EarlyMusicNews.Org

“ArcoVoce is a chamber group made up of some of the East Coast’s most acclaimed performers on both modern and period instruments. ArcoVoce, whose name translates loosely from the Italian for strings and voice, may be unique in specializing in performances on both sets of instruments, as well as in including vocal chamber music as an integral part of its performances. ArcoVoce has performed in prestigious venues including Washington D.C.’s Phillips Collection and Corcoran Galleries, the German and Dutch Embassies, the Boston Early Music Festival, and Alexandria Virginia’s Lyceum. ArcoVoce’s repeated performances at the Phillips Collection have earned it status as a resident chamber ensemble of the gallery. Among the notable guest artists who have appeared with ArcoVoce are the celebrated baroque violinist Elisabeth Wallfisch, principal cellist of Musica Antique Koln Phoebe Carrai, and longtime principal clarinettist of the Cleveland Orchestra Franklin Cohen.“

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Added on: Mar 02, 2012 | Hits: 163

“Founded in 1977 by Dr. J. Reilly Lewis, the Washington Bach Consort is committed to the study and performance of the complete vocal and instrumental works of Johann Sebastian Bach and his contemporaries. The mission of the Washington Bach Consort is to 1) Perform to the highest artistic standards the music of J.S. Bach and his Baroque contemporaries, 2) Expand its audience through concerts, collaborations with other performing ensembles, media appearances, marketable recordings and tours, and 3) Promote current and future appreciation of J.S. Bach in our community through compelling music education programs presented by members of the Consort.

As one of the nation's critically acclaimed and widely recognized performing arts institutions, it has appeared at numerous festivals and has made three European tours. Recordings include the Bach's complete motets, both J.S. and C.P.E. Bach's Magnificats, the first American recording of the F Major and G minor masses, and three solo soprano cantatas featuring opera superstar Elizabeth Futral. “

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Added on: Jan 15, 2012 | Hits: 166

“La Barca Leyden derives its name from the two songs 'La Barca' ('the boat') and 'Fortuna guida' of 1611 of the Leiden composer, musician and organist of the city and Peter Hooglandse church Schuyt Cornelis (1557-1616). Together, the songs are a blessing and also an allusion to his own name: 'May the boat send Fortuna!'

This Baroque ensemble was founded in 2007 by flutist Raymond Honing and consists of prominent musicians who have specialised in authentic performance practice of early music and has a home in Leiden. La Barca Leyden joins the rich musical history of the city and revitalises Leiden as a residence by choice. La Barca Leyden starts where Cornelis Schuyt ended: in the early Baroque and occurs in both small and large occupation. “

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Added on: Nov 24, 2011 | Hits: 166

“The early music ensemble Mean Time was founded in 2003 in Greenwich, with the aim of creating innovative and varied programmes of music which are accessible, and appeal to a wide range of audiences.  Specialising in work with the recorder they are also proficient at singing and playing the baroque flute and harpsichord.  Often praised for their versatility they cover repertoire spanning the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods as well as a little contemporary music. 

All members studied early music at Trinity College of Music or The Royal College of Music under the direction of Philip Thorby and Ashley Solomon.  Since leaving college they have all enthusiastically entered the teaching profession and enjoy enriching the lives of young people through music.  They also enjoy delivering workshops and are committed to charity work having particularly enjoyed a project which took music into hospitals.  Performing regularly all over the country the group has played in venues such as Wistow Church as part of The Leicester Early Music Festival, Charlton House, The Greenwich Maritime Museum and St. Alfege Church.“

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Added on: Dec 28, 2011 | Hits: 166

“The Collegium Musicum "Fernando Silva-Morvan" is a professional ensemble specializing in performing music from the baroque to the classical period. It was founded alongside the Baroque Camerata in 1985 by Professor Isabel Palacios, in order to have the entire musical structure for the study and implementation of comprehensive repertoire of music from these periods, either vocal repertoire, choral or orchestral.”

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Added on: Feb 29, 2012 | Hits: 166

“New York City based SIREN Baroque stages vibrant, thought-provoking programs of early chamber and vocal music.  Bringing passionate and historically informed performances to concert halls, art galleries, and cafes throughout New York and beyond, the nine women of SIREN are committed to infusing passionate historical accuracy with a twinge of modern dynamism by commissioning new works for historical instruments. “

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Added on: Feb 22, 2012 | Hits: 169

“VocaMe - a top-flight ensemble of renowned singers from the Early Music scene

"... (Michael) Popp formed VocaMe, a top-flight ensemble of renowned singers from the Early Music scene. Popp took on the role of musical director for the ensemble and also made use of hs expertise in various medieval instruments, providing occasional instrumental accompaniment."

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Added on: Feb 04, 2012 | Hits: 169

“Ensemble Altapunta debuted at the Palladium in Malmö 26th January and played in the St Mary's Church in Helsingborg August 2007.”

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Added on: Feb 23, 2012 | Hits: 170

“Taking its name from a prevalent theme of the age of Louis XIV, Le Tendre Amour is based in Barcelona, though its members are originally from many corners of the world. Since their beginning, the emphasis has been in creating unusual programs, always with the aim of pleasing audiences of all ages.

The ensemble, directed and organized by Katy Elkin and Esteban Mazer, has performed in top early music festivals in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Holland, France, Croatia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, and Spain. In 2008 Le Tendre Amour was awarded the prize for best interpretation at the Varazdin Baroque Evenings festival (Croatia) for their program of Jewish baroque music.

Over the past few years, their artistic interest has turned towards the field of chamber opera, although they continue performing various repertoires in their original format of seven musicians. (See our “Programs” page for details). Le Tendre Amour has recorded a CD of sacred French cantatas for the label K617 (France) called Le Passage de la Mer Rouge.  Their next release is a CD of English music called “All in a Garden Green” for the label Brillant Classics (Holland), available March 2012.“

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Added on: Mar 02, 2012 | Hits: 170

“Capriola recorder quartet is playing early and modern music. Capriola gives own concerts and concerts with other instrumentalists and chamber choirs. The members of Capriola are Irene Hooimeijer, Kees Konings, Joost de Ridder and Frans Schröder.

Capriola has performed in many concerts in and outside the Netherlands. Capriola strives after a consort sound inspired by Renaissance ideas, also practiced on modern music.

The ensemble plays on a broad collection of mainly after historical examples handmade instruments (a=440 and 415), including except for many recorders also a bass dulcian (renaissance bassoon) and a baroque bassoon.“

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Added on: Nov 24, 2011 | Hits: 171

“Conducted by Fritz Heller, the ensemble's repertoire focuses on music of the 16th century, including music from the Middle Ages and the early baroque period.

Repertoire by several big name composers like Josquin Desprez, Heinrich Isaac, Ludwig Senfl as well as lesser known ones, such as Johan Stokes, Lambertus de Monte de Ponta Adamus, are included in the programmes of the ensemble.

The main genres of music Rabaskadol perform are Motets, madrigals, instrumental fantasias, dance music.”

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Added on: Nov 24, 2011 | Hits: 171

"In spring 2008, a group of young musicians came together in North Germany under the direction and initiative of Florian Benfer to perform a programme consisting of motets and cantatas from the 17th and 18th centuries. This group developed into the ARTON Ensemble, which now performs in varying sizes and combinations and is made up of young professional singers and instrumentalists, some of whom are still completing their studies, but all of whom bring with them a wealth of experience in renowned ensembles and as soloists on the international concert circuit. One special feature of this ensemble is the wide range of nationalities to be found among the ensemble members. This project includes musicians from France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, Austria, England and Germany. Concert tours in the short history of this young ensemble have already led these excellent musicians to stages in Germany, Sweden and France.”

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Added on: Feb 03, 2012 | Hits: 172

“Indianapolis Early Music (IEM), originally known by its current corporate name of Festival Music Society of Indiana, was established in 1966 as a not-for-profit organization to enrich, educate and entertain audiences with the music of Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque and early classic eras. IEM concerts feature high quality performers, performing on instruments of the period. IEM was the first organization of its kind formed in Indiana and only the second in the nation at the time of its organization. It is now the oldest continuous Early Music series in the United States. The festival occurs each June and July. …”

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Tags:“Indianapolis Early Music Festival”

Added on: Jul 30, 2011 | Hits: 174

“ … The Ensemble l’Échelle declares itself partisan of certain Renaissance music, for the profoundly humanist ideas which it expresses. The chamber musicians who make it up seek to pool their musical talent in the search for an appropriate historic verisimilitude. …”

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Added on: Sep 30, 2011 | Hits: 174

“Armonia Nova is an ensemble of instruments and voices based in the Washington D.C. area. Its members perform medieval and Renaissance music of Europe on instruments that are re-creations of historical instruments, applying scholarship and informed historical performance practice. Members of Armonia Nova strive to achieve an historically authentic performance with the desire for the listener to hear this remote yet remarkably beautiful music as it might have sounded when it was newly created.

Armonia Nova has been frequently praised for its intelligent and creative programming. The performances of this ensemble capture the emotional content of the music, bringing an intensity and immediacy to the performance while maintaining the purity and clarity of tone so essential to music of these early periods.”

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Added on: Mar 02, 2012 | Hits: 175

“Essencia Qvinta aware of the crucial role of Spanish polyphony in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, takes as its main objective the revaluation of this repertoire. …“

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Added on: Oct 01, 2011 | Hits: 176

“La Ninfea (Italian for water lily) is dedicated to the chamber music repertoire of the 17th and 18th centuries. In addition to their standard repertoire, the members of La Ninfea specialize mainly in unknown pieces of music worthy of re-discovery. The members of the ensemble have repeatedly won competitions and other awards, and have performed in various projects in different constellations. Audiences and critics appreciate their virtuous and particularly expressive performances. When the 2009 German Music Competition was announced, they decided to form a permanent ensemble, which reached the final round of the competition. The core membership of the ensemble, Christian Heim (viola da gamba), Simon Linné (Lute), and Barbara Heindlmeier (recorder), are often joined by other instrumentalists and singers according to the needs of their repertoire.”

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Added on: Feb 03, 2012 | Hits: 177

“ALBA was formed in connection with the first Copenhagen Early Music Festival in 1992 and the Spanish exhibition at the art museum Louisiana the same year.

Agnethe Christensen,  contralto, comes originally from Sweden and has her musical roots in both classical and folk music. After studies at the Royal Danish Academy of Music and with Andrea von Ramm in Basel, she has participated in operas, solo recordings for different radio stations, CD productions and concerts in early music and has worked together with a.o William Christie, Reinhard Goebel, Konrad Junghänel and Frieder Bernius  as well as giving masterclasses and solo recitals. She also appears at opera stages worldwide performing mainly modern and baroque opera  latest with the danish theatre company Hotel Proforma in their music production  Operation Orfeo  and in 2001, together with Benjamin Bagby, in Sequentias new music-theater production"Myths of the Icelandic Edda".

Poul Høxbro has achieved international recognition for his work in recreating a medieval playing style on the pipe and tabor. A nine months journey in South America, where he played folk music from Peru and Bolivia, was to become crucial for his decision of a musical career. He has classical diploma and soloist examen - in recorder - from The Carl Nielsen Academy of Music, but since 1994 he has devoted all his time to investigate the simultaneous playing on three hole pipes and percussion. Using his motley musical background, and in close collaboration with specialized instrument makers, this pioneering effort has lead to performances around the world and brought him a number of Danish musical awards. He works regular in different constellations with artists from Sweden, Germany and Australia, plays in Medieval Ensemble ALBA together with Agnethe Christensen and with Miriam Andersén in the duo Esk where they specialize in early and traditional Nordic music. In addition to his music he performs storytelling in Danish, English and German, gives lectures and dance courses.“

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Added on: Feb 23, 2012 | Hits: 177

“The young CONCERTO ROMANO ensemble was formed as part of a project to revive the vast body of the hitherto forgotten music by the Roman composer, Francesco Foggia (1604-1688). The project was received with enthusiasm by critics and audiences alike and the ensemble decided to continue on their path and specialise in the music of their city. …

… The ensemble is made up of a fix nucleus - Paolo Perrone (baroque violin), Luca Pietropaoli (cornet), Serena Bellini (flutes) Luca Marconato and Francesco Tommasi (guitar and thorbos), Andrea Buccarella (cembalo and organ), Luca Cervoni (tenor) and Giacomo Farioli (bass) - and a variable number of singers and intrumentalists, all whom specialise in early music. It has performed regularly since 2006 and under Alessandro Quarta’s baton, has given many first contemporary performances in Italy (Rome, Florence, Palestrina) and Berne, also in numerous events sponsored by Rome’s Archeological Heritage Department and by the Rome City Council. In 2009, CONCERTO ROMANO debuted at the prestigious early music festival, Tage Alte Musik, in Herne, Germany, in 2010 in the Konzerthaus in Vienna meeting with enormous success. In 2011 Concerto Romano performed in the Vatican, at Rheingau Musik Festival and again with the German broadcasting station WDR in Kempen.“

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Added on: Feb 28, 2012 | Hits: 177

“With so much to play, it’s hard to know where to begin.  But the truth is that we began ensembleF2 in the spring of 2009 with concerts up and down the country performing great works of Haydn and Mozart.  The focus of these performances was our two Wigmore Hall concerts in London.  Playing to delighted audiences ensembleF2 launched with large and small ensemble pieces from two giants of the music world.

We play music we love and want  to do that on the instruments which seem to suit the repertoire best.  It involves a lot of research, trying out, listening and reflecting but we think it’s worth it and makes our job so much more interesting.  Assembling and Ensembling with friends and deeply respected colleagues allows us to constantly learn from each other and we relish the journey ahead.

Our future programmes will present a groundbreaking approach to period performance using the research and knowledge gained in our individual fields and working to the highest musical standards in our power.“

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Added on: Sep 07, 2011 | Hits: 178

“LUXURIANS is a young, international Early Music Ensemble, situated in Bremen/Germany. Its members have won several prizes and scholarships and work with ensembles like Weser Renaissance, Salzburger Hofmusik, Orlando di Lasso Ensemble, L'Arpeggiata. The cast of ensemble LUXURIANS vary according to the program from trio to baroque orchestra. However, it concentrates on 17th Century sacred music and dance music.“

Added on: Feb 03, 2012 | Hits: 178

“Habsburger Camerata is an eclectic period instrument ensemble bound together by a common enthusiasm for 17th Century music. Originally established to explore the musical legacy of the Habsburg Empire, we stand out in the field of historical performance by specializing in this diverse and colourful repertoire. Based on historic precedent, our particular combination of string and wind instruments is unique among contemporary period instrument groups and, as such, has been recognized as pioneering. This versatile instrumentation not only enables us to present a wide variety of programmes as a core ensemble, but also to perform larger scale works with the addition of other musicians. …”

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Added on: Jul 21, 2011 | Hits: 179

“By its historically informed interpretative style, based on specific instrumental techniques, covering the 17th and 18th centuries, the ensemble sets out to restore the music of that period through concerts, recordings, collaborations with other musicians or ensembles, participation in educational, governmental and nongovernmental programmes. …“

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Added on: Feb 05, 2012 | Hits: 179

“Washington's Camerata, established in 2009, is a period instrument ensemble dedicated to the music of the 17th and 18th centuries. Founding flutists Kelly Kazik and Sarah McIver achieve innovative programming through the ensemble's unique instrumentation to bring charming and rarely heard music back to life.  …”

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Added on: Nov 12, 2012 | Hits: 179

Anas Chen violin
Johannes Keller harpsichord

“L'Istante - irretrievable moment in a live performance. The moment when the musical language of a bygone era speaks to us today. The music of the Baroque period has a lot to say. But if we play as a musician today for a contemporary audience, it is despite all the knowledge of the former Performance Practice can never be an exact reconstruction. For us this is not the most important. The music is as vivid contrast to a recent, perhaps even strange world can speak to us. L'Istante maintains a close cooperation with the basso continuo ensemble Il Profondo.”

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Added on: Jul 21, 2011 | Hits: 181