The Old & The New

Welcome to Museum Concerts’ 42nd season. Rhode Island’s own series is the oldest Early Music presenter in the country! We are inviting you to visit two new venues with us this season—read on for details.

But first, we are saddened to mark the passing last spring of Alison Fowle, a noted performer on the viola da gamba, and co-founder of our Museum Concerts series. The Christmas Concert by Blue Heron in December will be dedicated to her memory, and will be conducted by former Board member Scott Metcalfe. Please note that this concert will take place at Grace Church at 175 Mathewson St. in downtown Providence.

Some 44 years ago Museum Concerts presented our first concerts in the Great Gallery of the RISD Museum. Just as Old Master paintings need to be hung and seen for public viewing, Early Music must be brought to life by adept performers to be experienced and appreciated. The common thread in the programs this season seems to be that emotion we often feel while taking in great paintings: astonishment. Each of the groups has chosen to present music that is either utterly sublime (such as Blue Heron), highly virtuosic (Windhover), ancient and unusual (Lipzodes) or in some other way calls us to reflection or joy.

So in keeping with our astonishment at Old Masters, we are delighted to invite you to return with us to the RISD Museum in April! The Windhover ensemble will play a concert of Jewish Baroque Music from Venice, and Andrew Raftery of the RISD Print Department will present a special lecture of 18th-century Italian prints and drawings in the Minskoff Center for Prints, Drawings, and Photographs. Professor Raftery will speak at 2:30, and the concert will follow at 3:30 downstairs in the brand-new Michael P. Metcalf Auditorium in the Chase Wing of the Museum at 20 North Main St.

The rest of the concerts will be held at our more accustomed venue of St. Martin’s Church on Orchard Ave on the East Side. Harmonious Blacksmith, a bright young group, will sing and play praises of sweet melancholy with music of Dowland. Ensemble Très will team up with some top-notch singers to bring us English songs of love. And not to be missed is Lipzodes, with the uncanny and beautiful music of Guatemala in the 16th century! All concerts take place on Sunday afternoons at 3:30, and all sites are handicapped accessible.

Won’t you consider joining as a subscriber?  We are pleased to offer several ticket options – a flex pass for 3, 4 or 5 concerts at a reduced rate, as well as the option of buying single tickets in advance through ArtTIxRI.com, the arts ticketing organization for the Rhode Island cultural community. We also ask our kind and loyal patrons to consider a generous donation, so that we may continue to present the best of Early Music for all our fans in Providence!

Thank you for your kind support!