The Portrait Players: Playing four Baroque Around The Books concerts in York on November 7 and 8
THE National Centre for Early Music, York, is to receive a three-year funding package from the John Feldberg Foundation to ensure the continuation of the Baroque Around The Books community concert series that will expand into the East Riding Libraries too.
Baroque Around the Books presents free, informal and accessible performances in York’s community libraries, bringing high-quality Early Music to audiences across the city in a familiar community setting. Funding is now in place until the end of 2028.
Since 2024, Baroque Around The Books has featured musicians of the highest calibre who also perform on stage at the National Centre for Early Music, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate.
Taking part so far have been Dowland’s Foundry, featuring lutenist Sam Brown and tenor Daniel Thomson, setting Shakespeare to music by Elizabethan composers; Intesa, European musicians Lucine Musaelian and Nathan Giorgetti, who combine the sound of the viol with the voice, and Flutes and Frets, who performed at the first series in March 2024.
Dowland’s Foundry lutenist Sam Brown with audience members at Baroque Around The Books. Picture: Charlie Kirkpatrick
The concerts have played to enthusiastic audiences and become an important part of the libraries’ work, providing both a community cultural experience and a development opportunity for the NCEM’s emerging ensembles to learn new skills in engaging with audiences in a celebration and discovery of Early Music.
This year’s concerts will be performed by the all-female British ensemble The Portrait Players, bringing 17th and 18th century music to modern audiences, as they will be too at the York Early Music Christmas Festival when performing À la Venue de Noël: As Christmas Approaches at Bedern Hall, Bedern, on December 6 at 2pm.
For Baroque Around The Books, Emilia Agajew, harp, Miriam Nohl, viola da gamba, Claire Ward, soprano, and Kristiina Watt, theorbo and soprano, will visit Acomb Explore (11am) and Clifton Explore (2pm) on December 7, then Tang Hall Explore (11am) and York Explore (2pm) on December 8, to share the music and poetry of 17th century women in a programme entitled The New Lyre. Entry is free with no booking required.
Welcoming the funding for this NCEM cultural wellbeing initiative, NCEM executive director Cherry Fricker said: “We are very grateful to the John Feldberg Foundation for providing the funding to deliver this wonderful community experience in partnership with Explore York Libraries and Archives.
Intesa’s Lucine Musaelian and Nathan Giorgetti performing at Baroque Around The Books. Picture: Charlie Kirkpatrick
“This three-year support enables the National Centre for Early Music to continue sharing the extraordinary array of talent within the UK’s vibrant Early Music scene with communities across York, while reinforcing our ongoing commitment to supporting, encouraging and nurturing the skills of emerging artists in the UK and beyond.”
The John Feldberg Foundation said: “The foundation is delighted to be part of this innovative and ground-breaking project, which gives everyone the chance to experience the excitement of Early Music in their local community library.”
Dave Fleming, creative producer for Explore York, said: “Baroque Around The Books demonstrates the vital role libraries play as community and cultural spaces. These performances bring high-quality live music into welcoming, accessible settings, creating memorable experiences for our communities.
“One of the joys of the programme is seeing people call in to borrow a book and leave having discovered an exceptional live performance. We’re delighted that this successful partnership will continue for another three years.”
Intesa’s Lucine Musaelian entertaining a child at Baroque Around The Books. Picture: Charlie Kirkpatrick