Suzanne Bona

Quite a few of our most beloved and familiar Christmas carols have roots in the baroque era or even before. Many of them started as popular secular music such as dances, folk songs, or even drinking songs, with festive words added to go with the holiday theme. One of my favorites is Branle de l’Official […]

This year’s Sunday Baroque Holiday Gift List has a broad variety of recommendations, including a few surprises. There is something for just about every taste — familiar favorites, less well known music, period instruments, modern instruments, and more. And of course, all the performances are top notch.

Thanksgiving is this week and, like most people, I’ve been contemplating the many things for which I am thankful. Good health, a warm and safe home, and enough to eat are, of course, at the top of my list. In addition to these essentials, I’m grateful for my relationship with music.

A quote I mentioned on the November 13 program generated a lot of listener feedback and inquiry! It was #8 from William Byrd’s list of reasons to sing: The better the voyce is, the meeter it is to honour and serve God there-with : and the voyce of man is chiefely to bee imployed to

Ton Koopman is an organist and harpsichordist, a conductor and a teacher — one of the world’s most prominent and respected authorities on baroque and early music. You regularly hear his performances on Sunday Baroque. He founded Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, and while he specializes in baroque and early music on period instruments, Ton

November 3 is a national holiday in Japan. It’s the annual celebration of Culture Day. There are festivals, parades, and awards ceremonies to honor individuals for their remarkable contributions to Japanese culture and to society overall. In addition to celebrating traditional Japanese culture, the purpose of the holiday is also to promote the love of

It’s a funny thing about music, isn’t it? It can tap directly into our emotional state, giving a cheery boost, smoothing jangled nerves, creating mental clarity, and triggering nostalgia, among many other sensations. One word I frequently hear people use to describe the emotional benefit of listening to classical music is “soothing.”

Disclaimer: this blog post has nothing to do with music or Sunday Baroque. It is about human connections, and the benefits of going with the flow of events and enjoying the unique pleasures of serendipity.