Columbia Baroque invites you on a tour of the great rivers of Europe for our 2015-2016
Concert Series, “Across the Water with Columbia Baroque.” Our season opening concert
visits “The River Thames” in London, with special guest artist J. Daniel Jenkins,
countertenor. The program features spectacular opera arias by Handel, Vivaldi and
Monteverdi, plus beautiful instrumental chamber music, and closes with Purcell’s “Sound
the Trumpet.”
Our journey begins with the gorgeous love duet featuring Jenkins and mezzo soprano Brittnee Siemon,“Pur ti miro,” from the final act of Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea. Jenkins is the soloist for the exuberant and frenetic aria, “Furibondo spiro il vento,” from Handel’s opera Partenope, which features comic romantic complications and gender confusion. “Spoza son disprezzata” from Vivaldi’s Bajezet gives Siemon the role of the weeping scorned villainess. The instrumental selections include: “Captain Hume’s Lamentation” for violin and gamba by Tobias Hume, which shows the serious side of this oft-times prankster composer; “Lady Pembroke Sonata” for gamba and harpsichord by renowned gamba composer and performer Carl Friederich Abel; the familiar Handel F major Sonata for recorder and continuo; and a lovely Broken Consort by Matthew Locke. Concluding the program, the ever-popular duet, “Sound the Trumpet” from Come Ye Sons of Art, which was written by Purcell as an Ode for Queen Mary’s Birthday. The memorable tune has been delighting audiences for over three hundred years.
Guest artist, J. Daniel Jenkins, is an associate professor of music theory at the University of South Carolina. He holds a Ph.D. in music theory from the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, an M.M. from the University of Louisville, and a B.M. from the University of Kentucky. He was a fellow at the Mannes Institute for Advanced Studies in Music Theory and a Fulbright Scholar in Vienna in 2005-2006. At USC, Jenkins is affiliate faculty in International Studies, Euro Studies and Women's and Gender Studies. Joining Jenkins are Columbia Baroque members: Brittnee Siemon, mezzo soprano; Jean Hein, Baroque recorders; Erika Cutler, Baroque violin; Gail Ann Schroeder, viola da gamba; and Jerry Curry, harpsichord.
“The River Thames” will be presented Friday evening, September 4 in the Recital Hall at the University of South Carolina School of Music, 813 Assembly St. in Columbia. “Concert Conversations,” hosted by Sarah Williams, University of South Carolina Asst. Professor of Music History, begins at 7 p.m. with the performance at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door, and students attend free. For ticket purchase and information, visit columbiabaroque.com.