A Concerto is usually an exciting musical event for a virtuosi to show off their skills.

When Corelli published his Concerti Grossi Op 6, he essentially invented a new musical form – the idea of contrasting a solo Trio Sonata texture of two violins and cello with the grandeur of the full orchestra. 

Both Handel and Vivaldi quickly followed suit, publishing sets of Concerti Grossi in this new genre. Providence Baroque, led by Violinist Daniel Lee, explores this delightful musical form in our opening concert, as well as showcasing rising countertenor Sam Higgins in a performance of Vivaldi’s moving Stabat Mater.

Sam is a native of Massachusetts, and is currently completing his Master’s Degree at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. He spent this summer at Aspen, coaching with Renee Flemming.

Higgins’ 2026-27 season includes debuts with two major opera companies; as Arsace in Handel’s Partenope with Pittsburgh Opera and as Bacchus in Purcell’s Bacchae, a newly woven-together work premiering at West Edge Opera. On the concert stage, he will sing the alto solos in Handel’s Messiah with the Wichita Symphony and Beethoven’s Mass in C with Binghamton Philharmonic. Back at Curtis for his final year of his Master’s degree, he will record an album of German lieder with pianist Miloš Repický and perform a concert of English Baroque with Leon Schelhase.