Sunday Baroque Conversations

Viola da gamba player Patricia Halverson, baroque violinist Andrew Fouts, and theorbo and baroque guitar player Scott Pauley are the core members of the Pittsburgh-based group Chatham Baroque. The ensemble specializes in innovative programming of both well-known and lesser known baroque music and musicians, and they promote their work through a thriving concert series, acclaimed recordings, and a...

Richard Egarr is an internationally renowned harpsichordist, organist, conductor and baroque music expert. Since 2006 he has been Music Director of the Academy of Ancient Music, founded by Christopher Hogwood in the 1970s. Now he has signed a five-year contract to serve as music director for another prestigious early music group. Suzanne spoke with him about his exciting new gig, his extraordinary...

Violinist Rachel Barton Pine and harpsichordist Jory Vinikour are both internationally acclaimed musicians. They're also old friends. The warmth of their personal relationship is evident in their performance of Johann Sebastian Bach's Violin and Harpsichord Sonatas on their 2018 CD, and it shines through in their easy, playful rapport when they spoke with Suzanne.

Harry Bicket is an acclaimed conductor whose specialty is baroque music. He is Artistic Director of The English Concert (the British period instrument ensemble) and Chief Conductor/Music Director of Santa Fe Opera, and his international conducting engagements have included performances at the Metropolitan Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Cincinn...

Cellist Thomas Demenga is a renowned soloist, composer and teacher, whose own teachers and mentors include acclaimed musicians such as Leonard Rose and Mstislav Rostropovich. His repertory includes a full range of historical eras and styles of interpretation and composition, and he is an advocate for New Music. He is also passionate about historical performance practice of baroque music, and a vir...

For 33 days, violinist Michelle Ross visited 33 public locations in NYC, performing Bach's Complete Sonatas and Partitas. Suzanne talked with Michelle about that project, her CD Discovering Bach, and her optimism and passion for the future of classical music.

The Harmonious Society of Tickle-Fiddle Gentlemen is an ensemble formed in 2006, with a particular mission to research and present unfairly neglected baroque era composers and their music. Their recording of Concertos by Czech composer Josef Guretsky was released in 2016, and Suzanne spoke with the group's artistic director Robert Rawson about his colleagues and their process for finding their unu...

Banjo is one of those ubiquitous musical instruments we see and hear in movies and bluegrass concerts, but without really knowing much about it. John Bullard is a banjo virtuoso, and his musical tastes and expertise include playing music from the classical tradition. He and Suzanne had a conversation about the history of the instrument, its unique qualities, and his path to playing a wide repertor...

The lute enjoyed its greatest popularity from the late 15th through late 17th centuries, when many people played the instrument and composed music for it. But thanks to a handful of masterful contemporary lutenists, such as Ronn McFarlane, the instrument continues to thrive in the 21st century. Suzanne spoke with the versatile musician about the lute's history, and his passion for the instrument a...

Ton Koopman began his musical education and career in the 1950s, at the leading edge of the revival of interest in baroque music. His outstanding reputation as a harpsichordist, organist, conductor and teacher has Johann Sebastian Bach's music as its foundation, yet it includes Bach's contemporaries and predecessors as well as many classical and romantic era musicians. Over the decades, Ton Koopma...

Avi Avital is a mandolin player and a composer with a broad repertory for his instrument, from many different genres. Suzanne spoke with him about the mandolin and his 2015 recording of Vivaldi Mandolin Concertos with the Venice Baroque Orchestra.

The visual arts and artists of the 17th century are much better known than the music and composers of that same time period, and guitarist Richard Savino wanted to address that oversight. He embarked on a comprehensive project to integrate the paintings of artists such as Artemisia Gentileschi and her contemporaries with music by composers such as Andrea Falconieri, Dario Castello, Giovanni Kapsbe...

Guitarist Sharon Isbin is a passionate and articulate advocate for her instrument and for music in general. As an international performer, recording artist, teacher and mentor she is shaping the future of the popular instrument. Suzanne spoke with Sharon Isbin about her impressive career

Masaaki Suzuki is a leading expert on baroque music and Johann Sebastian Bach, and he directs performances all over the world of baroque masterpieces by Bach and his contemporaries. In April 2014 he led top students from Yale and Juilliard in NYC and New Haven concerts of Bach's St. John Passion. Professor Suzuki made time to stop by the Sunday Baroque studio between those performances to talk abo...

German-born musician Matthias Maute has achieved an international reputationas conductor, recorder and flute player and as a composer. He is artisticdirector of Ensemble Caprice in Canada, and performs all over the world atfestivals and with other ensembles. His many recordings are regularlyfeatured on Sunday Baroque, and Suzanne had the chance to welcome him in thestudio to discuss his creative a...

Ronn McFarlane and Mark Cudek are among the most sought-after performers specializing in baroque and early music. The founding members of the Baltimore Consort spoke with Suzanne about their trio with Mindy Rosenfeld - Gut, Wind and Wire. They explained the inside scoop on the group's name, talked about some of the unusual instruments they play, and revealed of their surprising and diverse musical...

Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) is often called the first great opera composer, and the opera Il ritorno d'Ulisse (The Return of Ulysses) was one of Monteverdi's late masterpieces. Unfortunately it's not often performed, so The Yale Baroque Opera Project's production in early May 2012 marks its New Haven premiere. The semester-long preparations have brought together talented undergraduate and gradu...

Canadian violinist Lara St. John and French harpist Marie-Pierre Langlamet are old friends who enjoy making music together for fun, and decided to share their enthusiasm and talent on an album featuring Sonatas by Johann Sebastian Bach. Since Bach didn't compose any violin and harp music, their collaboration features intriguing arrangements. Hear their conversation with Suzanne about adapting thes...

Rick Steves is a tried and true expert on European travel, so Suzanne invited him to share his advice about hearing great, live music while you're on vacation in Europe. He talked about some of his favorite musical destinations, and gave suggestions for finding the kinds of venues and concerts to suit your tastes. (Make sure you listen for his insider's tip about getting the best seat in the house...

Guitarist Richard Savino and his group, El Mundo, were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Small Ensemble Performance for their 2011 recording The Kingdoms of Castille. Sunday Baroque contributor Amanda Pond interviewed him about the interesting variety of music on the recording, special considerations for performing it, and what it's like to receive a Grammy nomination.

With its 6,183 pipes, 95 stops, 111 ranks, 2 consoles and 7 keyboards, installation of the new French organ at New York City's Church of the Ascension was completed in early 2011. Master builder Pascal Quoirin was chosen to design the instrument by the Church's Music Director, distinguished organist and conductor Dennis Keene. Suzanne Bona visited Dr. Keene to discuss the magnificent new instrumen...

Pianist Simone Dinnerstein made a big splash in 2007 with her recording of Johann Sebastian Bach's Goldberg Variations. Jan. 2011 brings her first recording for the Sony label, BACH: A Strange Beauty. The all-Bach recording includes the English Suite #3, transcriptions of three Chorale Preludes, and Keyboard Concertos #1 and #5. Once again, she demonstrates her artistry and her sensitivity to Bach...

Nicholas McGegan is a man of many talents and interests: an art aficionado, avid gardener and epicure, to name just a few. He's also one of the most sought-after experts in baroque and early music - a conductor, harpsichordist and scholar. His zest for life is evident in everything he does, especially when he's leading an ensemble in music he knows and loves as much as George Frideric Handel's ora...

Harpsichordist and conductor Jeannette Sorrell founded the successful period instrument ensemble Apollo's Fire - The Cleveland Baroque Orchestra in 1992 after an interview for a job as assistant to a famous conductor went terribly wrong. Sorrell spoke with Sunday Baroque host Suzanne Bona about how her passion for music drove her to finagle free piano lessons as a child, what it's like to work wit...

Karen Marie Marmer and Jorg-Michael Schwarz are co-directors of Rebel, a baroque ensemble they formed in 1991. The group is named after Jean-Fery Rebel, a French baroque era musician who was a daring musical innovator. They talked with Suzanne about how they fell love with baroque music, and each other, and how their provocative performance practices have given the group's name a double meaning.