Marésienne Consort

Amara Guitry, baroque flute
Bárbara de Barros, baroque violin
Ibi Aziz, viola da gamba
James Akers, theorbo
David Wright, harpsichord

'Telemann in Paris'

Instrumental works by musicians in 18th-century Paris, centring around Telemann's visit in 1737.

THE MARÉSIENNE CONSORT is an award-winning ensemble named after the French composer and viol virtuoso, Marin Marais (1656-1728). Comprising specialist players and performers, the group aims to perform music from the Renaissance onwards according to the latest scholarly researched, historically informed practice and combines knowledge and virtuosity to give performances laced with new ideas and exciting interpretations. Its members work and appear with numerous distinguished ensembles such as The Rose Consort of Viols, Musica Antiqua of London, The London Handel Orchestra, Les Concert des Nations, Ex Cathedra and The Card-inalls Musick, in venues that include the South Bank and Wigmore Hall.

The Consort was one of the few ensembles chosen to compete in the Finals of the prestigious International Early Music Competition held at the York Early Music Festival recently. It is also the winner of the 2003 Early Music Prize at Trinity College of Music, London. The Consort has broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.

BÁRBARA DE BARROS was born in Portugal and came to London in 1998 to study modern violin under Diana Cummings, whilst reading for a BMus (Hons) at Trinity College of Music London. She graduated last year and was awarded a scholarship by the college to further her studies on the baroque violin; she is currently enrolled in Trinity as a Post-Graduate Diploma student under Richard Gwilt. She has played in master classes given by Andrew Manze, Adrian Butterfield, Ruggiero Ricci, Zakhar Bron, Gerardo Ribeiro and Joaquin Torres. Bárbara has been the recipient of several awards and prizes such as the Dartington International Music Course award and the Gulbenkian Scholarship award. As a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player, Bárbara has performed mostly in Portugal and in England. She currently freelances with various ensembles and orchestras in the UK and will be undertaking the European Union Baroque Orchestra Course in Holland in April.

AMARA GUITRY graduated from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music with degrees in both historical and modern flute performance. While at Oberlin she was a pupil of Michael Lynn, Michel Debost and Kathleen Chastain. She has performed with Apollo's Fire and the Cleveland Baroque orchestra (in their production of Rameau's Les Indes Galantes). Under the auspices of the University of Pittsburgh, she took part in the modern world premiere performance of C. P. E. Bach's St. Matthew Passion. Amara Guitry was one of two Baroque flautists selected to become a participant in the newly-initiated apprenticeship programme with the leading period instrument orchestra in England, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. She received a first prize award at the 2002 American Bach Soloists' International Baroque Oboe and Flute Competition and was invited back as a soloist with the ABS in performances of Bach's Suite in B Minor. In 2002-3, Amara Guitry was a recipient of a Fulbright Graduate Student Award to the United Kingdom, and in October of 2003 received a Master's Degree in Early Music Performance from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She is currently living in London while studying with Stephen Preston and Simon Emmerson as a doctoral student at the Guildhall School and City University, London.

IBI AZIZ studied under Alison Crum and now keeps a busy schedule performing with various groups in the UK and abroad. He has been on concert platforms from South East Asia across to Europe, appeared in festivals in Singapore, Barcelona, Scotland and Ireland, and performs regularly around the UK. During his training at Trinity College of Music London he swept all the possible awards and prizes in early music, being the first winner of the Ella Kidney Prize in 2001 as a viola da gamba soloist, and again in 2003 with his ensemble, The Marésienne Consort, and receiving the TCM Trust Silver Medal in the same year. In 2002 he was one of the recipients of the Worshipful Company of Musicians' Silver Medal for his outstanding achievements in early music. He appears with distinguished groups such as the Rose Consort of Viols and Charivari Agréable Simfonie, and with The Marésienne Consort has been broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. Ibi Aziz now holds a full scholarship from Trinity College of Music London to read for an MMus degree in performance, researching the life and work of Johannes Schenck. He is based in London.

DAVID WRIGHT recently graduated with distinction from the Royal College of Music (where he studied with Robert Woolley), gaining a post-graduate diploma in performance. Prior to this, he completed a masters degree at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama under James John-stone. Previously he studied with John Henry, Jane Chapman and Virginia Pleasants. Before entering music college David was an entirely self-taught pianist, organist and harpsichordist, and his interest in early music led him to take up the viol and clavichord whilst at college. To complement his college studies, he has received scholarships and bursaries to study at Dartington International Summer School and the Britten-Pears School. He has also played in numerous masterclasses, most notably with Kenneth Gilbert and Colin Tilney. As an accomplished soloist and continuo player, David has directed concerts and performed with numerous orchestras and ensembles throughout the UK and abroad accompanying distinguished soloists such as Emma Kirkby. One of David's most interesting engagements was playing the harpsichord for the world premiere of the play One God One Farinelli starring Richard O'Brien.

David currently holds the post of organist at St. John on Bethnal Green, London. He has an avid interest in the science of instrument building and he has just finished building a copy of an early English harpsichord at the London Metropolitan University. Most recently David has performed as a finalist in the York Early Music Competition with the Marésienne Consort, and also with The London Handel Orchestra as part of the London Handel Festival.

JAMIE AKERS was born in Edinburgh and attended Peebles High School where he began studying classical guitar. Whilst at Napier University, he was introduced to the lute, initially studying with Robert MacKillop and subsequently with Jakob Lindberg at the Royal College of Music, London. Since re-locating to London he has performed at many major concert venues including St. Martin-in-the-Fields, St. John's Smith Square and St. George's Hanover Square both as soloist and accompanist with leading ensembles, including the Parley of Instruments. At the RCM he has been awarded the Early Music Century Prize and in ensemble won the Peter Pears, Simon Myrnheer duo prizes, and Richard III prize. He was recently awarded a scholarship to continue his studies into sixteenth-century lute music.

Programme details | Notes: Telemann in Paris