Thursday June 29 – 7:00pm
Following a rendition of Pergolesi’s well-loved “Stabat Mater” will be a delightful sampling of the 17th century Italian Baroque, including works by Uccellini and Cazzati, interspersed with later Italian flavours by the famous composer Vivaldi as well as aria selections for bass voice from various Handel operas. With performances by soprano Katelyn Bird, countertenor Christian Massuci Facchini, and British-Canadian baritone Alexander Dobson. The chamber-sized baroque band will be lead by a very special guest from Italy, violinist Elisa Citterio, former Music Director of Tafelmusik.
Grace United Church
222 Victoria St, Niagara-on-the-Lake
$40.00 + HST
- Online ticket sales close 5 PM the day before.
- Rush tickets available the day of the concert at the door.
- Discounted tickets, packages and student pricing are only available to purchase by phone.
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FEATURING
Katelyn Bird, Soprano
Christian Massuci Facchini, Countertenor
Alexander Dobson, Baritone
Elisa Citterio, violin
Jimin Dobson, violin
Matthew Antal, viola
Felix Deák, cello/gamba
Christopher Bagan, keyboard
Jonathan Stuchbery, lutes
PROGRAM – CLICK THE LINK TO SEE A PDF OF THE PROGRAM
BIOS
Elisa Citterio (Violin) – The brilliant violinist Elisa Citterio joined Tafelmusik as Music Director from 2017 to 2022. In her native Italy she divided her artistic life between orchestral work and an intense schedule as a chamber musician. She has recorded and toured, as leader, konzertmeister or soloist, with such ensembles as Dolce & Tempesta, La Lira d’Orfeo, Europa Galante, Accademia Bizantina, Accordone, Concerto Italiano, Zefiro, La Venexiana, La Risonanza, Ensemble 415, Il Giardino Armonico, Balthasar-Neumann Choir & Ensemble (Thomas Hengelbrock), Les musiciens du Louvre, Les Musiciens du Prince. From 2004 to 2017 she was a member of the Orchestra del Teatro della Scala di Milano. Elisa comes from a musical family, including her composer mother and brother, and graduated with highest honours in violin and viola from L. Marenzio Conservatory in her hometown of Brescia. Post-graduate work included baroque violin studies with Enrico Onofri, Luigi Mangiocavallo, and Chiara Banchini. Her discography includes more than 35 recordings of Vivaldi, Bach, Handel, Corelli, Monteverdi, and Haydn. She is currently teaching baroque violin at the Conservatory in Udine.
Jimin Dobson (violin) – Jimin began her musical studies at Le Conservatoire de musique de la Ville de Luxembourg with violinist Vania Lecuit. After four years in Europe, Jimin briefly moved to South Korea where she obtained her first solo opportunity with orchestra at age ten. Dobson soon moved to Toronto, Canada where she had the good fortune of meeting and musically maturing with Canadian violinist Erika Raum at the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Young Artists Performance Academy (presently Taylor Academy). Having been principal player of both violin and viola sections of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra and as winner of the concerto competition, Jimin had the opportunity to appear as soloist with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at age seventeen. While a freshman at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Jimin discovered the joys of playing on gut strings guided by members of the distinguished Early Music faculty at Case Western Reserve University, Julie Andrijeski and Debra Nagy. Quickly discovering her affinity for Historically Informed Performance Practice, Jimin furthered her studies and performance experience through numerous summer programs such as the International Baroque Institute at Longy, the American Bach Soloists Academy, Berwick Academy of the Oregon Bach Festival, Early Music Vancouver, etc., as well as performing as an apprentice member of Cleveland’s Apollo’s Fire. Dobson has since accumulated over fifteen years of experience working with various internationally renowned artists and professional Early Music groups across North America, including appearing as guest concertmaster with the San Francisco Bach Choir orchestra and as piccolo violin soloist under the direction of Bach specialist, Masaaki Suzuki. Currently based in Montreal, Canada, Jimin Dobson enjoys an active career as a Baroque violinist with numerous ensembles including the multi-award-winning l’Harmonie des saisons and Arion Orchestre Baroque, as well as Studio de musique ancienne de Montreal and Orchestre Gallileo, among several others. An avid chamber musician, one of Jimin’s latest passionate undertakings is as the violist of the Montreal-based Ximenez Quartet, dedicated to showcasing music of lesser-known composers of the Classical era, especially of the South Americas.
Matthew Antal (Viola) – Matthew was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. He attended Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts where he began playing Viola at age 13 because he was told “you look like a violist”. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Toronto under Katharine Rapoport and a master’s degree from the University of Victoria under Joanna Hood, both in viola performance. He is a regular performer with several music ensembles including Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra/Opera Atelier, Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, Toronto Consort, Scaramella, Musicians in Ordinary, Talisker Players, Theatre of Early Music, Elixir Ensemble, and Odin Quartet. Matthew began working as a full time recording engineer in spring 2020 after having all his concerts cancelled due to covid. Since then, he has produced dozens of recordings for several prominent groups including Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Toronto Consort, Opera Atelier, Rolston String Quartet, and Toronto Bach Festival. When not busy with music, he enjoys cooking and eating.
Felix Deák (Cello and gamba) – Felix showcases his career as a freelance musician with chamber ensembles and orchestras. He performs and tours regularly with long standing Montreal-based gamba consort Les Voix Humaines, Juno award winning ensemble L’Haromonie des Saisons.
Jonathan Stuchbery (lutes) – Jonathan is a specialist in period instruments of the lute and guitar family based in Toronto His performances have been praised as “exciting and technically brilliant” (Marvin Dickau), and “virtuosic”, while also showcasing creative and engaging programming. Versatile as a soloist, chamber musician and continuo player, he can be seen performing music on period instruments, solo and with ensembles such as Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Aureas Voces, Pacific Baroque Orchestra, Capella Intima, Theatre of Early Music, and in festivals and series including Music and Beyond, Festival Montréal Baroque, Winnipeg Baroque Festival, and Musique Royale. Alongside soprano Sinéad White, Jonathan forms Duo Oriana, whose 2023 album ‘How Like a Golden Dream’ was released under the Leaf Music label. He studied early music in the master’s program at the Escola Superior de Música in Barcelona with professor Xavier Díaz-Latorre. Jonathan has also worked as an educator for the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, and can always be heard supporting at-risk species on this Earth that he loves. If he’s not practicing, or performing with instrument in hand, you’ll often find him appreciating life outdoors.
Christopher Bagan (keyboard) – Christopher is a versatile artist, equally at home on modern and historical keyboard instruments. He is in high demand as a collaborator, chamber musician and basso-continuo specialist. He has performed with many of the leading baroque singers, instrumentalists and conductors in North America and abroad. Christopher is particularly active in the field of baroque opera, working as the assistant conductor at Opera Atelier and as coach and repetiteur at the Canadian Opera Company. In 2015-16 Christopher was the Early Keyboard instructor at Case Western Reserve University and the head of Harpsichord at the Cleveland Institute of Music. He is currently on Faculty at the University of Toronto, working with the students in the historical performance program. He is also on faculty as a historical keyboard coach in the Canadian Opera Company’s elite Ensemble training program.