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IN THIS UPDATE:
2021 GRANTS - IMPACT
In February, eight live concerts took place - in Birmingham, Glasgow, Hastings, Lichfield, London, Norwich and Presteigne - and four new episodes from Ensemble Augelletti’s ‘Pick a Card’ series, pairing music with 17th century playing cards, became available on their (and our) YouTube channels. The figures so far:
£224,000 disbursed to 33 ensembles
815 musician engagements since April 2021
Another exciting milestone for Continuo was the first launch of a recording supported by our first round grants, awarded in March 2021 when audiences were not allowed, and no one was certain when they would be able to return to public performance.
We received this feedback in the post-project report submitted by Ensemble Hesperi:
"Overall, receiving this grant has been invaluable for us as an ensemble, and has given us hope and confidence for our future. We all feel that the support and encouragement we have received has helped us significantly in cementing the identity of our ensemble, and in moving along the path from emerging to established artists within the UK Historically Informed Performance scene. Most important, the Continuo Foundation’s support and belief in our work boosted our morale at an exceptionally challenging time - thank-you!"
GRANT ROUND 3 EVALUATION UNDERWAY!
Seeing the wide range of creative projects proposed in response to our announcement of a new round of grants is one of the most exciting aspects of our work at Continuo Foundation. We were delighted to receive applications from 65 ensembles – including thirteen who entered in the new category we created for recently formed ensembles. This takes the total number of different period-instrument groups who have applied to us across the three rounds of grants to over 100!
All the applications were rigorously evaluated by our expert Advisory Panel and the projects they recommended are now being reviewed by the Trustees. Once again, the total grant requests (more than £380,000) greatly exceeded the £100,000 funds available. As such, the Trustees will have difficult decisions to make, and won't be able to support all of the strong projects. The Round 3 Grant Awards will be announced by the 18th March.
FUNDRAISING - ROUND 4 AND 2023 GRANTS
We are thrilled to have secured donations and commitments of £68,000 toward our £100,000 target for launching Round 4 - we are working hard to raise the remaining £32,000 by 12th July 2022.
Thanks to the generosity of Maria Björnson Memorial Fund, we already have the first £25,000 needed for each of Rounds 5 and 6, to be launched in January and July of 2023.
If you'd like to contribute or renew your support for our work, please contact Tina by email on tina@continuofoundation.co.uk to discuss how you can make a difference for the musicians we support.
PRIVATE EVENT FOR SUPPORTERS - 17TH MARCH 2022
We look forward to seeing many of you at our private pre-performance reception and at the concert by Chelys Consort of Viols and Fieri Consort on Thursday 17th March.
Tickets for the concert, open to the public, are available here.
FEBRUARY PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
Ensemble Augelletti – ‘The Library of a Prussian Princess’
Ensemble Augelletti held a launch concert to celebrate the release of their new CD featuring music from the library of Princess Anna Amalia by JS Bach, Handel, Corelli, Geminiani and CPE Bach, as well as some of her own compositions. This brilliant recording was supported by one of our first round grants and by Angel Early Music. You may order your copy here. Please click below to hear an excerpt from one of the recording sessions in May 2021.
Bach Club Soloists – ‘Forgive me if I lose my head’
The Bach Club Soloists presented a vibrant performance of music by two friends, Haydn and Mozart, to a large and enthusiastic audience of all ages. After enjoying Haydn’s Keyboard concerto in D major and Mozart’s Concerto No. 9 in E flat major, K. 271 ‘Jenamy’ there was an opportunity to have a closer look at the fortepiano and other period instruments, and to speak with the musicians.
Concerto Caledonia - 'The Ballroom Sessions'
Concerto Caledonia presented the first of their two concerts at Sloan’s Ballroom in Glasgow, featuring music from 1720s Edinburgh, as found in Allan Ramsay’s song collection ‘The Tea-Table Miscellany.’ The second concert, on 9th March, will be ‘Lost Voices of Scottish Dance Music’ with pieces by Ignatius Sancho, Catherine White and Isabella Scott, followed by an 18th Century Ceilidh. Tickets for the second concert are available here. To watch the lively trailer video for the series, please click below.
AND LASTLY...
A piece of news that is a poignant reminder of the outstanding contribution of period instrument musicians everywhere! Nurturing this talent, helping it to be shared with people across the UK and preserving it for future generations, is at the heart of Continuo Foundation’s work in support of ensembles and musicians:
JORDI SAVALL HONOURED BY ROYAL PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY
The renowned viol player, conductor, and champion of historical music Jordi Savall has been made an Honorary Member of the Royal Philharmonic Society. Since 1826, the Society has presented Honorary Membership in recognition of those who devote their lives to music, uplifting others in the music they create. Its recipients include Mendelssohn, Berlioz, Liszt, Wagner, Clara Schumann, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Stravinsky, Ravel, Yehudi Menuhin and Janet Baker. On presenting the award, at Wigmore Hall on 1st February, RPS CEO James Murphy said: "Jordi, you have done so much to transport musical treasures from the distant past – that all too easily could have been lost without your stewardship. You have done so much to protect and preserve the viol, so that we too may hear and be consoled by its uniquely sonorous voice. As heard tonight, it is a balm like little else in these disarming, disquieting times. Both with your instrument, in the glorious vocal and instrumental groups you have founded, and in your many revelatory collaborations and recordings, you have shown us how music of bygone times yet has so much to say to modern ears. In your hands, the reappraisal of historical music never feels academic: the virtuosity and tenderness of your touch makes us almost believe the ink is still freshly wet on works written hundreds of years ago. We are tremendously grateful for all you have done, not only to ensure such music endures, but that it is performed with such vivacity today."