Early Music Missouri continues its 2025–2026 Mainstage Concert Series opens with a program of seldom-heard chamber works composed for the court of Charles I. Building on and extending the traditions of the English viol consort, composer William Lawes created a unique body of chamber music that creatively combined bowed and plucked strings. Today’s concert features one of his more remarkable combinations—two violins, two violas da gamba and two theorbos—surely composed for Lawes and his colleagues at the English court. The program offers three “setts” or suites of dances as well as solo songs by Lawes and several of his contemporaries.
Led by Baroque violinist Daniel Lee, the performers include Early Music Missouri regulars Sam Breene on Baroque violin, Stephanie Hunt on viola da gamba and Jeff Noonan playing theorbo. Newcomers to the EMMo stage are St. Louis-based countertenor Keith Wehmeier, London-based gambist Tess Roberts and Boston-based Brian Bartling on archlute.
The concert will take place on November 2 at 3:00 PM at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 110 North Warson Road in Ladue, MO. The free off-street parking, available immediately adjacent to the church, includes multiple handicapped spots. The performance space is accessible for those with special mobility needs. Admission to the concert is $20 (cash, card, or check) with special discounts for students.
Baroque violinists Daniel Lee (founder and leader of The Sebastians) and Samuel Breene perform together regularly with the Providence Baroque Orchestra, and have appeared individually and together on multiple Early Music Missouri programs. Today’s concert is the second Early Music Missouri performance for lutenist Brian Bartling, a Kansas City native who recently performed a solo Baroque lute recital for Early Music Missouri in Kansas City and St. Louis. Seattle native Tess Roberts joins Early Music Missouri for this concert from London, where she recently relocated for graduate studies. In recent years, countertenor Keith Wehmeier has achieved considerable national recognition as a soloist in operas and concert repertoire. Today’s concert is the first of Keith’s three concerts with Early Music Missouri this season; he will sing a solo recital in April and appear as a featured soloist in our performance of Dido & Aeneas in May.
Early Music Missouri is the region’s foremost promoter and presenter of Early Music concerts. Its performances feature Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque repertoire performed on period instruments by expert performers from the region and nation.
