Schein, Scheidt, and Schmelzer

Ryan Cheng & Alyssa Campbell ~ violin & viola
Dan McCarthy ~ tenor viola
John Stajduhar ~ violone
Nicola Canzano ~ harpsichord

An exploration of the instrumental works of three of Germany’s most important composers from the 17th century: Schein, Scheidt, and Schmelzer. These pieces come from important publications and collections of instrumental music, including the Kromeriz archive in the Czech Republic, which serves as one of the greatest sources of instrumental and vocal music from Germany in the 17th century.

The Fooles is an ensemble dedicated to uncovering and embracing underutilized performance practices from the 17th century, experimenting with textually-based historical practice in its programming. Formed in 2022, the ensemble has been featured at the EMA Emerging Artists Summit and BEMF’s Emerging Artist Showcase, and as individuals, are committed artist-scholars with performing careers throughout the United States and Europe.