Sackbut & Cornett Ensemble
STOP PRESS! Check out the new Soundbites link above for samples of our new demo CD...

 

The Story So Far...

  
Sacrae Symphoniae formed in September 2004 with the intention of recreating the richness of pre-Eighteenth century music through well-researched, historically informed performances. The ensemble is committed to performing music of this era as widely as possible, particularly outside of London. The group’s four core members have studied with, and performed alongside, leading period instrumentalists including Susan Addison, David Staff and Jamie Savan. As individuals, Sacrae Symphoniae’s Birmingham-based players are in demand as freelance modern brass musicians.
The group's activities to date have been varied and exciting. Our first full concert of music for sackbuts and cornetts took place at St. George’s Church, Edgbaston, Birmingham on Friday 22nd April 2005. Our programme – A Polyphonic Spree – contained music from a wide variety of continental and English composers, including Monteverdi, A & G Gabrieli, Cima, Gesualdo, Brade, Victoria and Palestrina. We were joined by Birmingham-based medieval vocal group Stella Maris, who performed medieval and renaissance music accompanied by fiddles and drums.

On 2nd December 2005, the group performed a lunchtime concert at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts at Birmingham University as part of the Institute's Lunchtime Concert Series. Our Italian programme included duets and quartets, along with some larger scale works for which we were joined by guest players on cornett and organ.

Performing as Ensemble Riccio, Helen, Claire and harpsichord player and organist Bridget Cunningham travelled to Toulouse in April this year to take part in Les Sacqueboutiers de Toulouse International Cornett and Sackbut Competition. We reached the semi-final with a programme of duets by Picchi, Merula, Bassano/Palestrina and Castello, and brought the program back for a second airing at a rush-hour concert at Birmingham Oratory in May this year.

Shortly afterwards, we collaborated with Coventry Philharmonic Choir and the Musical and Amicable Society in our first performance of Monteverdi's Vespers (1610) in Coventry Cathedral, and have recently performed as part of an early brass showcase at the International Trombone Festival at the Adrian Boult Hall in Birmingham.

We recently said goodbye to Pete Jay, a founding member of the group who has gone to make his fortune as a teacher in Cambridge, so as a newly reduced four-piece we find ourselves evolving and adapting once again. We aim to build on our growing local reputation and are planning another Winter concert in the Birmingham area, so watch this space for further details.