IU baroque brass ensemble to play at Boston Early Music Festival

An IU brass ensemble has been chosen as the first of its kind to play at the Boston Early Music Festival’s fringe festival, which features emerging artists.

“The Boston Early Music Festival is one of the best and biggest early music festivals in North America,” said Linda Pearse, director of the ensemble.

The baroque trombone ensemble ¡Sacabuche! was the recipient of the Early Music America “Collegium Musicum Grant,” which enables it to participate in the fringe festival on June 7.

The ensemble was selected by an anonymous panel after Pearse sent in a live recording of the group.

Pearse said Early Music America is the premiere organization for early music and that it offers many different opportunities to expand awareness of an interest in different periods of early music.

Pearse, an adjunct lecturer for early trombone in the Early Music Institute, created the group in her first year of studies at IU.

By creating the group, made up mostly of her students, she said she hoped to give members as many performance possibilities as possible.

The ensemble includes five baroque trombones, four vocalists and one organ player.

“I am looking forward to the opportunity of going somewhere and playing,” said Greg Jackson, a member of the ensemble. “It is a very big deal just to be invited.”

The baroque trombones used in the ensemble are replicas of those used in the 17th century. Pearse said the baroque trombone is different from the modern trombone in many ways.

“The baroque trombone is slightly smaller, made with a lighter material,” Pearse said. “They produce a warm, light sound that is made for blending with voices.”

The 17th century repertoire the group has chosen to play at the festival includes works from Giovanni Gabrielli and Claudio Monteverdi.

Sophomore Ray Horton, a member of the ensemble, said following the text of the music proved to be the most challenging aspect of the pieces.

He said the enemble is supposed to be emulating the actions and moods portrayed in the sung lyrics with its instruments.

While at the festival, the group will have the opportunity to listen to other performances, meet other musicians and attend an exhibition of the field’s largest trade show of early music industry to update them on the early music world, Pearse said.

In addition to the Boston Early Music Festival, the ensemble will also play as a part of the Bloomington Early Arts Festival on May 25 at the First United Church in
Bloomington.

“The opportunity to be able to go out of state and put on a performance is just one more learning experience,” Jackson said.