Women Composers and the Risks of Authorship
Celebrating International Women's Day: The careers of Viennese composer Marianna Martines and Roman composer Maria Rosa Coccia mirrored one another in key respects. But the differences are fascinating, and revealing: While one was born into privilege and carefully cultivated her public image, the other seemed to suffer from fewer social connections and a more bold approach to her public persona.
Nurturing a Love for Early Music
Amherst Early Music and the Oberlin Baroque Performance Institute have long embraced musicians ranging from enthusiasts to professionals. These two programs, similar in many regards, serve a range of abilities and interests, and both of them got their start a half a century ago.
Rock & Reel: Monticello’s Black Fiddlers
Sally Hemings' three sons with Thomas Jefferson, and many in her extended family, were accomplished musicians. The pieces they played are ripe for modern performances on historical instruments.
Chatting with a Keyboard Master: James Nicolson
James Nicolson, the 2013 recipient of EMA’s Howard Mayer Brown Award for lifetime achievement in the field of early music, was interviewed in March 2021 by Leslie Kwan.
Solutions for Change: Anti-Racism in Early Music
“We must be anti-racist in early music because early music is worth it.”
The Modern World of Early Brass
The people who build period instruments face many challenges.
The Makers of Dreams: Instrument Builders
In this and coming issues, EMAg will feature makers of early-music instruments, celebrating artisans who design and craft wind, string, keyboard, and percussion instruments based on historical models. Some of these makers are players themselves, and all interact closely with those who collect, play, and love their instruments.
Going for Baroque Among Spirits & Steeds
Louisville, Kentucky, is a champion of whiskey and home to the Kentucky Derby, but old music has also taken up residence there, thanks to two ensembles, Bourbon Baroque and Incantare, which share violinist Alice Culin-Ellison
Feasting on Festivals
What sets many festivals apart are specific approaches and characteristics. In the world of early music, one can find festivals built around thematic programming and those that embrace a mix of repertoire meant to spice up our artistic lives.
