The Baltimore Consort will bring its enthusiastic style and
grace to the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts this
Saturday for a lecture/demonstration titled “The Instruments and
Arrangements of the Baltimore Consort,” followed by an evening
concert.
The group’s lecture aims to be educational, informative and a
good preparation for the evening concert.
The Baltimore Consort is a local group whose members all
share a common love for Renaissance music of all kinds but who
mostly specialize in the music of Scotland, England, Italy, Spain
and France. Playing arrangements and improvisations, the group
has received acclaim nationally and internationally from some of
the world’s most prestigious publications.
“It ought to be offensive that the most exhilarating Scots music
performance to turn up on our native soil this year should come
from America … They bring to this music researched by them with
awesome thoroughness, a mix of jazz and joy, of improvisation
and uncanny insight,” said The Scotsman, Scotland’s national
newspaper, in a review.
The group is composed of five members and one guest vocalist,
the bewitching Danielle Svonavec. The original five play entirely
Baroque and Renaissance instruments. Mary Anne Ballard plays
viols and rebec, early plucked and bowed predecessors of the violin.
Mark Cuddek also plays viols as well as Renaissance guitar and
cittern, a cheaper, more portable version of the lute. Larry Lipkis
performs on the viols and recorders. Ronn McFarlane plays lutes
while Mindy Rosenfeld play flute.
These instruments will all be discussed in detail this Saturday at 2 p.m. in the
Sonia Vlahcevic Concert Hall. The event is free to the public.
At 8 p.m. on the same night and in the same concert hall will be the Baltimore
Consort concert. Student tickets are $10 while admission to the public is $32.
Discounts are available for seniors (60+) and VCU faculty. For more information,
call the VCU Music Box Office at (804) 828-6776.