Sunday Baroque Conversations

California native Lara Downes was already studying piano at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music as a 5 year old! She grew up to be a virtuoso player with passionate curiosity and a voracious appetite for interesting music and musicians, captivating projects, and meaningful collaborations, and she refuses to be constrained to a singular definition of what a classical musician can and should be. Lara Downes chatted with Suzanne about her brilliant career, including her new video interview series AMPLIFY.

A fine musical instrument is a vital tool for a professional musician. String players often use instruments that are centuries-old, with characteristics particular to the luthier who crafted them. Ilya Finkelshteyn has had the great fortune to play many extraordinary cellos, including the 17th century Montagnana instrument he uses as principal cellist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Suzanne spoke with Ilya about some of the fine cellos he has played, and what makes each of them so special.

As a child, Brandon Patrick George was instantly drawn to the flute. It looked beautiful, and shiny, and he just knew in his heart that he was meant to play it. When he finally had the chance to pick an instrument to learn, there was no question he would choose the flute, and it has proven to be his perfect partner. The talented young musician is full of enthusiasm for everything from baroque music to cutting edge contemporary music, and he spoke with Suzanne about his debut recording and his growing career.

Countertenor Reggie Mobley is a man of many talents. He once considered becoming a visual artist, then he tapped into his extraordinary musical ability. He has sung all over the world, and has a broad range of musical interests, as well as a passion for social justice. Suzanne spoke with him about his career and favorite baroque music and composers (Bach and Handel) and some of the projects he is working on lately.

Countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen sings the role of David in Philharmonia Baroque's 2020 recording of George Frideric Handel's oratorio SAUL. Still in his 20s, the young American musician is a rising star with numerous awards and ambitious projects already under his belt. He chatted with Suzanne about his path to becoming a professional musician.

Violinist Julien Chauvin is a baroque music specialist who has studied with some of the world's prominent early music experts, including flutist Wilbert Hazelzet, cellist and viol player Jaap ter Linden and cellist Anner Bylsma. Julien Chauvin has also played in many of the leading European Baroque ensembles AND has founded several period instrument ensembles, too. One of those groups is Le Concert de la Loge, and Suzanne spoke with him about his recording with them of Concertos by Antonio Vivaldi for the VIVALDI EDITION recording series.

Mark Kroll is a harpsichord and fortepiano player, a scholar, educator and enthusiastic advocate for early music. He is Early Music America's 2020 Howard Mayer Brown Award winner for lifetime achievement for his career, which spans more than a half century. He is passionate about music and, especially, the harpsichord and he is an engaging raconteur. Mark spoke with Suzanne about his favorite musical instrument.

One of the most important jobs in a symphony orchestra is that of the Concertmaster. What exactly are the Concertmaster's duties and what skills make for an outstanding Concertmaster? Stefani Matsuo became Concertmaster of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in September 2019, following a competitive audition process that attracted candidates from around the world. Suzanne spoke with Stefani about her pivotal role in the orchestra, and her joyous immersion in music since childhood.

I recently had the pleasure to meet Patricia Ann Neely (Pat Neely) in person, when I interviewed her about her career as a musician for this podcast series. Pat has had a long and varied career as a musician, educator, and administrator. She is also a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, especially in the early music community, and serves as Chair of Early Music America's IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access) Taskforce. Ms. Neely recalls with personal experience her own introduction to the field as a young musician, and she is actively engaged in the quest to reach out and draw in people from underserved communities, so they can feel welcome and valued, and experience the joy and personal transformation that music offers. This is the first in what we hope will be an ongoing conversation with Pat about what diversity and inclusion mean, why these are important goals, and what steps are being taken by various organizations achieve them.

The King's Singers is a 6-member British vocal group that was established in 1968, before its current members were even born! The a capella ensemble is internationally celebrated for its broad repertory, virtuosity, charming audience connection, and versatility of musical genres. Chris Bruerton and Nick Ashby are the two baritone singers in the group, and they joined Suzanne in the studio to talk about what it's like to carry on the longstanding King's Singers traditions and craft the group's evolution.

Patricia Ann Neely has a broad range of accomplishments and intellectual interests. She is a professional musician with experience in historical performance practice playing viola da gamba, vielle, violone and double bass. She's performed with prominent early music ensembles all over the world, and has founded her own groups, including Parthenia consort of viols and Abendmusik - New York's Early Music String Band. Pat Neely and Suzanne chatted about her introduction to music, and her career as a performer, teacher, and arts administrator.

Even as a child, Awadagin Pratt had many interests and talents. He was an excellent student, and he excelled at music and tennis with seriousness and intent beyond mere hobbies. He spoke with Suzanne recently about how he made the choice to pursue music when he realized it was the thing he could not live without. They also chatted about his recording projects - past and future - and other milestones in his career as a performer and teacher.

Lee Pringle is passionate about music. He's a singer and conductor with an exciting career that spans musical genres including classical, African American spirituals, and more. Lee Pringle is also passionate about shining a bright light on music, musicians and history that have been overlooked for far too long. He spoke with Suzanne via Skype about some of his many musical projects.

Most people who play period instruments like viola da gamba and baroque violin start their training using the modern versions of those instruments and ultimately stumble onto their Baroque ancestors. Usually they are adults, often training as musicians in college or working as professionals. But thanks to a unique and groundbreaking program founded by Angelo Moreno at Davis High School in Davis, California, students at the public high school can perform on period instruments using gut strings and baroque bows. Mr. Moreno established the DHS Baroque Ensemble, the first group of its kind at the high school level in the USA.As the group prepares to go on its third European concert tour, Angelo Moreno spoke to Suzanne Bona from the studios of Capital Public Radio in Sacramento.

For more than 15 years, the Naive recording label has been releasing performances of a huge collection of autograph manuscripts by Antonio Vivaldi contained in an archive in Turin, Italy. The extensive and varied contents illuminate the extent of Vivaldi's prolific and creative genius - an extraordinary cross-section of concertos, operas, and sacred music. Susan Orlando is the artistic director of the project, and she recalled one super-fan's message that the project should be worthy of a Nobel Prize because of its power to be 'better than Prozac' in helping her stay relaxed and content. Susan Orlando spoke with Sunday Baroque host Suzanne Bona via Skype about the Vivaldi Edition.

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 well-established outreach program. The three outstanding musicians appreciate the great rapport they share, and are proud of Chatham Baroque's continued growth and expansion. They chatted with Suzanne about their music and their successful business model.

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 career, and a few of his guilty musical pleasures.

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, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra and Messiah with the New York Philharmonic. The Handel expert sat down for a conversation with Suzanne about his fondness for certain other Liverpool musicians, and how he achieved his "proper career" quite by accident.

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 virtuoso performer of the classical and romantic repertory for cello. Suzanne speaks with him about his broad ranging career.