Echoing AirEarly Music Vocal Ensemble with Baroque Instruments

echoingair.org

Contents

Performer Biographies! 3

Testimonials! 6

Representative Programs! 7

www.echoingair.org

"Echoing Air" is a dynamic ensemble specializing in the repertoire of the English Baroque, with an emphasis on chamber works featuring countertenor voices with baroque ensemble.

The ensemble is comprised of talented performers who have worked with leading proponents of early music including the Bach Ensemble, Ensemble Galilei, Musica Antiqua Köln, Ensemble Voltaire, and Chanticleer, and have performed in venues such as the Boston Early Music Festival and the Proms in London.

2

Performer Biographies

Steven Rickards (countertenor) has received international acclaim as one of America's finest countertenors. He has been featured with the Adelaide Symphony, the BBC Philharmonic, the Deutsches Symphonie Orchester, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, the Tokyo Symphony, and the Malmo Opera (Sweden). Rickards has appeared internationally with Joshua Rifkin and the Bach Ensemble, as well as with The American Bach Soloists, Chanticleer, Ensemble Voltaire, the Gabrieli Consort, Chicago’s Music of the Baroque, the New London Consort, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Seattle Baroque Orchestra, the Opera Company of Philadelphia, the Santa Fe Opera, and the symphony orchestras of Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and St. Louis, and Tokyo. He has sung at Carnegie Hall with the Oratorio Society of New York, in France as a soloist with The Festival Singers under the direction of Robert Shaw, and with Paul Hillier and the

Theatre of Voices. Rickards was the was the soloist in the American premiere performance of Michael Nyman's Self-Laudatory Hymn of Inanna and Her Omnipotence at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall. He has recorded for Chanticleer, Decca, Dorian, Four Winds, Gothic, Harmonia Mundi, Koch, Newport Classics, Smithsonian, and Teldec. Rickards can also be heard on the Naxos label where, with lutenist Dorothy Linell, he recorded two solo albums of the songs of John Dowland and Thomas Campion. Rickards currently lives in Indianapolis where he teaches singing at Butler University, Marian University, and the University of Indianapolis. Steven sings regularly with The Choir of Men and Boys at Christ Church Cathedral, Indianapolis. He received his doctorate from Florida State University.

Christine Kyprianides (viola da gamba) was a leading Baroque cellist and gambist in Germany, performing with Huelgas Ensemble, Musica Antiqua Köln, Das Kleine Konzert, Diapente Consort, Collegium Carthusianum, Accademia Filarmonica Köln, Les Arts Florissants, Ganassi-Consort, Les Adieux, and the La Roche and Finchcocks String Quartets, and she has been a long-time collaborator of fortepianist Richard Burnett in England. Her recording credits include over 70 albums for Deutsche Grammophon, EMI, Sony, Harmonia mundi, RCA, Capriccio, Virgin Classics, Globe, etc.; as well as radio and television productions for the major German radios, Deutsche Welle, Radio Netherlands, and Radio France. Kyprianides holds degrees in performance from the Peabody and New England Conservatories, and the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, and was awarded the Gregor Piatigorsky Cello Prize at Tanglewood. Most recently she completed the Doctor of Music degree from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where she teaches Baroque cello. She has also held faculty positions at the Lemmens Institute (University of Louvain), the Musikhochschule of Cologne, and the Dresden Academy of Early Music; and has given seminars in historical performance practice at the Catholic University of Santiago de Chile, the Conservatory of Music in Buenos Aires, the Conservatory of Church Music in Halle/Saale, the Early Music Summer Seminar in Wallonia, among others. Dr. Kyprianides is a member of the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra and Ensemble Voltaire, continues to perform in Europe, and is active as a scholar.

3

Thomas Gerber (harpsichord) Thomas Gerber is a founding member of—and harpsichordist in—two period instruments Baroque groups: the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra, in residence at the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center at the University of Indianapolis, and the chamber music group Ensemble Voltaire, which is ensemble-in-residence at Trinity Episcopal Church, Indianapolis. Both organizations present annual local concert series. The Baroque Orchestra plays throughout Indiana, and Ensemble Voltaire has toured the United States and Canada since 1988. Mr. Gerber is assistant professor of music and humanities at Marian College, Indianapolis, and also serves on the faculties of the University of Indianapolis, where he teaches harpsichord and coaches the student baroque ensemble, and Butler University, where he teaches music history. Mr. Gerber is

harpsichordist of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra as well as of the liturgical early music ensemble Musik Ekklesia. He has appeared at the Early Music Festival of St. Louis and the Bloomington Early Music Festival, as well as with other period-instrument early-music groups, such as Catacoustic Consort, the Callipygian Players, Anaphantasia, Pills to Purge Melancholy, Ars Antigua Chicago, and Haydn-by-the-Lake. He can be heard on the Dorian, Concordia, and Catalpa Classics labels. After receiving music degrees from Hillsdale College and Ball State University, Mr. Gerber went on to earn a Master of Music degree in harpsichord and early music performance practice from Indiana University. His harpsichord teachers have included Fernando Valenti, Anthony Newman, and Elisabeth Wright.

Nathan Medley (countertenor) is rapidly becoming one of the leading countertenors of his generation. His upcoming season includes his Los Angeles Philharmonic debut in John Adams’ new oratorio The Gospel According to the Other Mary under Gustavo Dudamel. His opera credits include the roles of Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Dema in Cavalli's L'Egisto, and Ottone in Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea (which he covered for the Juilliard School on short notice). As Ottone, Medley won praise from Cleveland critics for an interpretation "sung with baroque perfection." Mr. Medley has worked under the direction of Stephen Stubbs, La Scala's Umberto Finazzi, Sally Stunkel, Jonathon Field, Webb Wiggins, and Danielle Patelli. As a core member of the ensemble, Echoing Air, Medley sings frequent concert performances of chamber music. Echoing Air, now in its third season, enjoys a full local concert season in Indianapolis as well as annual tours throughout the US. In addition to the standard baroque repertoire, Mr. Medley frequently commissions and performs modern works in an effort to broaden public awareness of the countertenor voice type. In 2008, Medley became a Presser Scholar and began a study of pedagogical approaches to the countertenor voice type and 20th-century countertenor repertoire. He has appeared in master classes with Marilyn Horne, Dame Emma Kirkby, and Ellen Hargis, and in 2009 received a Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music in voice and historical performance. Nathan is also an active teacher with students of all ages and skill levels. He is an adjunct professor of voice at Marian University and also teaches at the University of Indianapolis. He can be heard singing weekly with the Choir of Men and Boys at Christ Church Cathedral, Indianapolis.

4

Jeffrey Collier (recorder and baroque flute) received his Bachelor’s degree in music from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, where he performed with the Emory Early Music Consort. Now a resident of Indianapolis, he has performed on baroque flute and recorder with the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra and Ensemble Voltaire. He studied baroque flute with Barbara Kallaur and has participated in many intensive workshops and masterclasses with such artists as Christopher Krueger, Michael Lynn, Eva Legene, Janet See, and Stephen Preston. Collier has performed with ensembles throughout the Midwest and Southern United States, including the Tallahassee Bach Parley, the Miami Bach Society, the Baroque Artists of Champaign-Urbana (BACH), Nashville's Belle Meade Baroque, Winston-Salem's Piedmont Chamber Singers, and Ensemble Capriole in Williamsburg. Reviews have praised his "pure and focused playing". Collier can be heard on the Four

Winds label. In addition to his Early Music pursuits, he is a Family Physician in Carmel, IN. He also is a staff singer at Christ Church Cathedral, Indianapolis.

Mee Jung Ahn (recorder) was born in Seoul, South Korea. She started to play the recorder at the age of nine and afterwards gave many solo recitals and won numerous 1st prizes in the national competition for solo recorder. In 2004 and 2007, she gave solo recitals in Kumho Young Artist Concerts. In 2009 she graduated (summa cum laude) from Seoul National University, where she earned a bachelor of music in music theory. Prior to that, in fall 2006, she completed a year in the Historical Performance program at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she studied the recorder with Daniel Brüggen and Peter Holtslag. She has attended many intensive master classes with such artists as Dan Laurin, Matthias Maute, Kees Boeke, Saskia Coolen, and Carin van Heerden. She earned a Master of Music in recorder in the Early Music Institute at Indiana University, studying with Han Tol and Michael McCraw. She received the Willi Apel Early Music Scholarship Award from IU in 2010. She has become an associate instructor in the Pre-­college Recorder Program, and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in musicology at Indiana University. She was selected to participate in Early Music America’s 2011 Festival Ensemble in Boston Early Music Festival.

5

Testimonials

They immediately proceeded to “wow” the audience with her incredible talent and musical authenticity. Their personalities shined through as they entertained and educated us all.

Dianna CampbellDirector of Choral Activities

Seminole State College of Florida, Sanford, FL

Many bravos to you and Nathan Medley for presenting yourselves with great expressiveness both facially and musically. Your voices also are a great complement to the countertenor revival—voices so very pleasant and “natural”–not “hooty” and forced, as I have so often heard in others.

Dr. Daniel ReuningArtistic Director

Bach Collegium, Fort Wayne, IN

“Hark, How the Songsters” was full of life and joy, and your entire ensemble sparkled with exuberance. You and Nathan Medley were superb both separately and together; The recorders and continuo players complemented the voices and one another so well one would have thought you had all been performing together for decades.

Dr. John JostProfessor of Musics

Bradley University, Peoria, IL

Their two hours with our students was, without question, the most positive and productive master class I have experienced in my 28 years at UF.

Ronald BurrichterProfessor of Music

University of Florida, Gainesville

The singers of the University of Miami Collegium Musicum loved the collaboration. Counter tenors are not commonplace; you and Nathan Medley are a wonderful pair of artists who inspired our young singers with your skill, musicianship, and style. This was an ideal educational experience for these collegiate and high school students.

Donald OglesbyProfessor, University of Miami Frost School of Music

Artistic Director, Miami Bach Society

6

Representative Programs

An Evening with Mr. Henry Purcell

The life and times of England's most illustrious 17th Century composer, Henry Purcell, is presented in an historical perspective through readings and song, featuring Samuel Pepys and other contemporary figures. This program could be interactive in nature featuring a choir, and might conclude with Purcell catches involving audience participation.

Hark How The Songsters

The art of baroque chamber music is explored, featuring duets by Henry Purcell for countertenors and recorders, including "Sound the Trumpet," from Come Ye Sons of Art. Solo works of Pelham Humphrey, Daniel Purcell, and Henry Lawes are also presented.

Tis Love That Has Warmed Us

The timeless and universal aspects of love are explored in this program. Through poetry, love letters, and song, the listener will experience the power of love's mystery and fulfillment.

For Booking Information:Steven Rickards123 East Westfield BoulevardIndianapolis, IN 46220T: (317) 252-4311C: (317) 414-8374steven@echoingair.orgwww.echoingair.org

7