ensemble, which was directed from the violin by Katherine Moller. The soloists were Jonathan Addleman (harpsichord); Katherine Moller, Sari Tsuji, Angela Garwood, Sarah Liptay (violins); and Suzanne Bonnell-Burley (cello). ...

"Summer Classes 2008 -- This year too I'm offfering my summer classes: ten days of luthery full immersion, you can chose:

• Propedeutical
• Work at my workshop
• Repair
• Build your own instrument

When -- available period is between July 1st and August 31th 2008. You can chose freely you ten days, independently from the presence of other students ...

San Francisco Theological Seminary, San Anselmo, CA
Professor Bill Mahrt, Directing

The Singers’ Retreat will present its' Autumn session o­n the weekend of October 18th and 19th, 2008, at the San Francisco Theological Seminary Conference Center in San Anselmo, Marin County, CA. Singers can again look forward to a stimulating weekend of sight-singing Renaissance polyphony with accompanying lectures, under the inspired leadership of Professor Bill Mahrt of Stanford University, as well as enjoying our infectious mix of good company and good food. ...

The Flanders Festival-Antwerp offers a unique programme of concerts and educational initiatives. The organisation's main focus is o­n HIP music, a.k.a. Historically Informed performance. Ever wondered how medieval or renaissance music may have sounded? Our festival is the place to find out! ....

Siglos de Oro – Centuries of Gold
Renaissance Polyphony of the Iberian Peninsula

"In the magical year 1492, the foundation was laid for an unparallelled imperium that would dominate the world’s history for some 200 years.

It was the year of the fall of Granada, with which Ferdinand and Isabella, Spain’s catholic rulers, ended the Islamic influence of 700 years. It was also the year Cristóbal Colon discovered America.

While in the 14th and 15th centuries, Franco-Flemish polyphony reigned in all of Europe, in the course of the 16th century Italy as well as Spain nurtured their own musical styles.

Musics in the Courts and Chapels of Europe"

Four days of pure delight with three concerts per day, excellence to be found equally in the programme proposed as in the Arsys Bourgogne choir itself, present for the final concert, which in few years, has climbed to the firmament of choirs world-wide. The magic surroundings of the basilica, the eternal hill, all sprinkled with good dose of conviviality and simplicity. ... "

Visit Rencontres Musicales de Vézelay website for more information and programme. (ed.)

"Festival Sablé celebrates its 30 years in 2008

30 years in the service of music and baroque dance, listening to all research, 30 years accompanying artists. And also 30 years of the International Academy of Ancient Music and Dance: thousands of artists for hundreds of concerts, students from all continents. A faithful public coming from upt to 75 french regions and 20 foreign countries.

"The Week of Ancient Music Estella is o­ne of the most cultural programs among veterans organized by the Government of Navarre. It offers annually, in September, a sample of the best early music-medieval, Renaissance and Baroque-through performances of chamber groups and soloists of international renown. The concerts are headquartered in the Church of San Miguel de Estella. In addition to concerts, in the latest editions program has been expanded with conferences and other activities for teaching. ..." (Google translation)

Visit Semana de Música Antigua de Estella website for more information. (ed.)

Le Festival Baroque de Pontoise and the Université Inter-Ages de Pontoise, in collaboration with Le Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Cergy-Pontoise propos 6 conferences, given by the most imminent specialists, an immersion in the captivating universe of the Baroque.

Schedule/Programme ....

"From September 13 to October 19, 2008, the 23rd edition of the Festival of Baroque Pontoise offers a rich programme of twenty concerts and performances investing some of the greatest heritage sites in the Val d'Oise. Attached to its artistic ethics, the Festival promotes o­nce again the dialogue of music with other arts, supporting those already involved with theatre, dance and film at previous editions. ..." (Google translation)

Visit Festival Baroque de Pontoise website for more information. (ed.)

"Welcome to the homepage of the Radovljica Festival, the oldest early music festival in Slovenia. With ten concerts taking place in Radovljica and Ljubljana between 9 and 24 August, this year's festival will present a broad spectrum of music, from reconstructions of musical performances from before the beginnings of musical notation to Schubert's Winterreise with fortepiano accompaniment. In addition to this, o­ne of the programmes will also feature contemporary works written under the influence of medieval music. ...

Songs of Our Roots

"The NGO Association "Early Music in Jaroslaw" was founded in 1995. The aim of the Association is to spread early and traditional culture, mostly in the environment of Jaroslaw. Major part of the Association's mambers are the young people who are particularly interested in developing profound understanding of tradition. Popularising of early music is the principle of the whole year's activity of Association comprising of organising concerts and workshops as well as preparing, organising and realising the Jaroslaw Early Music Festival "Song of Our Roots". ...

Summer Festivities of Early Music

"International Music Festival Summer Festivities of Early Music aims to enrich the cultural life of our time by performin music from past centuries. Initiates search of songs that so far have remained outside our horizon, or are not of such attention, what would deserve. ...

"The International EARLYMUSIC Festival, established in St Petersburg in 1998, is now recognised as o­ne of Russia’s leading musical forums. The Festival takes places annually in September-October and presents the musical legacy of the Middle-Ages, Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras to audiences in St Petersburg, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm, Ekaterinburg and Novosibirsk, performed by world-renowned ensembles and soloists. ...

"This year’s programme of Seviqc Brežice, which comprises the Brežice Festival, Klasikaa Dolenjska and Klasikaa Slovenija, will run from 4 July to 23 August 2008. The partner country for 2008 is France. Seviqc Brežice provides a showcase this year for more than 50 concert events in Slovenia, Croatia and Italy; in Slovenia, 44 festival events will be hosted in 17 different municipalities at 35 historic locations.

Since this year’s partner country is France, special emphasis will be o­n French artistes, who will feature in 12 concerts. We also anticipate the young, 10-piece Cuban group Ensemble Ars Longa, plus performers from Russia, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Poland, Croatia, Belgium and Slovenia. ...

After almost 3 years in the writing  composer and harpsichordist Grant Colburn has completed his newest book of period harpsichord music which will be titled, "Setts or Suits of Lessons for the Harpsicord or Spinnet."  This book is inspired by the English keyboard composers of 1720's, being somewhere between the musical styles of William Croft and Thomas Roseingrave. Grant Colburn has been a contributor to Early Music America Magazine and performed his harpsichord works at last year's Boston Early Music Festival. ...