EarlyMusicNews.Org

“Rachel Podger is one of the most creative talents to emerge in the field of period performance. Over the last two decades she has established herself as a leading interpreter of the music of the Baroque and Classical periods and holds numerous recordings to her name ranging from early seventeenth century music to Mozart. She was educated in Germany and in England at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she studied with David Takeno and Micaela Comberti.

Added on: Nov 25, 2011 | Hits: 222

“Welcome to the Ensemble La Danserye’s website. A group trying to spread the music from the Middle Ages to the Early Baroque, focusing primarily in the Renaissance. This is closer to what at the time was called "minstrels", ie wind musicians played various roles in the musical Renaissance.”

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Added on: Feb 17, 2012 | Hits: 222

“Austentation are the accomplished and versatile singer Gillie Tunley, and the well-established instrumentalist and singer Frank Underwood, who have combined forces to present musical performances from the Regency period, including material from Jane Austen's own collections at Chawton in Hampshire.”

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Added on: Sep 07, 2011 | Hits: 223

Early Music Ensemble.

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Added on: Feb 23, 2012 | Hits: 223

“In choosing the name Akadêmia, Françoise Laserre gave her approach to music deep roots in a consciously humanistic tradition, inherited from the Platonic garden and the Italian Renaissance. ...

Finally, Akadêmia has an ongoing commitment to the discovery and nurturing of young vocal and instrumental talents through the organisation of professional training programmes which culminiate in a series of concerts.”

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Added on: Sep 30, 2011 | Hits: 225

“THE GOOD PENNYWORTHS, a vocal ensemble with lute accompaniment from NYC, was founded in 2007 to explore lute songs and traditional folk ballads with dramatic flair. The group’s concert programs feature quartets, duets and solo songs, engagingly staged to bring out the laughter and passion contained in these songs. …”

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Added on: Mar 14, 2012 | Hits: 226

“Ars Lyrica Houston (ALH) offers audiences a broad range of music from the 17th and 18th centuries, on period instruments and with careful attention to period style and context. Ars Lyrica, which means “lyric art,“ performs on period instruments because they produce a sweeter, more intimate sound than their modern equivalents and are better suited to the performance of Baroque music especially. Founded in 1998 by harpsichordist and conductor Matthew Dirst and incorporated in 2003 as a 501(c)(3) organization, this Grammy–nominated ensemble offers a yearly series of programs at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Houston and also performs regularly at other area and national venues.

Under Dirst’s leadership, ALH “set[s] the agenda for imaginative period–instrument programming in Houston“ (according to the Houston Chronicle) with a distinctive blend of chamber, dramatic, and sacred works from the late Renaissance through the Classical era in music history. Its recordings have garnered international acclaim: Gramophone, the leading journal of the classical recording industry, praised Ars Lyrica’s debut CD for its “exemplary skill and taste,“ the ensemble’s musicians for their “impassioned performance“ of never-before recorded works by Alessandro Scarlatti; while Ars Lyrica’s latest CD, the world première recording of Johann Adolf Hasse’s Marc Antonio e Cleopatra, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Opera 2011.

ALH is proud to have represented Houston’s thriving early music community with programs at national meetings and conventions of the American Musicological Society, the American Bach Society, the American Guild of Organists, the Society for 17th–Century Music, and, this past summer, at the world–renowned Boston Early Music Festival. ALH also serves communities across Texas through frequent collaborations with other Texas–based arts organizations, including leading choral groups and early music sponsors. In addition to its concert and recording activities, ALH offers diverse educational and outreach programs, which focus on enriching the concert experience and on building new audiences.

Recent efforts in this area include two distinctive in–school programs for K–12 children in the Houston area, family concerts at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, university-level workshops and collaborations, demonstrations of period instruments, performances at nontraditional venues, and lectures about upcoming programs.”

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Added on: Mar 01, 2012 | Hits: 227

“Eya is a new ensemble based in Washington, DC specializing in the interpretation of medieval music for women’s voices. Directed by Allison Mondel, Eya presents concert programs that interweave diverse repertories of the 12th through 15th centuries, from Hildegard von Bingen to Notre Dame to the flyleaves of early English manuscripts and beyond. Through this lens, these programs seek to tell a story that forges new points of connection between contemporary audiences and ancient repertoire.

Eya (prounounced “eh-yah”) is a Latin exclamation of joy.“

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Added on: Feb 19, 2012 | Hits: 228

“La Folia is the longest performing Spanish group in the interpretation of baroque music on period instruments and historical criteria, who, also, on occasion tackles the vocal and instrumental repertoire of the Renaissance.

The activity of La Folia consists mainly of holding concerts, recording CDs and various tasks related to research and teaching, with emphasis on Hispanic repertoire.” (Google Translate)

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Added on: Feb 17, 2012 | Hits: 230

“The Ex Novo Ensemble was founded in Venice in 1979 by the composer Claudio Ambrosini and seven young musicians, who have remained with the Ensemble over since. The Ex Novo Ensemble now represents a point of reference on the international panorama of new music.The continuity obtained by working together, its artistic and professional coherence, have bequeathed a certain character, a "sound", which both public and critics of the major European festivals recognize to the Ensemble.

Their commitment to exploring the language of contemporary music later became the basis for re interpreting classical repertory, particulary those scores composed for rare instrumental sets that, although very beautiful, remain little known.

Many world premieres and works dedicated to the Ex Novo Ensemble have also been presented in recordings of the major European broadcasting corporations.

The Ensemble's contribution to the chamber music of the early Italian nineteen hundreds, as seen by its long collaboration with large recording companies, is significant.”

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Added on: Nov 20, 2011 | Hits: 232

“What is Profondo Il?

We are an eight-person basso continuo ensemble. As our name suggests, can we just play bass or bass instruments: cello, double bass, lute, theorbo, harpsichord, organ, etc.”

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Added on: Jul 21, 2011 | Hits: 233

“Retrospect Ensemble is London's exciting new period instrument orchestra and choir. Founded in 2009 the group has already undertaken major concert tours to the Far East, Middle East and Europe and performed at a number of prestigious UK festivals. Directed by Matthew Halls, one of the UK's most dynamic young conductors and acclaimed keyboard players, Retrospect Ensemble is taking its musicians and audiences on a new journey - exploring the repertoire of four centuries, embracing the practices, styles and aesthetics of former ages with renewed vigour and a fresh approach.

Retrospect Ensemble is a flexible group which performs as an orchestra, a choir, a chamber ensemble (including the Retrospect Trio, whose first recording was issued by Linn Records in May 2009) and other combinations. …”

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Added on: Sep 26, 2011 | Hits: 233

“Ensemble created in 2007, led by Damien Pouvreau, "Children of the Court" includes professional musicians who specialize in early music, whose approach is to explore the different facets of their music trade and by partnering with other personalities from the arts and culture (musicians, actors, singers, dancers, visual artists, graphic designers, photographers, writers).”

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Added on: Nov 13, 2011 | Hits: 234

“Recordare consists of four inspired musicians who began playing together in 2010.

Under the guidance of McGill University’s world-renowned Early Music department, they discovered a wonderful rapport with one another and common approach to expression. Always looking for diverse sonorities and textures, Recordare has explored and performed a wide variety of styles and composers. Though they have focused on Italian music of the seventeenth century, the ensemble recently found an affinity with the music of Giuseppe Sammartini. Committed to a performance more thrilling than the printed page leads us to believe, the ensemble strives to reflect the “science, originality and fire” that Charles Burney found so striking in these works.

With their proposal of recording Sammartini’s chamber music, Recordare has been named one of the six finalist groups of the Early Music America/Naxos 2011 Recording Competition. The ensemble was also awarded 2nd place in the 2011 Festival de Musique Classique de Pierre-De Saurel chamber music competition.”

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Added on: Jan 21, 2012 | Hits: 234

“A Baroque ensemble of the new generation, Les Ombres was founded by Sylvain Sartre and Margaux Blanchard in 2006 with the aim of closely linking musicological research and 'historically informed' interpretation. In their quest to rediscover forgotten masterpieces of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, its members seek to unite the emblematic arts of the Baroque theatre, so that musicians, singers, dancers and actors become interpreters of one and the same score. These specificities make the ensemble a space for creativity and expression, a human and musical adventure. Inspired by music as an art in constant evolution, Les Ombres also give priority to the exploration of new horizons, ranging from the traditional patrimony to contemporary creations.

The nucleus of Les Ombres is formed by three musicians trained at the Schola Cantorum of Basel: Margaux Blanchard (viola da gamba), nadja Lesaulnier (harpsichord), and Sylvain Sartre (transverse flute). According to the needs of specific programmes, this trio is supplemented by violins, flutes, bas- soon, theorbo, and so on. Alongside the instrumental repertoire, the ensemble devotes an important place to vocal music and dramaturgy. It has therefore invited for this CD Mélodie Ruvio, a mezzo-soprano who came to the members' attention in the title role of Le Carnaval et la Folie conducted by Hervé niquet at the European Baroque Academy of Ambronay in 2007, and the actor and director Manuel Weber, a specialist in Baroque theatre, whom they met at the creation of a production devoted to the fables of La Fontaine. …“

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Added on: Jul 21, 2011 | Hits: 235

“Baroque Fever was formed by leading members of the new generation of early music specialists in 2000. The members represent four nationalities, now all based in Copenhagen.

Following an initial round of concerts in Denmark and Sweden, to universal critical acclaim in the national press, they have made numerous appearances (many with radio relay on Danmarks Radio and the EBU network) throughout Northern Europe.

The core formation is 2 violins and continuo, enabling Baroque Fever to focus on the extrovert, extravagant Italian music from around 1700, as well as its influences throughout the rest of Europe.

In addition to concerts at festivals such as the Holland Festival of Early Music Utrecht, York Festival in UK, Copenhagen Renaissance Music Festival, Båstad Festival and Vantaa Baroque, they collaborate with larger ensembles, such as Norwegian Baroque Orchestra, Arte dei Suonatori (Poland), I Fagiolini (uk) as well as other musicians.

They teach and give masterclasses, both individually and as an ensemble, at leading Nordic conservatories and summer schools.”

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Added on: Sep 26, 2011 | Hits: 236

“The mezzo-soprano Anne Marieke Evers and the blockflute player Anita Orme Della Marta met at the beginning of their musical studies at the Conservatorium of Amsterdam in September 1997. They formed a duo shortly after, specializing in both contemporary music as well as medieval and renaissance music. Later in their careers, their paths led them to pursue further studies in medieval music at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, Switzerland, where they met the other ensemble members of Grand Désir. It was here that a common interest in the late-medieval music brought the group together in December 2004. Aside a few fixed members, Grand Désir likes to work with different musicians for each individual programme, thus creating the flexibility to obtain the perfect instrumentation for each project. Grand Désir performed their premiere in the ‘Fringe’ programme of the Utrecht Early Music Festival 2005. The ensemble has given numerous performances since in the Netherlands, Switzerland and Australia.”

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Added on: Nov 24, 2011 | Hits: 236

“Since its formation in 2006, multi award-winning Ensemble Meridiana has established itself as one of Europe’s finest Baroque ensembles of it’s generation. The five members of Ensemble Meridiana come from four different countries and met during their studies at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel, Switzerland where they specialised in early music.

Added on: Nov 20, 2011 | Hits: 237

“… ANIMA – musica mundana humana et instrumentalis is now nearing its twentieth anniversary. The group's concerts are the result of intensive research into performance based on the music of non-lettered communities located far from urban centers in Brazil, and the music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance in Europe. ANIMA constantly weaves dialog between ethnomusicology, historical musicology, and contemporary hermeneutics and theater, thus staging a musical story in which time is non- linear, with presentation and stage as ritualized space-time for musical realization in the full sense of the term. Europe's Middle Ages and Renaissance come together on the stage in the music of Brazil's non-urban oral tradition, with arrangements devised by the performers themselves, or proposed by members of the group and their guests. Their repertoire is structured and arranged on the basis of a central theme in a space-time-instrument intersection, using the language of chamber music to stage ongoing dialog between past and present, popular and classical culture.

The group has recorded the following CDs: Espiral do Tempo, winner of the 1997 Brazilian Popular Music Award in the category 'best instrumental CD', and the (1998) São Paulo Art Critics Association (APCA) award in the category 'best chamber-music ensemble'. In 1999, as part of the commemorations of the 500th anniversary of the discovery of Brazil, Anima recorded the CD Teatro do Descobrimento, conceived and directed by singer Anna Maria Kieffer. In 2000, Especiarias (CD) won the 5th Carlos Gomes Award for classical music (made by the State of São Paulo Secretariat for Culture) in the category 'best chamber-music ensemble'. Amares (CD) was sponsored by REDE electric company in 2003. Espelho (CD and DVD) was produced 2006 – 2008 and both were sponsored exclusively by PETROBRAS. …”

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Added on: Nov 28, 2011 | Hits: 238

“Bacchanalia Baroque Ensemble was founded in 2002 by flutist Laura Thompson. This period-instrument ensemble comprised of talented and dynamic musicians from all over the world engages New York audiences with unusual programming - including works that have never been heard in America's concert halls. Bacchanalia brings to audiences baroque and early classical music -from the intimate flute sonatas of Hotteterrre and Blavet, to the virtuosic concerti of Quantz and music by composers such as Gehot and Mozart.

Bacchanalia gave their debut at the Boston Early Music Festival Fringe in 2002, and have since been heard in many venues and early music series' in New York, such as Riverside Church's Christ Chapel, Midtown Concerts, Saint Peter's Classical Concert series, as ensemble-in-residence at the Church of the Resurrection, Music at Our Saviour's Atonement, Sundays on the Island, and Trinity Church in New York City.

Awarded grants from the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council in 2008 and 2010 for live concert programming, and from the Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance for the recording and production of a CD of American Federal era music, Bacchanalia is set to release their first recording, of trios by American immigrant-composer and violinist Joseph Gehot, which will be released on the Eroica label in 2011.“

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Added on: Apr 21, 2011 | Hits: 239

“Emerald Baroque is a dynamic ensemble focusing on enchanting music inspired by Ireland. The group performs Celtic Baroque music led by Bridget Cunningham on the harpsichord with Laura Justice (recorders), Farran Scott (baroque violin), Jennifer Bullock (viol, baroque cello), Eleanor Harrison (baroque violin) and Breda McKinney (soprano) They have recently recorded 'Ireland's Enchantment', featuring early Irish tunes and new compositions and arrangements, in a modern approach performed on baroque instruments. Music includes folk songs, new pieces, harpsichord music, instrumental music as well as baroque music by composers such as O'Carolan and his contemporaries.

Emerald also commissions new works and are available for recording, film work, festivals, concerts and lecture recitals. Other programmes include 'Handel in Dublin' and previous concerts include Camden New Town Festival, Winchester Early Music Festival, Handel House Museum, Brighton Early Music Festival and the Workshops Series 2010.“

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Added on: Sep 07, 2011 | Hits: 240

“Lene Langballe studied recorder at the Royal Academy of Music in Copenhagen with Vicki Boeckman and graduated from The Civica Scoula in Milan (Italy) with Pedro Memelsdorff. She discovered the cornett and continued her studies at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel, studying recorder with Conrad Steinmann and cornetto with Bruce Dickey.

Lene has performed with numerous ensembles such as Concerto Copenhagen, Alta Punta, Musica Fiorita, ArsNova among others, and appears on several recordings. In 2003 she founded  ensemble Authentia, her own platform for music from the renaissance and baroque.

Lene teaches recorder and performance practice at the Academy of Music in Copenhagen.

Roberto Falcone studied violin at the Conservatory in Lugano (Switzerland) with Carlo Chiarappa and specialized in baroque violin at the Civica Scoula in Milan with Enrico Gatti.

Roberto has collaborated with several ensembles of early music such as Sonatori della Giosa Marca, Academia, La Fenice, and others, and appears on many recordings with well known labels like Erato, Sony, EMI.

In 2003 he created ensemble Authentia, his own platform for early music and has performed many concerts.

Roberto teaches violin at the music school in Nykøbing Falster, Denmark and has taught several masterclasses.”

Added on: Feb 23, 2012 | Hits: 240

“Innovative, historically-informed and multi-cultural, HESPERUS’ collaborative artists perform a variety of programs designed to bring musical history alive including silent movie soundtracks of early and traditional music, musical portraits of a single culture through time, fusions of European early music with American traditional styles, and single-genre early music programs from medieval to Spanish and British Colonial music. Whatever the genre, HESPERUS performs with creative energy, technical assurance and a sense of fun.“

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Added on: Nov 12, 2012 | Hits: 241

“Palladians (formerly the Palladian Ensemble) is a quartet of the highest calibre, firmly established on the international music scene since 1991. They present baroque chamber music infused with style, uninhibited virtuosity and intelligent musicianship.

The original members of the Palladian Ensemble (Rachel Podger, Pamela Thorby, Joanna Levine and William Carter) met during their studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London) where they specialised in virtuoso chamber music of the baroque period. In 1991 they won the Early Music Centre International Young Artists' Competition, in 1992 they won the South East Arts Young Artists' Platform and by 1993 they had released their first album (An Excess of Pleasure) and made their Wigmore Hall debut.

Gamba player Susanne Heinrich replaced cellist Joanna Levine in 1995 and the Palladian Ensemble went on to tour extensively throughout the UK, South America, the US and Europe, enjoying consistent popularity with audiences and critics worldwide. They recorded six more albums on the way. By 2003 Rachel Podger decided to pursue a solo career and thus stepped in the prize-winning violinist Rodolfo Richter. The Ensemble made two more albums Les Elemens and Sonatas and Chorales - J.S. Bach.

The Palladian Ensemble's award-winning series of recordings for Linn Records have received unanimous praise. An Excess of Pleasure, A Choice Collection and Held by the Ears won the prestigious Diapason d'Or, with others winning Gramophone Magazine 'Editor's Choice' plaudits.

In 2007 Pamela Thorby left the Ensemble in order to pursue new performance opportunities. Nowadays, the Palladian Ensemble is known as "Palladians" allowing more artistic freedom for players to come and go as required, depending on the programme being performed.

In 2008 the Ensemble won a further two Diapason d'Or awards for "The London Collection: A Choice Collection / Held by the Ears" and "The Venice Collection: An Excess of Pleasure / The Winged Lion".  The winning albums are part of four double albums re-issued as the Collector's Series in September 2008.  These two new awards brings the Ensemble's total number of Diapason d'Or accolades to seven! “

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Added on: Nov 25, 2011 | Hits: 242

“Since 1977, Adelaide Baroque has established a tradition of leadership in the field of authentic early music performance, revitalising known Baroque repertoire, and bringing to light freshly discovered works with a vivacity, integrity and spirit they so richly deserve. Adelaide Baroque is renowned for its uncompromising standard of excellence, and for the ongoing development of emerging professional musicians.“

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Added on: Jan 15, 2012 | Hits: 243