EarlyMusicNews.Org

"The word is German and means “table music” or “music for the feast.”

The name is apt because Tafelmusik has produced a feast of firsts and bests and has won admiration throughout the musical world.

Through its extensive national and international tours, its critically-acclaimed recordings and TV broadcasts, its new media initiatives and growing web of community and artistic partnerships, Tafelmusik is one of most prolific orchestras in the world.

Tafelmusik, Canada’s award-winning period instrument orchestra, was founded in 1979 and has long been renowned in North America and internationally for its distinct, exhilarating and soulful performances.  Under the outstanding leadership of Music Director Jeanne Lamon, C.M., it has excelled equally in music ranging from the baroque and classical eras and beyond, including adventurous cross-cultural reinventions of baroque classics.  In the words of Gramophone, Tafelmusik is “one of the world’s top baroque orchestras.” 

The Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, specializing in baroque performance practice and vocal technique, was formed in 1981 to complement the orchestra. Under the direction of Ivars Taurins, the choir has been praised for its clarity and brilliance and has been described as “the best period-performance choir anywhere in the world…”(The Globe and Mail).  

Tafelmusik performs 50 concerts each year in Toronto at Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, a historic church in the Annex neighbourhood of Toronto, performs community outreach concerts, tours extensively in Canada and throughout the world, and has a discography of 76 CDs that have garnered many national and international awards. 

At the heart of Tafelmusik is a group of remarkably talented, enthusiastic and dynamic musicians, each of whom is a specialist in historical performance practice. …”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jun 17, 2005 | Hits: 569

“Les Violons du Roy came into existence as the dream of a group of young musicians. We wanted to take a new and different approach to the performance of works written for chamber orchestra, especially during the Baroque period. For over twenty years, we have been pursuing this vision with the support of all those who attend our concerts and buy our recordings. I would like to invite you to discover the other facets of our work, and to join us in achieving our dream.” ...

Bernard Labadie
Artistic and Music Director

Added on: Jul 06, 2005 | Hits: 590

"Hailed by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as "one of Atlanta's most prized ensembles" New Trinity Baroque is recognized as o­ne of USA's leading baroque orchestras and early music ensembles. Founded in London in 1998, the group was initially established as an ensemble of international musicians, and since then it continues to maintain this presence through working closely with both U.S. and international artists. Founded by the young conductor and harpsichordist, Predrag Gosta, the ensemble's home base is Atlanta, where it continues its mission by presenting over 25 concerts and educational events each season" ...

Added on: Jul 13, 2005 | Hits: 340

"Taking its name from the classical god of music and the sun, Apollo's Fire is dedicated to the performance of 17th and 18th century music on the period instruments for which it was written. The ensemble unites a select pool of renowned early music specialists from throughout North America and Europe."

Added on: Apr 10, 2007 | Hits: 541

" ... The musicians of Baroque Band are looking forward to launching this new orchestra and offering an exciting new addition to Chicago’s rich cultural landscape. ..."

Added on: Apr 15, 2007 | Hits: 514

(Previously known as "Nota Bene Period Orchestra")

" Nota Bene Period Orchestra was founded in 2001 by Daniel Zondervan, Michael Purves-Smith and Richard Cunningham. Their intention was to treat Waterloo Region (Ontario, Canada ed.) music lovers to 17th and 18th century music as audiences experienced it at the time. Playing on authentic or replica instruments, Nota Bene's professional musicians come as close as possible to recreating what Bach, Vivaldi and others from the early Baroque to the early Classical period intended us to hear."

Note: “Nota Bene Period Orchestra” underwent a name change on September 10th, 2011 -- Admin

Visit website for more information.  (Admin)

Added on: Apr 15, 2007 | Hits: 863

"The Academy of Ancient Music (AAM) is one of the world’s first and foremost period-instrument orchestras. Concerts across six continents and over 250 recordings since its formation by Christopher Hogwood in 1973 demonstrate the AAM’s pre-eminence in music of the Baroque and Classical periods. In September 2006, Richard Egarr took up the post of Music Director, succeeding Hogwood who assumes the title of Emeritus Director. Egarr has already undertaken critically-acclaimed work with the AAM including a USA tour and the recording of Bach’s harpsichord concertos. During his first season in the new role, Egarr will tour the UK, Europe and the USA, and continue the AAM’s strong recording tradition with a series of Handel recordings for Harmonia Mundi USA (HMUSA), including the release of the Concerti Grossi Op.3. " ...

Added on: Aug 14, 2007 | Hits: 359

"Ton Koopman founded the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra in 1979. The group consists of internationally renowned baroque specialists who meet up several times a year and work together to prepare and perform new exciting programmes.

For the musicians each concert is a new experience and Koopman's boundless energy and enthusiasm are a sure guarantee of the highest quality of every single performance. The repertoire of the orchestra includes instrumental and vocal-instrumental works composed between 1600 and 1791. “I draw the line at Mozart’s death” says Ton Koopman.

The Amsterdam Baroque Choir was founded in 1992 and it made its début during the Holland Festival of Early Music in Utrecht performing the world première of the Requiem (for 15 voices) and Vespers (for 32 voices) by H.I.F. Biber. For both works this was the world premiere and the recording won the Cannes Classical Award for the best performance of 17th/18th century choral music. For its rare combination of textural clarity and interpretative flexibility, the Amsterdam Baroque Choir is considered among today’s most outstanding choirs. " ...

Added on: Aug 14, 2007 | Hits: 411

"The Bach Collegium Japan was founded in 1990 by Masaaki Suzuki, who remains its music Director, with the aim of introducing Japanese audiences to period instrument performances of great works from the baroque period. BCJ is comprised of both baroque orchestra and chorus, and their major activities include an annual concert series of Bach’s cantatas and a number of instrumental programs. " ...

Added on: Aug 14, 2007 | Hits: 475

"The Boston Camerata preserves and reawakens human memory as expressed through the art of music. It accomplishes this mission through live, historically informed, professional performances of European and American music of the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque eras; through study and research into musical sources of the past; through sound recordings and media projects; and through community outreach and musical education.

Founded in 1954, The Boston Camerata was associated until 1974 with the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Since 1968, Joel Cohen has directed the ensemble's teaching, research, recording and concert activities. Camerata began touring overseas in 1974, and has maintained an international presence ever since. In recent seasons, Camerata has been heard in Canada, England, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Singapore, and Israel.. In the United States, Camerata has participated in recent early music festivals at Berkeley and San Antonio, as well as in most of the biennial Boston Early Music Festivals from 1981 to 1993. The ensemble has maintained an extensive touring schedule across the entire United States. Camerata's second, third and fourth invitations to the renowned Tanglewood Festival came in 1992, 1994 and 1995, respectively. Camerata undertook its first Japanese tour in 1995; it gave its first Scandinavian performances in 1996. The group's first invitation to participate in the Kalamazoo Medieval Institute came in 1997. A widely praised national tour of Cantigas in 2000 marked Camerata’s first collaboration with the Sharq Arabic Music Ensemble; the two groups most recently appeared together in Paris in April, 2007. Camerata celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 2005 with festive productions in Boston (Boston Early Music Festival) and Paris (Théatre de la Ville). At the latter appearance, director Joel Cohen was decorated by the French government. " See website for more details. (ed.)

Added on: Feb 18, 2008 | Hits: 415

"Established as a chamber ensemble in 1976, the Philomel Baroque Orchestra is now Philadelphia’s foremost baroque ensemble performing concerts of early music. Core members of the Philomel Baroque Orchestra also perform as the Philomel Baroque Quintet. Philomel's activities include a major series of 12 to 15 early music concerts Philadelphia and environs; touring engagements; recording; radio broadcasts; and community outreach programs to elderly audiences, public school students, and young listeners and their parents. In addition, Philomel Baroque Orchestra recently initiated a series of programs presenting the music and arts of early Philadelphia in a number of the city’s leading historic sites. Performances introduce tourists, regional audiences, and local students to everyday life in the cultural capital of the emerging nation. " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Feb 23, 2008 | Hits: 509

"To advance our community’s appreciation for music from the Middle Ages through the 18th century by providing performances, support, and education."

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Feb 26, 2008 | Hits: 495

"AROW was founded in 2000 and comprises dedicated, enthusiastic musicians who live throughout Northern California. AROW musicians play the entire recorder family, from sopranino to contrabass. Monthly rehearsals are held on Saturdays in the fall, winter & early spring months. The American Recorder Orchestra of the West has a reputation for embarking on explorations and programs of music that one would not expect recorders to dare to play. In recent years AROW has performed German, French, English, Medieval, and Eastern European programs which have included both the formal and the folk sides of national musical traditions. AROW has played music that ranges through the history of Western Music. " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 02, 2008 | Hits: 363

"Baroque Etcetera is an instrumental and vocal group that strives for historically-informed performance practice. We play at baroque pitch (A=415) on historical wind instruments, including flute, recorder, oboe and bassoon, and our string players use gut strings, baroque bows and baroque bowing techniques. But we've been known to slip in some Mozart and Shannon under the umbrella of "etcetera"! " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 02, 2008 | Hits: 771

"In the fall of 1997, a group of Atlanta musicians met to organize the first permanent period instrument orchestra in the Southeast--the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra. The ABO gave its premiere concert in January 1998, and since then the ABO has grown to be one of the best orchestras of its type in North America ... " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 03, 2008 | Hits: 698

" About Corelli Concerts Corelli Concerts began when Warwick Cole founded the Corelli Chamber Orchestra. Initially a modern-instrument string orchestra specialising in music of the 18th century, it soon developed its programming presenting 19th and 20th music in conjunction with its core repertoire. Although based in Cheltenham (England), it has performed throughout the UK for music festivals, societies and clubs.

Now, specialising in period-instrument performance we promote a varied series of concerts in and around Cheltenham as well as providing orchestras and ensembles for other concert promoters further afield.

We chose the name 'Corelli' in honour of Archangelo Corelli, the 17th-century Italian violinist and composer. Corelli's music is distinctive: it was he who first established the principles of melodic elegance twinned with harmonic control which was to become the foundation of much 18th-century music. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 08, 2008 | Hits: 450

"In a few short years, The New York Collegium has earned a reputation as one of North America’s very finest baroque bands. Renowned conductor, author, and historian Andrew Parrott has distinguished the work of The Collegium with performances of the highest caliber and programs that connect music making to the social, political, religious and literary milieu of its creation. The ensemble’s players and singers are all specialists in performing in the musical styles of the 17th and 18th centuries; many were pioneers in the field of historically informed performance and have regularly performed in the most prestigious festivals and ensembles in Europe. The New York Collegium has been featured on broadcasts on WNYC New York Public Radio, WGBH in Boston, Colorado Public Radio and NPR’s Performance Today, and has made guest appearances at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music), The Metropolitan Museum and The Savannah Music Festival. A concert by The New York Collegium will be the featured performance to open The Bach Festival of Philadelphia in March 2007.

The Collegium also maintains an innovative teaching residency in New York City public schools, providing recorder, percussion and classical guitar instruction to entire classrooms of 2nd to 8th grade children. Recorder virtuoso Nina Stern, the Director of Education for The New York Collegium, has received honors for her educational work, including an Endicott Fellowship in 2003 and the “Early Music Brings History Alive” award from Early Music America in 2005. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 08, 2008 | Hits: 365

"Named Musical America's "Ensemble of the Year" for 2004, San Francisco's Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra has been dedicated to historically-informed performance of Baroque, Classical and early-Romantic music on original instruments since its inception in 1981.

Under the leadership of Nicholas McGegan, its Music Director since 1985, Philharmonia has become "an ensemble for early music as fine as any in the world today" (Los Angeles Times). The Orchestra performs a subscription season in four cities in the San Francisco Bay Area, and is regularly heard on tour in the United States and internationally. In addition to Mr. McGegan, the Orchestra has welcomed eminent guest conductors to its podium including William Christie, Andrew Parrott, Jordi Savall, Gustav Leonhardt, Monica Huggett and Stanley Ritchie. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 08, 2008 | Hits: 383

"The Bach Sinfonia is a Maryland-based non-profit organization that is dedicated to excellence in performance and public education regarding eighteenth-century music. Currently in its thirteenth season, Sinfonia presents a series of unique educational concerts, open dress rehearsals, and listening lectures regarding music from the eighteenth century. Sinfonia strives to create programs that differ from the standard classical music concert by providing performances that are not just listening entertainments but also learning experiences.

Each historically-informed performance is programmed on a theme chosen by artistic director and musicologist Daniel Abraham to inform the listener about the genres, sociology, and performance practices of the eighteenth century. Played by early music specialists, the programs are interspersed with musical and historical discussions aimed to help further audience appreciation and understanding of the music. The Washington Post and various area news organizations have recognized Sinfonia's continuing excellence in performance and education.

As part of our mission, Sinfonia also conducts research into music and performance techniques of the eighteenth-century. Throughout our past seasons, we have presented a number of significant modern-premieres and programs including: the first hearing in North America of Handel's Gloria (rediscovered in 2002), the modern premiere of Marie Emannuel Bayon-Louis' comic opera Fleur d'Épine, and the first complete performance in North America of Johann Sebastian Bach's Alles mit Gott und nichts mit ohn' ihn, BWV 1127 (rediscovered June 2005) in concert at the 2005 National Meeting of the American Musicological Society (AMS). The major work heard on the AMS program, Handel's Alexander's Feast, along with a recording of BWV 1127, was released internationally on Dorian Records in the fall of 2006. " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 12, 2008 | Hits: 455

"Three-time Grammy Nominee Boston Baroque—the first permanent Baroque orchestra established in North America—is now widely regarded as this country's leading period-instrument orchestra and chorus. The ensemble's performances and recordings of the Baroque and Classical repertoire have been acclaimed from Boston to London, from New York to Vienna to Sao Paulo for their freshness, virtuosity, and exuberant appeal.

Founded in 1973 by Martin Pearlman, Boston Baroque presents an annual subscription concert series in Greater Boston and reaches an international audience with its critically acclaimed recording series on Telarc. Boston Baroque made its European debut in April 2003, performing Handel's Messiah to sold-out houses and standing ovations in Krakow and Warsaw, Poland. The ensemble celebrated its thirtieth anniversary in 2003–2004 with a tour of the Monteverdi Vespers to major American music centers, including the Tanglewood and Ravinia Festivals and its West Coast debut in Los Angeles's Disney Hall. " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 12, 2008 | Hits: 391

"Founded in Italy in 1992 by Alan Curtis, one of the most acclaimed specialists in the interpretation of pre-romantic music, Il Complesso Barocco, has become a renowned international baroque orchestra with a focus on Italian Baroque opera and oratorio. One of their first important collaborations was with the film director Werner Herzog, who chose the ensemble as protagonist in the film Morte a cinque voci (Prix Italia 1996 and Premio Rembrandt, Amsterdam 1996) dedicated to the composer Carlo Gesualdo. Since then, their high standard for interpretation, intonation and stylistic accuracy has led to their being requested in the most important concert venues and festivals in Europe and America. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 12, 2008 | Hits: 567

"Bach Concentus was founded in 2007 by Ewald Demeyere (Artistic Director) and Giulio D'Alessio. Devoted to the instrumental and vocal repertoire of the Baroque and Classical periods, this period instrument orchestra with vocal soloists specialises in works by the Bach dynasty: Johann Christoph, Johann Bernard, Johann Sebastian, Wilhelm Friedemann, Carl Philipp Emanuel, Johann Christoph Friedrich and Johan Christian. Repertoire by lesser known composers, for example Arne, Becker, G. Benda, Böhm, Furchheim, Meder, Penzel, Platti and Roman as well as lesser known compositions by illustrious composers such as Handel, Mozart, Salieri, Telemann and Vivaldi will also be performed. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 12, 2008 | Hits: 588

"The I Febiarmonici, an orchestra founded in 1999 and operating on the principles of historical performance practice, draws its members from musicians of international origin and renown. Ist Initiator, the violinist Jochen Grüner, was educated at the Academy of Early Music in Bremen.

The Ensemble takes its inspiration from Italian musical troupes of the eighteenth century which in their time toured their country as so-called I Febiarmonici and obtained an outstanding reputation owning to their quality music and love of traveling.

In the short time since its founding, the orchestra has already gone on to gain notice with its fascinating projects. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 13, 2008 | Hits: 658

"The Baroque orchestra Modo Antiquo is regarded as one of the leading ensembles on the international early music scene.

Founded by Federico Maria Sardelli, Modo Antiquo brings together specialists in Baroque music who share a taste for instrumental virtuosity and an in-depth knowledge of historical performance styles and languages.

With its specific approach to performance of Italian Baroque music, and of Vivaldi in particular, Modo Antiquo has become established as a benchmark ensemble in this field. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 13, 2008 | Hits: 337

"Founded and directed by Krzysztof Czerwinski, the Polish Baroque Orchestra (Polish: Polska Orkiestra Barokowa) is an ensemble of players dedicated to the music of the Baroque and Classical period, featuring historically informed performance practice. Some of the Orchestra's performances have been broadcast on Polish Television.

The Polish Baroque Orchestra is run by a society. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 14, 2008 | Hits: 415