EarlyMusicNews.org

“Montserrat Figueras is an outstanding performer in a vast vocal repertoire which spans the Mediaeval, Renaissance and Baroque periods.  Born in Barcelona into a family of music-lovers, she performed while still very young with Enric Gispert and Ars Musicae, studying singing with Jordi Albareda as well as dramatic interpretation. In 1966, she began studying early singing techniques, from the troubadours to the Baroque, developing a highly individual approach which draws directly on original sources, both historical and traditional, unfettered by the influences of the post-Romantic school. Her artistic and personal union with Jordi Savall, which has proved so fruitful in the couple’s multiple teaching, research and creative activities, dates from 1967. …”

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Added on: Oct 01, 2011 | Hits: 680

“Dominique Visse began his singing career at the age of 11 as a chorister in the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. At the same time he began studying the organ and flute at the Versailles Conservatory.

Already passionate about Renaissance and Mediaeval music, in 1976 he met the grand pioneer of the countertenor voice, Alfred Deller, and became his pupil. He also worked with Nigel Rogers, René Jacobs and William Christie.

In 1978 Dominique Visse founded the Ensemble Clément Janequin with whom he has made a series of benchmark recordings of French polyphonic chansons of the 16th Century. The following year he became one of the founding members of Les Arts Florissants and edited much of the ensemble's repertoire in its early years.

Since that time Dominique Visse has become one of the most popular lyric artists in the world of Baroque opera, working with René Jacobs, Jean-Claude Malgoire, Philippe Herreweghe, Ton Koopman, William Christie, Alan Curtis, Nicholas McGegan, Christophe Rousset, Ivor Bolton and Robert King, in the opera houses of Paris, Berlin, Cologne, Amsterdam, Lausanne, Tel-Aviv, Montpellier, Houston, Barcelona, Munich, Versailles, at the Monnaie in Brussels, at the Châtelet and the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris, on tour in Japan and North America, and at the Festivals of Aix en Provence, Innsbruck and Edinburgh. ..”

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Added on: May 18, 2009 | Hits: 1075

“Formed in 1998 by its artistic director Laurence Brisset, the De Caelis Ensemble specialises in the performance of unaccompanied vocal works of the Middle Ages. The Ensemble’s passion for this little-known repertoire has resulted in a body of work that is based upon knowledge of original sources, of systems of notation and of the context of the works concerned. The quality of De Caelis’ original and lively performances is recognised not only by specialists but also by audiences in general.”

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Added on: Nov 13, 2011 | Hits: 1347

“Conducted by Joël Suhubiette for over 15 years, the Ensemble Jacques Moderne inherited his name from a XVIth century music publisher & composer from Lyon. The Ensemble Jacques Moderne is hence highly interested in defending early music interpretation. It explores a wide range of the vocal repertoire, both sacred and profane, from the Renaissance to the beginnings of the Baroque.

While interpreting major works from the Baroque repertoire and especially the numerous works from Johann Sebastian Bach (Mass in B minor, St John Passion, Motets, Cantatas…) but also those from the prestigious predecessors of the Leipzig Kantor (Geistliche Chormusik and Musikalische Exequien by Schütz, Israelsbrünnlein by Schein and Buxtehude’s Cantatas), the Ensemble Jacques Moderne is not neglecting the rich heritage from the French and European Renaissance.

The enthusiasm from the artists, the public and the press, as well as its large discography confirm that the Ensemble Jacques Moderne has found an appropriate tone both for the Renaissance polyphony (Mouton, Guerrero, Victoria, Morales, Lejeune...) and the Baroque repertoire (Bassano, Gagliano, Carissimi, Buxtehude, Bach, Purcell...). Its tone, its purity and tune, unanimously praised by the media have enabled the Ensemble Jacques Moderne to find a special place within the French choir landscape.

The specificities of some programs have led the Ensemble to expand to an «oratorio» set-up. The Ensemble Jacques Moderne has just completed a tour of the famous King Arthur by Purcell in several key concert halls in France. In a similar approach, together with the Choeur de Chambre Les éléments, the Ensemble has performed the Vespro della Beata Vergine by Monteverdi and the full Motets by Bach in several French and European festivals. Those performances have enabled the Ensemble Jacques Moderne to interpret a large repertoire and, more than ever, to justify its «variable» form.“

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Added on: May 06, 2011 | Hits: 602

Ludus Modalis -- vocal ensemble of twelve singers singing the repertoire of the profane and religious music of the Renaissance and pre-Baroque. Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 27, 2009 | Hits: 647

Countertenor

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Added on: Sep 25, 2009 | Hits: 674

" The Coro Dell'Aventino belongs to the Musical Association “ROMAinCANTO”, and was founded with the aim of studying and performing masterpieces of Italian and foreign composers of sacred music, with a special predilection for the authors of the XVII and the XVIII centuries. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 25, 2008 | Hits: 623

“Born in Monopoli near Bari in 1978, he studied at the Music Conservatory “N. Rota” of Monopoli with Serafina Tuzzi with the highest marks and he graduated in Violin highschool with Francesco D’Orazio. He also pursued training in Economics at the University of Bari, graduating in 2003.

He studied baroque music with: Maria Cristina Kiehr, Roberta Invernizzi, Rosa Dominguez, Claudio Cavina, Jill Feldmann, Renè Clemencic and with the English Countertenor Paul Esswood, teacher at the “Royal Academy of Music” in London.

He took part in many competitions: first prize at the “5th Premio città di Brindisi” and the Honour Diploma at the “TIM Competition”.

He’s been interpreter of Monteverdi’s Operas as: “L’Orfeo” staged by Trisha Brown and musical director Renè Jacobs at “59° Festival of Aix en Provence”; “Ottone” in “L’Incoronazione di Poppea” at “30° Festival of Ambronay” under the direction of Leonardo Garcia Alarcon.

He collaborate with “Academia Montis Regalis” directed by Alessandro De Marchi and with the chamber ensemble “L’Astrèe-Montis Regalis” and his director Giorgio Tabacco.

In 2008 he appears at the “Resonanzen” Festival of the Wiener Konzerthaus and “Mostly Mozart Festival” at “Lincoln Center” in New York, with “Concerto Italiano” and Rinaldo Alessandrini.

He is active in medieval music, being a member of the choir “Ars Antiqua”. With this ensemble he has sung for the “Elpidiense Organistic Academy” and for the “Ars Organi Festival”in Lecce.

In February 2002 he made his dedut as Liscione in “La Dirindina”of D. Scarlatti, for the “EuroOrchestra” in Bari and in Lecce with the Salentine Orchestra “Terra d’Otranto”.

He sings at the “XXXI Festival della Valle d’Itria” of Martina Franca in “Farinelli Imperatore del ’700” and at the “VIII Barocco Festival Leonardo Leo” in “La semiglianza de chi l’ha fatta”.

He took part in many concerts and festivals as : “Misteria Paschalia” in Krakow, “Lodz Philarmonic”,“Accademia filarmonica Romana”, “XI Festival Lodoviciano” in Viadana, “IX Festival dei Teatri possibili” in Foggia invited by “Solisti Dauni”, “The Organ Tradition in Puglia”, “V Festival Internazionale di Musica Antica” in Pescara, “VIII Festival dell’Aurora” in Crotone” singing “VIII Libro dei Madrigali” of Claudio Monteverdi. “IX Festival le Ore d’Organo” in Ancona, “Collegio Borromeo” Pavia.

He took part as a solist in contemporary music festivals in which he has sung “Carmina Burana” of Carl Orff for “Duni Festival” in Matera and in the Autumn 2004 he was interpreter, in a world premiere, “Der Misogyne” libretto by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, music by Hans-Wilhelm Plate at the “Lessing Theater” in Wolfenbuttel and at the “Wolfsburg Theater” in Wolfsburg.

Still abroad as a solist, he took part in the “1st Miskolc International Opera Festival” in Hungary, and in the summer 2002 he was chosen by his music school to take part in a masterclass in South Corea at the “Chung-Ang” University in Seoul and he partecipated in the final concert at the famous “Art-Center”.

As a solist he has recorded several records, among which the whole “Missa Romana” ed NAÏVE, “Magnificat” ed Tactus, “Romanze da Camera” of Giuseppe Verdi to celebrate Verdi Centenary in 2001 and “Missa Borromea” for solist and choir of Costanzo Antegnati. His future projects include the role of “Ottone” in “L’Incoronazione di Poppea” with Claudio Cavina and “La Venexiana” at Festival MITO “Settembre Musica” in Milan.“

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Added on: Oct 07, 2011 | Hits: 536

"It was formed in 1997 and it is composed of variable singers with a prevalence of female voices which work trying to reach a vocal purity as near as possible to the interpretative standards of the medieval and Renaissance music. The study of the pure vocalism is characterized by the tonic peculiarity and consistency of the voices which transmit an accurate transparency and a sound useful to bring the essence of the prayer and the word of the sacred texts which are magnified by the ancient melodies to life again. The research is about musics from the codexes of Carolingian age, the medieval laud books and the ancient books of the medieval age, liturgical and not, with a particular reference to the Umbria and Toscana area. To strengthen the work of research and study the Association organizes seminars of Gregorian chant and ancient music with experts in this sector like Nino Albarosa, Giovanni Conti and Tito Molisani. ... " Visit webstie for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 18, 2008 | Hits: 792

"ARS ANTIQUA (Genoa, Italy) is a vocal and instrumental ensemble, specialized in music of the Early Middle Age, through Gregorian Chant, to Mediaeval and Humanistic music. We are interested in concerts, liturgies, and also seminars for students and colleagues. The director of Musicke is Guido Milanese. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 18, 2008 | Hits: 679

"I Cantori Gregoriani are a male voice group which exclusively dedicates itself to the study and the spread of Gregorian chant. Consisting entirely of specialists, the ensemble bases its own performances on research into semiology, that is the study of antique manuscripts dating from the Xth –X1th centuries. The performances of the group are aimed at transmitting, through the actual instruments of the semiology, the expressive force of Gregorian chant, i.e. the correct musical representation of the ancient exegetic tradition of the sacred texts. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 18, 2008 | Hits: 722

"The Capella Dvcale Venetia, musicians specializing in Renaissance music, conceived and directed by Livio Picotti, operating since 1992 in the city of Venice. ... " View website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 25, 2008 | Hits: 725

"Il Concento Ecclesiastico is an ensemble devoted to choral music operating in Genoa (Italy) from 1995 under the direction of Luca Franco Ferrari. The repertoire is mainly, but not only, based on baroque music performed according to philological criteria as regards both the interpretation and the use of original instruments. Il Concento Ecclesiastico uses to propose to the audience, among others, compositions of Italian musicians seldom performed or which have never been performed in modern age. "

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Added on: Jul 30, 2008 | Hits: 602

"The choral society Quadriclavio, founded in 1995 by Francesco Scognamiglio and since 1998 conducted by Lorenzo Bizzarri, is a polyphonic choir formed by lovers of sacred and Baroque music who needn't anyway necessarily read music.

The single parts actually are recorded on tapes, that become the singer's groundwork for studying and learning by heart the melody written in the part." Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 25, 2008 | Hits: 662

"The vocal group Dimensione Polifonica was founded in 1984. It is specialized in the execution of sacred and secular polyphony of the renaissance and baroque repertoire. The concert activity of the group is considerable. It has participated to the most important national and international events among which the XV Edition of the International Polyphonyc Examination G. D'Arezzo, the XXXIII International Happening of Musical Chapels of Loreto, the XVII Edition of Polyphonyc Meetings of Pescara and the II International Musical Tournment of Rome. The vocal group has performed in a world preview L. Leo's unpublished "Dixit Dominus" for choir, violins and thorough bass only. The group has done many radio recordings and it has regularly cooperated with the archiepiscopal Curia of Naples, the University "Federico II" and the Academy of Musical "S. Pietro a Majella". The vocal group "Dimensione Polifonica" has been founded by Maestro Biagio Terracciano, who is also its permanent Director. ... " Visite website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 20, 2008 | Hits: 614

"Complesso Polifonico Ghirlanda Musicale was founded in Bergamo, Italy, in 1987, under the guidance of Marco Maisano. It currently includes about thirty members, who study and divulge the sacred and profane renaissance polyphony, the sacred choral literature of the baroque period, and a few significant elements of the modern repertoire. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 07, 2008 | Hits: 693

"LA VENEXIANA is today the most important madrigal group actually in activity. In styling to the anonymous renassaince comedy from it’s named , LA VENEXIANA aims to incorporate into its musical interpretation the theatrically, attention to language in all of its subtlety, and exultation of contrasts between refined and popular, sacred and profane, that characterize our culture today.

Since the beginning of 1998 LA VENEXIANA collaborates only with the Spanish label GLOSSA. The first fruit of this new relationship, the Terzo libro di Madrigali by Sigismondo D’India, has won the prestigious Diapason D’Or of the French review Diapason. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 12, 2008 | Hits: 630

“Since its debut in 1998, ODHECATON has won many prestigious prizes for its recordings, reflecting critical recognition of the group's having pioneered a new interpretative approach to the performance of polyphonic music: a fluid and expressive reading based on textual declamation. The name of the group is taken from the Harmonice Musices Odhecaton, the first printed book of polyphony published in 1501 by Ottaviano Petrucci in Venice. Their core repertoire encompasses the work of Italian, French, Flemish and Spanish composers of the 15th century. Directed by Paolo Da Col, Odhecaton brings together some of the best Italian male voices specialized in the performance of Renaissance and baroque music. The ensemble has made recordings dedicated to the music of Gombert, Isaac, Josquin, Peñalosa and Compère, and has helped rediscover the repertoire of 17th-century Spanish and Portuguese composers active in the Canary Islands. These programmes have seen Odhecaton being invited to appear in the leading European festivals, and won them important recognition in the world of recording: "Diapason d'or de l'année", "5 diapasons", "Choc" (Le Monde de la Musique), "Disco del mese" (Amadeus and CD Classics), and "CD of the Year" (Goldberg). Beyond its central repertoire, Odhecaton has also presented a semi-staged production of Orazio Vecchi's Amfiparnaso (directed by Enrico Bonavera, with scenery by Lele Luzzati), and a production of sacred music by Gesualdo da Venosa. Since 2008, Odhecaton has paid particular attention to the music of Palestrina. The group also works occasionally with instrumentalists specialized in their repertoire, including Bruce Dickey and Concerto Palatino, Gabriele Cassone, Liuwe Tamminga, Paolo Pandolfo, Jakob Lindberg and La Reverdie.“

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Added on: May 17, 2009 | Hits: 720

"STEFANO TORELLI countertenor
Born in Parma (Italy)
Degree in classical Philology
Musicological studies in Cremona (School for Paleography and Philology) and Milan (Armenian musicology)

He studied organ and gambaviol. As a countertenor he attended several masterclasses with , Gloria Banditelli, James Griffett of Pro Cantione Antiqua , Evelyn Tubb and Poppy Holden of the Consort of Musicke, Claudio Cavina, Cristina Miatello and Sandro Naglia. Later his teacher was Anatoli Gusev in Milan. He studied the gregorian chant with G.Baroffio and the medioeval singing with Sequentia and Pedro Memelsdorff. He's specialising in Baroque singnig in Vicenza

He sings both in ensembles and as a soloist. He has recorded more yhan ten CDs, some focusing on Renaissance polyphony and some with the ensemble stirps jesse (Milan) on gregorian chant and medioeval polyphony. He also recorded a CD a soloist with gregorian chant from an unpublished codex and Italian arias (Donati, Pergolesi, Rossini). He took part in the first recording of Rognoni's Diminuzioni for gambaviol (Symphonia).

In 1996 he founded the male vocal quartett Quadrivium who performs a repertoire going from the Medieval Music to the Baroque. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 25, 2008 | Hits: 661

"In 2006, Romain Bischoff has brought together a unique group of professional singers: five soloists, each with his or her own colour and personality, reflecting the eloquent and versatile character of Compagnie Bischoff.

Compagnie Bischoff is a vocal quintet that combines the most recent and the most ancient polyphonic music in its programmes: from Ars Nova to Adriaansz. Leaving specialisms behind, the ensemble aims at a musical dialogue within the rich vocal repertoire of seven centuries.

The Compagnie has found its own esthetics in the characteristics of the individual singers, and uses these in unexpected metamorphoses and combinations, ranging from solo and duet to quintet.

Compagnie Bischoff made its debut during the Holland Festival Oude Muziek Utrecht in August 2006, in two concerts in Vredenburg. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 16, 2008 | Hits: 634

“The Egidius Quartet was founded in 1995 by four members of Ton Koopman's Amsterdam Baroque Choir. From the outset the objective was clear: the singing of Renaissance and contemporary music from the Low Countries (in the widest sense). The quartet is named Egidius, a singer in one of the most famous poems from the Middle Dutch Manuscript Gruythuyse known. ..” (Google translate)

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Added on: Apr 25, 2010 | Hits: 554

“After having been a student in mathematics at the Leiden University, Nico van der Meel decided to become a professional musician. He initially studied choral conducting at the Rotterdam Conservatory, but from 1982 he studied singing with professor Margreet Honig. He concluded his studies cum laude in 1987, after which he took part in masterclasses with Evelyn Lear, Ruud van der Meer, Robert Holl, Elly Ameling and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf amongst others. In the past few years he has been invited as a teacher to several summercourses, like the "La Caixa" Curso Internacional de Música. ..

Nico van der Meel is a member of the ensemble Camerata Trajectina, which is recognized as a major advocate for Dutch music of the 16th and 17th century. With this ensemble he made more than fifteen CD's. Nico van der Meel is also the leader of the William Byrd Vocal Ensemble, a choir that is mainly occupied with a capella music from the middle ages until the 21th century. Furthermore he coaches ensembles and led projects with various groups.

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Added on: May 03, 2010 | Hits: 526

“Peter Dijkstra, born in the Netherlands in 1978, is one of the leading choral conductors of our time. He comes from a musical family and as a boy soprano he was invited for many solo performances, for example in opera productions like Die Zauberflöte at The Netherlands Opera Foundation in Amsterdam. He studied choral conducting, orchestral conducting and voice at the conservatories of The Hague, Köln and Stockholm, and graduated summa cum laude with decoration.

In 2002 he was awarded the Kersjes-van de Groenekamprize for orchestral conductors and the winning of the first prize at the Eric Ericson Competition 2003 in Stockholm launched his international career. Dijkstra works on a regular basis with choirs such as the Netherlands Chamber Choir, BBC singers, RIAS Chamberchoir Berlin, Collegium Vocale Gent and the Danish Radio Choir. There he displays a control of a broad repertoire, from early music to premiers of newly composed works. But he is also an appreciated guest with orchestras like the Symphony Orchestra of the Bavarian Radio, Munich Radio Orchestra, DSO Berlin, Sinfonietta Amsterdam, Munich Chamber Orchestra, Arnhem Philharmonic Orchestra and the Japan Philharmonic. He also enjoys working with orchestras on period instruments, such as the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin and Concerto Köln. 

In the Netherlands, Peter Dijkstra is principal guest conductor of the Netherlands Chamberchoir and artistic leader of vocal ensemble MUSA (www.musa.nu), a mixed choir based in Utrecht. And having been artistic leader of vocal ensemble The Gents for 7 years (www.thegents.nl), he is now their first guest conductor. …”

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Added on: Nov 24, 2011 | Hits: 582

“Valeria Mignaco began her singing studies in Argentina and obtained her classical and baroque singing Masters degree at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, Holland. She participated in workshops and masterclasses with Gabriel Garrido, Gustav Leonhardt, Richard Egarr, Elly Ameling, Jill Feldman, Carolyn Watkinson and Margreet Honig.

Finalist of the International Baroque Singing Competition of the Chateau de Chimay 2004 and the International Young Artists Presentation in Anvers (with ensemble Via Artis), she also received an Honorable Mention at the Soloists Competition of the Flemish Early Music Festival in Brugge 2005. Her duo with Alfonso Marín had a Special Mention at the Alte Musik Treff, Berlin 2005.

She has perfomed as soloist amongst others with Bachkoor Holland and Concertgebouw Kamerorkest, Cappella Amsterdam, Monteverdikoor Utrecht, Orquesta de Cámara de Rosario and Pro Música Rosario under the direction of Gabriel Garrido, Paul van Nevel, Paul McCreesh, Daniel Reuss, Charles de Wolff, Jan Willem de Vriend, Daan Admiraal and Cristián Hernández Larguía .She also collaborates with well-known vocal ensembles like Cappella Amsterdam, Huelgas ensemble and Deutsche Kammerchor.

With ensemble Via Artis she participated in the Caixa Forum Early Music Festival (Barcelona 2005); with Alfonso Marín she performed in the Burgos Early Music Festival 2005, Festival A-de-vant-garde Munchen (2005) and Leicester Early Music Festival (2006), giving many concerts in Holland, Spain, Belgium, England, Portugal, Switzerland and Argentina.“

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Added on: Dec 26, 2009 | Hits: 888

"Founded in Oslo in 1997, trio mediaeval has developed three distinct strands of repertoire: polyphonic medieval music from England and France, contemporary works and Norwegian medieval ballads and songs. The group's initial phase was inspired by intense periods of work at the Hilliard Summer Festival in England and Germany, and subsequently with Linda Hirst and John Potter. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 20, 2008 | Hits: 1027