25 Feb 2012 [Seattle, WA] – Early Music America has published the Spring 2012 issue of its quarterly publication, Early Music America magazine. Call 1-888-SACKBUT or email info@earlymusic.org now to request a complimentary copy.
NOTABLE IN THIS ISSUE:
2012 Guide: Festivals & Workshops EMA’s exclusive listings of opportunities for early music education and entertainment throughout North America and overseas.
The Girls Who Played With Fire Pemi Paull discusses two recordings by Montreal’s Ensemble Caprice which explore the music that Antonio Vivaldi wrote for his highly trained all-girl orchestra and chorus at the Ospedale della Pietà in Venice, a home for abandoned children where, for most of the early 18th century, Vivaldi was a violin teacher, musical director, and in-house composer.
Excerpt: “’It would seem that our own age has something to learn from 18th-century Italy. Providing top-notch musical training without charge to disadvantaged girls and women on the margins of society bespeaks a sense of social responsibility that would be praiseworthy today. Groups like Ensemble Caprice are shedding new light on the masterpieces Vivaldi wrote for these students and in the process allowing us to admire once again the remarkable achievement of their creation.”
“I Have a Friend Named Viola…” Tina Chancey, Jessica Powell and Renee Hammond describe how an Early Music Outreach Grant from Early Music America was put into practice by working cooperatively with a teacher in Chevy Chase Elementary School.
Excerpt: from Jessica Powell: “As an outsider coming into a school setting, you have to ask, ‘What am I doing here? What do I have to offer that is worth precious classroom time?’ It is not enough to say, ‘I am bringing the arts, and the arts are important.’ Teaching artists need to provide a compelling argument as to why arts belong in the classroom, not only to convince classroom teachers (who rarely need convincing) but to provide teachers with talking points that will win the acceptance of administrations and school boards.”
Also in this issue: Armand-Louis Couperin and His Keyboard Instruments by Martin Perlman Musings: Early Music? No Such Thing by Thomas Forrest Kelley Profile: Gregory Spears: The Old Is New Again by Beth Adelman In Conclusion: When Orchestras Trembled by David Hurwitz Plus Recording Reviews, Book Reviews, and Sound Bytes (news from the field).
About Early Music America Early Music America serves and strengthens the early music community in North America and raises public awareness of early music. EMA was founded in 1985 and provides its 3,000 members with publications, advocacy, and technical support. EMA publishes the quarterly magazine Early Music America. “Early music” includes western music from the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical periods, performed on period instruments in historically-informed styles. For more information, contact Early Music America at 206-720-6270 or 888-SACKBUT, or visit our web site at www.earlymusic.org.
