Chatham Baroque‘s 2024-25 season will begin with A Garden of Harmony: Austrian and German Music for Strings.
Playing September 27-29th, A Garden of Harmony is described as “a concert of vivid soundscapes of the late 17th- century Austrian and German compositions for stringed instruments.”
As its name suggests, Chatham Baroque is famous for bringing musical pieces, composers, and instruments from the Baroque era to modern audiences. Their vast seasonal repertoire showcases resident musicians, unique period instruments or replicas thereof, classic composers, touring ensembles, and guest musicians to a variety of venues across the Pittsburgh region. A Garden of Harmony will feature the “virtuosity and harmonic invention of some of the Baroque era’s most ingenious composers, including the renowned Johann Heinrich Schmelzer.”
The concert will feature Chatham Baroque residents, including Andrew Fouts (violin), Scott Pauley (theorbo, baroque guitar), Patricia Halverson (viola da gamba, violone), and also renowned musicians, Carmen Johnson-Pájaro (violin), Keats Dieffenbach (viola), Paul Miller (viola), and Justin Wallace (harpsichord). Together, the musicians will use their array of string instruments to pay homage to composer Johann Heinrich Schmelzer. Schmelzer is known for developing violin technique and instrumental music in Austria and was a prominent court composer and violinist. Chatham Baroque staff notes that “his works remain a testament to the ingenuity and artistic mastery of the Baroque period.”
“I can’t wait to gather together with this amazing roster of musicians to perform fantastically vivid, colorful, and expressive music from 17th-century Austria and Germany,” says co-artistic director Andrew Fouts. “Together with our audience, we’ll explore kaleidoscopic soundscapes, rich and bright with vibrant, prismatic sonority, harmonic invention, and virtuosic flair, crafted by some of the most ingenious composers of the Baroque.”
In addition to A Garden of Harmony, Chatham Baroque’s 2024-25 concert series offers an array of performances and musical ingenuity. The Twelfth Night Ensemble: Love & Laurels – Handel’s Apollo e Dafne will be held on October 20, led by virtuoso violinist Rachell Ellen Wong and harpsichordist David Belkovski.
In the Loop with Fouts & Pauley – Popular Music Across the Centuries, premiers November 16 & 17. Even those who are not classical music aficionados are sure to enjoy this show as Chatham Baroque artistic directors Andrew Fouts (violin) and Scott Pauley (theorbo & baroque guitar) come together for a plugged-in program and perform music across the Renaissance and Baroque periods up through “old-time tunes.”
Playing December 6-8th, Chatham Baroque: Louis, Louis—Songs & Dances of the French Baroque features Pascale Beaudin (soprano) and an array of superb instrumentalists on the violin, viol, and lute families who will perform the rarely heard music of Jean-Baptiste Lully and his predecessors.
Piffaro: The Bassanos – From Renaissance Italy to Tudor England. America’s premier Renaissance wind ensemble returns to Pittsburgh on February 8 for a show of “musical imagination.”
Quintessential Chatham Baroque plays March 14-16th. Former ensemble member Julie Andrijeski (1996-2008) will join Andrew Fouts to perform with Patricia Halverson (viola da gamba) and Scott Pauley (theorbo & baroque guitar). The show will feature Corelli, Vivaldi, Purcell, Matteis, and more music.
Finally, Chatham Baroque closes its 2024-25 season on April 11 with the world premiere of Bach’s Markus Passion with The Sebastians, Chatham Baroque, and Joseph Marcell. Chatham Baroque will partner with Concert Theatre Works and the NYC-based ensemble The Sebastians for a world-premiere event reconstructed by Malcolm Bruno and published by Breitkopf & Härte.
TICKETS AND DETAILS
For more information on Chatham Baroque’s upcoming 2024-25 season, including Tales & Tunes of the BOO-roque, Halloween-themed concerts celebrating the spooky season, to be held at The Original Pittsburgh Winery on October 27 & 30, visit https://www.chathambaroque.org
A Garden of Harmony – Austrian & German Music for Strings can be seen on:
- Friday, September 27, 7:30 PM at Calvary Episcopal Church, Shadyside
- Saturday, September 28, 7:30 PM at Teutonia Männerchor, Deutschtown
- Sunday, September 29, 4:00 PM at Calvary Episcopal Church, Shadyside
Tickets are now on sale. Early bird pricing for the performance will be offered through September 12, with full-price tickets available starting September 13.
Categories: Season Listings, Show Previews
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