Early Music Festival

First Presbyterian Church

10025–105 St.

Friday, May 6   8 p.m.

Saturday, May 7   9:30, 11:15 a.m. (Workshops);
2 p.m. (Concert), 4 p.m. (Masterclass) and 8 p.m. (Concert)

Holy Trinity Anglican Church

10037 – 84 Avenue

Sunday, May 8   1 p.m. (Masterclass) and 8 p.m. (Concert)

Ever since her emigration to Edmonton from her native Netherlands in 1995, cellist Josephine van Lier has dreamed of the formation of some sort of local Early Music organization.  “Netherlands was really at the forefront of the early music movement when I grew up," says van Lier.  "At that time, the performance of early music and historically informed performance practice was considered to be quite radical.”

Through her performing, both here in Canada and in the United States, van Lier eventually attracted a group of professional musician supporters of the genre.  Thus was born Early Music Alberta Society as of November, 2010.  

The Festival will present a variety of events, including workshops and masterclasses, as well as four concerts.  Along with van Lier herself, performers will include local and area musicians such as soprano Jolaine Kerley, recorder player Jen Hoyer, organist Marnie Giesbrecht, Baroque violinist George Andrix, harpsichordist Judy Loewen, as well as the Scona Chamber Singers under the direction of conductor John Brough.

A special highlight of the festival will be the guest appearances by Japanese-American countertenor Brian Asawa, and internationally acclaimed harpsichord virtuoso Gilbert Martinez.  Van Lier speaks very highly of the two guest artists.  “(They are) absolute super stars from San Francisco and Los Angeles.  I’ve played with them there before,  They were rally excited about starting this organization,” says Asawa.

Renaissance and Baroque composers whose music will be featured during the concerts will include Henry Purcell, George Frederic Handel, Johann Sebastian Bach, Francesco Geminiani, Georg Philipp Telemann, Antonio Vivaldi, Johann Joachim Quantz and William Byrd.

Further information on the festival, including ticket prices and availability, as well as the special guest artists, may be obtained from the following web-sites:

www.earlymusicalberta.ca

www.brianasawa.com

www.musicsources.org