Guitarist Richard Savino and his group El Mundo released a new recording in Spring 2021 featuring music from the Cathedral of Guatemala City. The Grammy-nominated musicians are exploring a rich variety of music from colonial Latin America during the baroque era. Richard Savino and two of the singers on the recording – Nell Snaidas and […]
Musician, teacher and administrator Patricia Ann Neely has been Chair of Early Music America’s IDEA Task Force, and she continues her ongoing conversation with Suzanne about making the world of early music more welcoming and inclusive for all. In this installment, Ms. Neely talks about the importance of ongoing conversations about how to move forward
Pat Neely 2021 Part 2 Read More »
Patricia Ann Neely is a seasoned professional musician – she is an expert performer on a variety of early bowed string instruments including viola da gamba, an expert in historical performance practices, a music teacher, and an administrator. Ms. Neely is also Chair of Early Music America’s IDEA Task Force, and she continues her ongoing
Melanie Punter has had a busy career as a double bass player for decades. The versatile and talented musician is in demand in modern symphony orchestras, as well as for her work playing baroque and early music with period instrument groups. She spoke with Suzanne about her experiences coming up through the prestigious High School
Sallynee Amawat is a violinist whose passion is for baroque and early music. She was so young when she started playing that she doesn’t remember life before the violin and making music! Now she imparts her passion to her own students, who range in age from toddlers to retirees. Sallynee Amawat is also a co-founder
Composer Melika M. Fitzhugh is a multi-instrumentalist whose interests transcend centuries, from modern instruments and genres, all the way back to Renaissance and Baroque instruments and music. She especially loves composing modern music for historical instruments because of the unique “chocolatey” sound they impart. Mel Fitzhugh is energetic and upbeat about hseper life as a
Like many musicians, Dr. Justin Bland has had to adjust his career and his expectations for life during COVID-19 lockdown. 2020 was supposed to be a big year for the American musician, who now lives in Denmark. His engagements as a concerto soloist were all put on hold, and he has used the time to
Although Ann Hobson Pilot retired in 2009 after decades as Principal Harpist for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, she continues to make music and inspire others. The award-winning international musician spoke with Suzanne about her introduction to music, her trailblazing career as an orchestral harpist, and even how she stays in physical shape to play such
Morris “Mo” Pleasure is a global artist with a career spanning more than three decades. He moves effortlessly between a wide range of musical genres including rock, R&B, and jazz, and his early training was in classical piano and gospel music. The Connecticut native is now based in the UK, where even the pandemic has
Canadian musician Brandyn Lewis is a professional double-bass player, currently an interim member of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, which he has called a “dream come true.” He chatted with Suzanne about the trial and error process of finding the right instrument to play when he was still a child, the teachers, mentors and experiences he had along the way, and his growing career as a performer and teacher himself.
