.png)
IN THIS UPDATE:
GRANTS IMPACT - FEEDBACK AND FIGURES
In July, our grants supported eight live concerts in eight different communities across the country. Two of these were by recently formed ensembles Musica d'Outrora and The Vauxhall Band's Basset Horn Trio. Since we introduced this new eligibility category in January 2022, we have been delighted with the impact our grants have had for emerging groups seeking to establish themselves. Recently-formed ensemble Parnassus shared the following feedback in the post-project report about their launch concert in June, which was professionally filmed to create promotional material: "We cannot express enough our gratitude towards Continuo Foundation for helping us in these first stages of our ensemble’s existence. It would have been almost impossible to make such a dream project happen without this grant. The existence of a funding body such as Continuo Foundation is something very special and rare, particularly in the current economic climate. Its accessibility for musicians, and the ease of communication between Continuo and the ensemble, is truly unique and is contributing to a real sense of excitement within the early music world."
Continuo Foundation's impact since the first round of grants in 2021: £560,000 awarded to 77 different ensembles 895 individual freelance musician beneficiaries 27,114 live audience members 61,736 online audience members 10 CD recordings released so far
GRANT ROUND SIX
Period-instrument ensembles have been busy submitting their Grant Round 6 applications, and we are looking forward to supporting another group of innovative and excellent projects with the £100,000 in funding available thanks to the generosity of our donors.
Meanwhile, our expert Advisory Panel and Trustees are gearing up to select those creative projects which are both outstanding artistically and in need of Continuo's support to come to life. The grant awards are expected to be announced by 21 September.
Please contact Tina Vadaneaux if you would like to learn more about how Continuo is making a difference for musicians, music-lovers and communities across the country.
CONTINUO CONNECT
We are very grateful for the support we have received from ensembles and festivals who have included an item about Continuo Connect in an e-newsletter or concert programme.
The stand-out caption last month came from the Brighton Early Music Festival: "If you've ever wished there was a place you could go to find listings for all your favourite early music concerts in one location, look no further!"
With your help, we attracted 1,000 new users in July, taking the total since April to 3,000 unique users. New concert listings have also been strong, with a total of 470 events listed.
JULY PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
Musica d'Outrora - 'Across the Alps'
Recently-formed ensemble Música d’Outrora gave the first performance in their 'Across the Alps' tour featuring the crossovers between French and Italian baroque music. The group was invited to participate in the inaugural Early Music Day at St Mary's Church in Banbury. Artistic Director Dylan McCaig said: "This has been a HUGE dream come true, being able to create a day dedicated to raising awareness of how beautiful baroque music is." Música d'Outrora continue their tour with performances in Worcester on 22 August and in Birmingham on 2 September.
Divertissements Chinois - 'First Encounters'
Divertissements Chinois presented a concert exploring historic crossovers in baroque music between Europe and China. 'First Encounters: Musical Journeys from the Dawn of the Global Age' unveiled 18th-century musical exchanges with repertoire including Chinese melodies, transcriptions and themes incorporated by Purcell, Couperin and Rameau, all believed to have been performed in the Forbidden City three centuries ago. The ensemble features a combination of baroque flute, viola da gamba, harpsichord and soprano, accompanied by the Chinese guzheng (pictured in this photo with ensemble member Agnes Chin), transporting the audience to a unique sound world. Further concerts will take place 8 September in London's West End and 26 October in the China Gallery at the V&A Museum.
Dunedin Consort - 'Out of Her Mouth'
The Dunedin Consort collaborated with Mahogany Opera and Hera to create the UK premiere of three biblical cantatas by Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre in a uniquely staged production featuring sopranos Carolyn Sampson as Judith, Alys Roberts as Rachel, and Anna Dennis as Susanne. Performances took place in Findham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, London and York to great critical acclaim from many corners. The Arts Desk wrote: "Harpsichordist Katarzyna Kowalik, with a trio of players from Dunedin Consort, moved the music along with a sparkling buoyancy, and the synergy between instrumentalists and singers was secure and sensitive." Photo credit: Alastair More
