June 30, 2022 ~ Midnight Viols
Among Friends: English Consorts and Country Dances
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Midnight Viols, a renegade consort of viols, recorders, voices, and “air viol” (aka English concertina), returns with a repertoire of consort songs plus dances of the court and countryside from the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods in Great Britain. The program will include joyful English country dances from the 17th-century publications of John Playford, luscious pavans and sprightly galliards by William Brade and Anthony Holborne, and songs by John Dowland.
Arnie Tanamoto ~ treble viol
Lisa Terry ~ tenor viol
Charlie Reed ~ bass viol
Patricia Ann Neely ~ bass viol
Gene Murrow ~ English concertina (“air viol”) and recorders
Ruth Cunningham ~ soprano, flutes and recorders
The Midnight Viols includes some of the top viola da gamba artists working today and their friends: Arnie Tanamoto was the Gold Medalist of the 7th International Bach-Abel Competition and the recipient of a 2017 Frank Huntington Beebe Fund Fellowship. Lisa Terry is co-director of Parthenia and past President of the Viola da Gamba Society of America. Oliver Weston was selected an American Fellow of the English Concert in 2017, and recently completed a Master’s Degree in Historical Performance at Juilliard. Patricia Ann Neely, is director of Abendmusik, a teacher of music at numerous early music workshops and a member of the board of Early Music America. Soprano Ruth Cunningham was a member of the much-celebrated ensemble Anonymous 4 and remains an active performer of early music and improvisational music in both liturgical and concert settings, as well as devoting herself to music as a healing art. Gene Murrow, Executive Director of GEMS and internationally known teacher of English country dancing, has sat in with distinguished viol players for many years playing the treble parts on his English concertina, which noted viol player Martha Bishop dubbed the “air viol”.
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.
June 23, 2022 ~ Concordian Dawn
Preview: Medieval Song from Aristotle to Opera
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While writing her forthcoming monograph, Medieval Song from Aristotle to Opera, renowned medieval studies scholar, Sarah Kay, teamed up with Concordian Dawn to produce a multimedia publication and recording project currently set for release in the late summer of 2022 (Cornell University Press/MSR Classics). The ensemble gives the GEMS audience a “sneak peek” into this exciting release.
Kristina Boerger ~ soprano
Niccolo Seligmann ~ vielle
Christopher Preston Thompson ~ tenor and medieval harp, artistic director
Concordian Dawn, ensemble for medieval music, brings source material from centuries ago into conversation with the mindset of modern society. As recipients of a 2019–20 Ensemble Forward Grant from Chamber Music America, forthcoming albums include Fortuna Antiqua et Ultra (MSR Classics) and a collaboration with renowned scholar, Sarah Kay, entitled Medieval Song, from Aristotle to Opera (Cornell U. Press/MSR Classics).
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.
June 16, 2022 ~ Quartet Salonnières
1772: Diversion and Divergence
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What was en vogue in 1772 Europe? Hoop skirts of unspeakable proportions, elaborate hairstyles that sometimes depicted current events, three-cornered hats, Revolutionary ideas…and in music — a form that had recently won over Austria and was now sweeping through the rest of Europe: the string quartet. This program highlights an extraordinary year in string quartet history, when the form still had strong ties to the divertimento but was also blossoming into its own deeply complex and wildly popular genre. Featuring music by Mozart, Franz Xaver Richter, and Joseph Haydn.
Aniela Eddy ~ violin and viola
Natalie Rose Kress ~ violin and viola
Rebecca Nelson ~ violin and viola
Cullen O’Neil ~ cello
Acclaimed for their spirited, engaging, and highly original performances, New York City-based Quartet Salonnières is devoted to performance practices of the Baroque through contemporary time periods. Members Aniela Eddy, Natalie Kress, Rebecca Nelson, and Cullen O’Neil met during their studies in the Historical Performance program at The Juilliard School. They have toured nationally and internationally, performing together on stages across New Zealand, Europe, the USA and Canada.
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.
June 9, 2022 ~ Cynthia Roberts & Yi-heng Yang
Mozart Meets Beethoven: From Darkness into Light
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The mournful two-movement Sonata in E minor is an unusual work within Mozart’s output in this duo genre, and ranges from languishing melancholy, to stormy angst, to a nod to the delicacy and subtlety of the Baroque. With Mozart’s Adagio in B minor, K 540, it is not hard to imagine that this late composition was another expression of his darker, existential side. The program continues the dialogue between fortepiano and the violin with the youthful optimism and irrepressible energy and virtuosity of Beethoven’s Sonata in D Major.
Yi-heng plays an exquisite copy of Mozart’s Walter fortepiano by Christopher Clarke.
Cynthia Roberts ~ violin
Yi-heng Yang ~ harpsichord
Cynthia Roberts is one of America’s leading Baroque violinists, appearing as soloist, concertmaster, and recitalist throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. Fortepianist Yi-heng Yang has been noted for her "astonishing skill and vividness" (The New York Times).
This concert was originally planned to feature trios with cellist Allen Whear, who sadly passed away February 10th, 2022. A special memorial concert for Allen presented by Pro Musica Rara takes place Sunday, June 5th in Baltimore. Click here for tickets and further information.
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.
June 2, 2022 ~ Bach Ensemble in New York
Conversations galantes et amusantes
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This afternoon you will hear lively conversations among four instruments — all equally distributed — flute, violin, violoncello, and harpsichord. The program centers on two quartets from prominent composers Telemann and Guillemain and also includes music by Boismortier and Couperin. These four composers each represent a different kind of gallant and charming characters with hints of playfulness and desolation in their music.
Mili Chang ~ traverso
Robert Warner ~ harpsichord
Isabelle Seula Lee ~ violin
Ana Kim ~ cello
About the artists
Indiana-native Ana Kim is a versatile cellist based in New York, who actively performs on modern and historical instruments with various ensembles throughout the United States, United Kingdom, and France. She performs with ensembles including Les Arts Florissants, The Sebastians, American Classical Orchestra, and the Halle Orchestra. Ana has participated in festivals including Yellow Barn, Verbier Academy, Music@Menlo, and International Musicians Seminar at Prussia Cove. She has received a Doctorate at the University of Southern California and has studied Historical Performance at Juilliard. Her teachers include Janos Starker, Ralph Kirshbaum, Laurence Lesser, and Phoebe Carrai. With a keen interest in education and interacting with different communities, Ana has participated in outreach residencies with Kneisel Hall Festival in Maine and Listen Closely in New York, and educational programs with the American Classical Orchestra’s Classical Music for Kids. She has also taught in Pacific Union College and public schools in Napa Valley. She is currently teaching at Browning School in New York City.
Hailed for her “marvelous” and “scintillating” performance, Isabelle Seula Lee is a celebrated violinist and a passionate historical performer. She is a founding member of the New Amsterdam Consort and frequently performs with the New York Baroque Inc, Portland Baroque Orchestra, Bach Collegium Japan, Bach Collegium at Saint Peter’s, Trinity Baroque Orchestra, and Teatro Nuevo. Her appearances as a soloist and chamber musician include Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, the Maly Hall and Grand Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Glazunov Hall and Belosselsky Belozersky Palace in Russia, St. Petersburg State Capella Concert Hall, and New Zealand’s Fowler Center. Isabelle's performances have also been broadcast on live radio and television by WQXR in NYC, MediciTV, Estonian Cultural TV, WPBI, and Radio New Zealand. She is now primarily based in New York City and enjoys an active musical life as a violinist and Baroque violinist across many musical styles and periods.
Robert Warner is a recent graduate of The Juilliard School and has studied harpsichord with Arthur Haas and Peter Sykes. He is currently active in New York City and plays regularly with various chamber groups including Musicivic Baroque and Voyage Sonique. He is also the founder, director, and harpsichordist of New Amsterdam Consort.
“…Mili Chang, whose traverso playing in the Credo’s Benedictus was fluid, elegant, and well, just lovely.” in her performance with Ton Koopman, the director of Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, Mili has performed with many ensembles and with Grammy Award recipient and nominees’ violinist Monica Huggett, tenor Aaron Sheehan, and keyboardist Richard Egarr. She plays with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra& Chorale Taipei, the Sebastian, Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra, and St. Peter’s Lutheran Church Baroque Orchestra. She has featured on WQXR, West Side Radio, and has performed at the venues including Lincoln Center, Yale University, Columbia University, The National Center for Performing Arts in India, Banff Center in Canada, and National Concert Hall in Taiwan. Currently, she performs in the New York metropolitan area and teaches at New Jersey Performing Arts Center.
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.
May 26, 2022 ~ Edson Scheid
The Devil’s Violin: Edson Scheid plays Paganini
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Note: The Empire Viols had to cancel because of a positive COVID case; we thank Edson Scheid for stepping in at the last minute to perform this fabulous program.
Edson Scheid ~ period violin
Edson Scheid has been praised for his "polished playing" (The Strad), for being a "virtuoso violinist" (The Boston Globe) and a "violin virtuoso extraordinaire" (Fanfare Magazine). His performance of Strauss’s song Morgen at Carnegie Hall alongside Joyce DiDonato and Il Pomo d'Oro was described as follows: "The concertmaster, Edson Scheid, proved a worthy foil as violin soloist" (The New York Times). A native of Brazil, Edson Scheid is based in New York, where he plays with the city’s leading period orchestras. He frequently performs throughout the United States on both modern and period instruments, and in Europe, Asia, North and South America with such ensembles as Il Pomo d’Oro and Les Arts Florissants.
Edson Scheid’s many performances of Paganini’s 24 Caprices, on both period and modern violins, have been received with enthusiasm around the world. He has been featured live in-studio on "In Tune" from BBC Radio 3 and his recording of the Caprices on the Baroque violin for the Naxos label has been critically acclaimed: "Far from being mere virtuoso stunts, Scheid’s Caprices abound in the beauty and revolutionary spirit of these works..." (Fanfare Magazine).
His second solo album, On Paganini’s Trail...H. W. Ernst and more, has been released under the Centaur Label – the first recording ever of this repertoire on a period violin. New York Concert Review writes that "Mr. Scheid is a superb violinist and a musician who can handle the fiendish challenges of this repertoire while finding the music in it.", and Early Music America praises Edson Scheid for taking "his time through these works, letting them breathe without losing sight of execution or musicality..."
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.
May 19, 2022 ~ Art of Lieder
A Schubertiade
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Clara Rottsolk, Ed Matthew, and Dongsok Shin present a Schubertiade featuring Franz Schubert’s masterpiece, Der Hirt auf dem Felsen (“The Shepherd on the Rock”), along with other Schubert songs, and the Introduction et air suédois varié, Op. 12, for clarinet and fortepiano by the older contemporary Finnish composer and clarinetist, Bernhard Henrik Crusell (1775–1838).
Clara Rottsolk ~ soprano
Ed Matthew ~ clarinet
Dongsok Shin ~ fortepiano
Clara Rottsolk, Ed Matthew, and Dongsok Shin — all well-known performers in the HIP field — come together to perform songs and instrumental music of the Classical period by Franz Schubert and Bernhard Crusell. The program includes many greatest hits of Schubert that are still rarely heard, even in New York City, on instruments the composer would have recognized!
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.
May 12, 2022 ~ Saint Peter's Bach Collegium
Dramma per Musica
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This program centers around works by Clérembault and Telemann, especially on their series of cantatas for solo voice with a single instrument. The Harmonischer Gottesdienst is a series of cantatas for solo voice, one obligato instrument and basso continuo that Telemann composed for every Sunday of the Lutheran church year. Medée is part of a series of secular cantatas that Clérembault published for solo voice and one obligato instrument. Telemann was very receptive to international influences in his cantatas; therefore, it will be interesting to hear these two cantatas in a single program.
Addy Sterrett ~ soprano
Seula Isabelle Lee ~ violin
Balint Karosi ~ harpsichord
Ana Kim ~ cello
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.
May 5, 2022 ~ House of Time
Private Versailles: Intimate Music for a Very Public Place
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Tatiana Daubek, violin
Gonzalo X. Ruiz, oboe
Adam Young, viola da gamba
Elliot Figg, harpsichord
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.
February 3, 2022 ~ The Western Wind
Renaissance Love Songs
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Renaissance love songs from the passionate, sexy, and silly to the elegant and ribald by Lassus, Marenzio, Monteverdi, Gesualdo, Bateson, Morely, Weelkes, Josquin, and others.
Christina Kay & Elizabeth Van Os ~ sopranos
Eric S. Brenner ~ countertenor
Todd Frizzell & David Vanderwal ~ tenors
Steven Hrycelak ~ bass
Since 1969, the internationally acclaimed vocal sextet The Western Wind has devoted itself to the special beauty and variety of a cappella music. The ensemble’s repertoire reveals its diverse background: from Renaissance motets to Fifties rock ’n’ roll, from medieval carols to Duke Ellington, from complex works by avant-garde composers to the simplest folk melodies.
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.February 10, 2022 ~ Abendmusik, New York's Early Music String Band
Whyte's Noyse
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Abendmusik explores William Whyte’s fantasies for two, three, five and six viols. Although we know so very little about him, there is no doubt that Whyte was well respected by his peers. Whyte’s consorts in general are characterized by a pervasive use of pairings of instruments in bicinia style. As a result, he is adept at the art of imitation and creating various textures and moods. At times he creates a vivid musical dialogue in which a variety of emotions are musically brought to life − an important element of consort style.
Vita Wallace ~ violin
Claire Smith Bermingham ~ violin
Lawrence Lipnik ~ tenor viol
Rosamund Morley ~ tenor viol
John Mark Rozendaal ~ bass viol
Patricia Ann Neely ~ bass viol
Abendmusik, New York’s Early Music String Band, showcases the rarely-performed repertoire of the late 16th and 17th centuries composed for string consort. The Band explores music from both western and eastern Europe (Italy, the Hapsburg Empire of Austria and Spain, Kroměřiž in Moravia, Poland, Holland, England, Denmark and France) on period instruments.
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.February 17, 2022 ~ Members of Juilliard415
Suites and Sonatas by Marais and de la Guerre
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Ellen Sauer ~ flute
Carmen Lavada Johnson-Pàjaro ~ violin
Adrienne Hyde ~ viola da gamba
Kevin C. Devine ~ harpsichord
Élisabeth Claude Jacquet de La Guerre (1665–1729)
Sonate en Trio no. III in D from the Brossard Collection (1695)
Chelsea Bernstein ~ viola da gamba
Adrienne Hyde ~ viola da gamba
Ian van Maaren ~ viola da gamba
Kevin C. Devine ~ harpsichord
Marin Marais (1656–1728)
Movements from the 2nd Suite for 3 viols in G Major
from Quatrième livre des Pièces de Viole (1717)
Carmen Lavada Johnson-Pàjaro ~ violin
Alyssa Campbell ~ violin
Gaia Saetermoe-Howard ~ oboe
Ellen Sauer ~ flute
Aaron Goler ~ bassoon
Adrienne Hyde ~ viola da gamba
Kevin C. Devine ~ harpsichord
Jacquet de la Guerre
Suite from Céphale et Procris (1694)
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.
February 24, 2022 ~ Canzonetta Ensemble
The London Stage circa. 1700
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Strong traditions of English theater sustained resistance to the invasion of Italian opera that swept through most of Europe during the 17th century. English audiences objected to the "unnatural" practice of having characters converse in continuous song, but nonetheless, demanded a high proportion of music in stage productions – challenging playwrights to find ingenious ways of inserting musical interludes (sometimes with little to do with the plot). English theater music reached a highpoint around the turn of the 18th century, when leading composers including Henry Purcell and John Eccles competed to attract audiences with varied arrays of distinctively English songs and instrumental music.
Tracy Cowart ~ mezzo-soprano
Sian Ricketts ~ recorder, oboe, and soprano
Christa Patton ~ triple harp
Richard Kolb ~ theorbo and archlute
Canzonetta is dedicated to exploring little known areas of 17th- and early 18th-century music, in programs based on well-informed scholarship and a thorough command of 17th-century musical practices. The ensemble's programs feature vocal solos, duets and trios accompanied by triple harp and lute family instruments, with melodic and bass line instruments as needed. Each program presents the music of a specific period and genre or cultural center.
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.
March 3, 2022 ~ Kevin C. Devine
Queens of the Keys
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From remote convents to the bustling courts of royalty, female composers left an indelible mark on the music of early modern Europe. This program explores the keyboard repertoire left to us by these brilliant women, spanning two centuries. Join me in a program of fabulous works written by some of Europe’s most talented, yet unknown composers.
Kevin C. Devine ~ harpsichord
Kevin C. Devine performs engaging and unconventional programs in New York and across the United States. Dr. Devine has degrees from Boston University, Stony Brook University, and is pursuing a graduate diploma at The Juilliard School. He has been invited to play recitals on several concert series, including Gotham Early Music Scene and Harpsichord Heaven at the Barn at Flintwoods.
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.March 10, 2022 ~ Infusion Baroque
Virtuosa
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Women made their mark on Baroque music not only as muses, but also as virtuoso performers and composers. Mozart wrote his famous Sonata K454 for the Mantuan virtuosa Regina Strinasacchi, while Vivaldi composed most of his vast musical output for the incredibly talented women of the Ospedale della Pietà in Venice. None other than Casanova was smitten by cellist Henriette de Schnetzmann's impromptu rendition of a concerto by Antonio Vandini. And women such as Ana Bon, Élisabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre and Barbara Strozzi were acclaimed performers of their own compositions. Infusion Baroque presents an all-female tour-de-force celebrating the talent and prowess of women musicians throughout the ages!
Alexa Raine-Wright ~ flute & recorder
Sallynee Amawat ~ violin
Andrea Stewart ~ cello
Rona Nadler ~ harpsichord
Infusion Baroque draws new audiences to early music through a truly captivating concert experience, deftly combining seasoned musicianship with theatrical elements. Described as “dynamic and alive” (Early Music America) with “polish, energy, and finely-honed style… merrily breaking established traditions” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel), the four women of Infusion Baroque enthrall audiences across North America with their creative and interactive programming.
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.March 17, 2022 ~ Zoe Vandermeer
The Inspired Bard
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Zoe Vandermeer's soprano and Welsh harp program celebrates two hundred years of British music by John Dowland, Henry Purcell, George Fredric Handel, Thomas Arne, Welsh harpist and composer Edward Jones, and the later 18th century Irish composer, Dr. John Stevenson. Zoe Vandermeer ~ Soprano and Welsh harp
Soprano Zoe Vandermeer accompanies her singing on Welsh triple harp. A graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, she is on the Roster of the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism. Performances include the São Paulo International Harp Festival, International Festival de Deia Spain, American Harp Society, Carnegie Hall, Glasgow International Early Music Festival, HarpCon Conference, and elsewhere.
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.
March 24, 2022 ~ Tanimoto, Igarashi, Shin & O'Neil
Musical Thievery
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The pardessus de viole came into vogue at the height of the Ancien Régime as means for women to play Italiante violin sonatas. This program will explore the musical boundaries of this hybrid instrument, both within and beyond the borders of its motherland.
Arnie Tanimoto ~ pardessus de viole
Motomi Igarashi ~ pardessus de viole
Dongsok Shin ~ harpsichord
Cullen O'Neil ~ cello
Motomi Igarashi enjoys a rich and varied career on viola da gamba, double bass, violone and lirone. She pursued her graduate studies at The Juilliard School where she studied double bass. After graduating from Juilliard, she went to France to study viola da gamba, spending several years in intensive study with Marianne Muller, Paolo Pandolfo and more recently studied lirone with Erin Headley. She has been in high demand on the viola da gamba, violone, Baroque double bass and lirone since her return from Europe, performing and recording with various groups.
Gold medalist of the 7th International Bach-Abel Competition, Arnie Tanimoto is equally at home on the viola da gamba and Baroque cello. He was the first-ever viola da gamba major at The Juilliard School, where he soloed on both instruments. Described by The New York Times as a “fine instrumental soloist” Arnie performs in venues across the United States, Europe, and Japan. The recipient of a 2017 Frank Huntington Beebe Fund Fellowship he has also performed and recorded with Barthold Kuijken, the Boston Early Music Festival Ensemble, and the Smithsonian Consort of Viols. As a teacher, he serves on the faculty at the Mountainside Baroque Summer Academy as well as maintaining a private studio. He holds degrees and certificates from Oberlin Conservatory, the Eastman School of Music, The Juilliard School, and the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis.
Much in demand as a soloist and continuo player, Dongsok Shin has been a member of REBEL since 1997 and has appeared with the American Classical Orchestra, ARTEK, Concert Royal, Early Music New York, Carmel Bach Festival, Mark Morris Dance Group, the New York Philharmonic, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. He has recorded for ATMA, Bridge, Dorian/Sono Luminus, Hänssler, Helicon, Lyrichord, and Newport Classic. In addition to his performing career, he is a recording engineer, producer, and editor of early music recordings for many labels, as well as a producer of music videos. He tunes and maintains the early keyboard instruments of the Flintwoods Collection in Delaware, and for the Metropolitan Opera and the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. His videos produced by the Met Museum demonstrating their earliest known Bartolomeo Cristofori fortepiano from 1720 have garnered over 2 million views.
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.
March 31, 2022 ~ Brooklyn Baroque
The French Baroque Cello
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At the end of the Baroque period in France, an interest in a virtuosic, more Italianate style coincided with the emergence of the cello as a solo instrument. This program will explore French galant music for cello and harpsichord, with pieces by Joseph Bodin de Boismortier, Christophe Moyreau, and Jean-Baptiste Barrière.
David Bakamjian ~ cello
Rebecca Pechefsky ~ harpsichord
Brooklyn Baroque debuted in the fall of 2000, when cellist David Bakamjian joined the long-standing duo of Baroque flutist Andrew Bolotowsky and harpsichordist Rebecca Pechefsky. Remaining core members Pechefsky and Bakamjian now collaborate with the finest early music specialists in the New York area. Brooklyn Baroque is the ensemble-in-residence at the Morris-Jumel Mansion.
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.January 6, 2022 ~ Gwendolyn Toth
Gems of 17th-Century Harpsichord Music
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Gwendolyn Toth will play a harpsichord recital of music from Dutch, German, and French early manuscript sources including the well-known Bauyn manuscript. Music of Froberger, Scheidemann, Chambonnières, and others.
Gwendolyn Toth ~ harpsichord
Recognized as one of America’s leading early music performers, Gwendolyn Toth is a conductor and early keyboard artist based in New York City. “Her interpretive skills are sensitive and intelligent, and she clearly has a gift for program conceptualization.” (The New York Times). She has conducted at Sadler’s Wells Theater in London, BAM in New York City, Skylight Theater in Milwaukee, Astoria Music Festival in Oregon, Carmel Bach Festival in California, Washington Bach Consort in Washington DC, and for the German Radio network in Cologne, Germany. Opera News has honored Gwendolyn as an “Outstanding Young Conductor” and she was the recipient of the Newell Jenkins Prize for excellence in early music performance. In February, 2020 she received a feature profile on VAN, the prestigious international classical music magazine.
Gwendolyn is the founder and director of New York City’s period instrument ensemble, ARTEK, specializing in music of the early Baroque period. Under her direction, the ensemble released the first North American recording of Monteverdi’s opera, Orfeo, to outstanding critical acclaim. Other CDs include Love Letters from Italy, I Don’t Want to Love, Monteverdi’s Madrigals Book 5 and Complete Madrigals Book 7, and Solo Cantatas of Rosenmüller. Gwendolyn and ARTEK have appeared at Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Museum, and major churches in New York City; at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC; and at the Regensburg Tage Alte Musik Festival in Germany and the Boston, Berkeley, Bloomington, and Indianapolis early music festivals in America.
As a soloist on historical organs, Gwendolyn has performed on the 1434 organ in Sion, Switzerland; the 15th-century organ in Oosthuizen, Netherlands; the 1655 organ in the Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam; the 1509 organ in Trevi, Italy; the 1531 organ in Krewerd, Netherlands; the 1553 Niehoff organ in Lüneburg, Germany; the 1649 organ in Zeerijp, Netherlands; the 1696 Arp Schnitger organ in Noordbroek, Netherlands; and the 1714 organ in St. Michael’s Church, Vienna among many others. Her numerous CD recordings of Renaissance and baroque music have been recorded on historic Dutch organs in Noordbroek, Zeerijp, Oosthuizen, Eenum, and Krewerd in the Netherlands, and (forthcoming) Ostönnen, Germany. Gwendolyn also has a solo recording of J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations performed on a lautenwerk, a reconstruction of Bach’s lute-harpsichord, strung in both gut and metal strings.
Gwendolyn holds the Doctor of Musical Arts in organ performance from Yale University and did post-graduate study with Ton Koopman at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. In addition to being the director of ARTEK, she is currently Adjunct Professor of Historical Performance Practice at The Graduate Center, CUNY; Orchestra Director at Manhattan College; and music director at Immanuel Lutheran Church in New York City.
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live Streaming: You can watch on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.
January 13, 2022 ~ Rozendaal / Appel Duo
Two Friends, Three Pieces
Watch online here
Harpsichordist Andrew Appel and violist da gamba John Mark Rozendaal offer an eclectic selection of esoteric and idiomatic solos for their instruments as well as a dynamic duo. Featured composers are Alfonso Ferrabosco, Jean-Henri d’Anglebert, and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach.
John Mark Rozendaal ~ viola da gamba
Andrew Appel ~ harpsichord
John Mark Rozendaal teaches and performs music from the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque eras and performs as a member of Trio Settecento, Brandywine Baroque, and LeStrange Viols. John Mark has performed with Chicago Baroque Ensemble, City Musick, Basically Bach, Newberry Consort, Orpheus Band, King's Noyse, Boston Early Music Festival, Second City Musick, and Hesperus, and records on the Cedille and Centaur labels. A dedicated teacher, John Mark has served on the faculties of the VdGSA Conclave, Viols West’s annual workshop, Amherst Early Music, and Madison Early Music Festival. He teaches the Viola da Gamba Dojo and Medieval Strings classes in New York City.
Andrew Appel, harpsichordist and Artistic Director of the Four Nations Ensemble, is an acclaimed performer, educator, and writer. He has performed in Europe and the United States as a soloist in many festivals and as a recitalist at Carnegie and Avery Fisher Halls in New York, as well as halls from the Music Academy of the West to the Smithsonian in Washington DC. In addition to work with elementary school students, Andrew has taught at The Juilliard School, Moravian College, Princeton University, and New York Polytech, now a division of NYU. He records for Bridge Records and ASV and is presently recording the complete harpsichord works of François Couperin.
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.
January 20, 2022 ~ Hollinshead–Bass
A Wintry Mix
Watch online here
"A Wintry Mix" is a potpourri of traditional and Elizabethan songs to enliven the short days and long nights of winter. The songs' themes and stories cover the darkness associated with winter, traditional winter tunes with advice to ensure a good new year, and the cold of winter – with some ideas for warming, from the inside out!
Barbara Hollinshead ~ mezzo-soprano
Howard Bass ~ lutes
Barbara and Howard have together explored repertoire for lute and voice for over 30 years. They are known for their engaging performances and for crafting creatively-themed programs (Birds, Bees, Flowers and Trees, Songs from Shakespeare’s Troupe, and Time, Cruel Time, among others). Their 3 CD’s (Love’s Lost…and Found, Airs de Cour, and Dowland in Darkness) are available today.
1:15 – 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.
In person at The Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29th St, New York City
Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.