About

I discovered the beauty of Antonio Vivaldi’s music when I was twelve. I’d just started to listen beyond the Four Seasons, discovering his other publications such as L’estro armonico (op. 3) and La Stravaganza (op. 4). I realized that there is something very special about Vivaldi’s music: its energy and boundless joy are unparalleled.

I try to incorporate Baroque music into the lives of my community members as often as I can. I organized events where anyone from the community was welcome to join me in playing music by Vivaldi, Bach, Handel, Locatelli and Albinoni. The events were free and open to the public, and there was no preparation needed beyond the ability to read music. We had violins, violas, cellos, basses, mandolins, flutes, and a lute. My mailing list grew and I met people who just needed an event like mine to pick up their instruments again. I watched people relax and grow confident, and we made some wonderful music. At the first event there were seventy people in the audience, including kids, and five musicians. At the second event there were fifteen musicians from the community. The program involved people from many towns, people anywhere from the age of twelve to over eighty. My friends from school came, my teachers, and people who’d heard about the events from others. One person even asked me to send him the music so he could play it with another orchestra. The atmosphere of the playing sessions was lighthearted and welcoming. We all had a great time.

I’d love to play Baroque music with as many people as possible. I want to help people find the inspiration to play for fun, with no pressure, with others they might not know. Taking risks gets easier with practice. Baroque music brings people together.

Recently, I have played in non-professional Baroque orchestras, using period instruments and bows to explore the technique and art of early performance. The joy I have felt playing the music of Vivaldi and Locatelli with these groups is the reason I want to share the knowledge of Baroque music with everyone.

The purpose of this blog is to invite you to listen to some of the varied treasures of Baroque music, while learning a bit about concepts of performance, history and theory. Even if you don’t play an instrument, you can listen. Listening is the reason music exists.