The Forgotten Clefs, a Renaissance music ensemble, performs during the Montana Early Music Festival.
The Helena-based choral chamber ensemble, Musikanten Montana, presents its 19th Montana Early Music Festival – A Spanish Epiphany Celebration, Jan. 19-21, with concerts in Bozeman, Butte and Helena.
“Welcome the Three Wise Men (Tres Reyes) in glorious Spanish style” urges Musikanten’s founder and artistic director Kerry Kreybill. The progam, which is designed to re-create a festive Catalan Celebration of the Epiphany, includes Francisc Valls’ “Missa Scala Aretina,” written in 1702 for the Cathedral of Barcelona, where the Spanish composer was assistant organist.
Expanding the Mass, which is exuberantly scored for four choirs of singers, instruments and continuo, the concert will include motets and instrumental works by Victoria, Morales, Guerrero and other Spanish Renaissance and Early Baroque composers, as well as the Propers and scriptures for the Feast Day, all
Featured performers include baroque band leader Carrie Krause, along with her British colleague Davina Clarke, and Sarah Huebsch Schilling’s Renaissance wind ensemble Forgotten Clefs. The group was founded in 2014 to perform and promote Renaissance civic wind band music.
Vocal soloists are soprano Amanda Balestrieri, alto Marjorie Bunday, tenor Dan Hutchings, and baritone Art Bumgardner. Continuo players include Adaiha MacAdam-Somer (cello), Mark Bergman (bass), Billy Simms (theorbo) and Wendy Yuen (organ).
Performances:
Bozeman: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19 at Holy Rosary Parish, 220 W. Main.
Butte: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20 at Immaculate Conception Parish, Western Ave. and Caldonia St.
Helena: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21 at St. Mary Catholic Community, 1700 Missoula Ave.
Advance tickets are available at Birds & Beasleys and Piccolo Music in Helena ($30 general admission; Half price for students), and from Holy Rosary in Bozeman. Suggested donation in Butte is $25 at the door. As always, Musikanten Montana’s Angel Donors (above $100) enjoy reserved seating in the front of the concert halls.
The traditional MEMF benefit chamber concert in Helena follows the tour at 4 p.m. Sunday at St. Peter’s Episcopal Cathedral, 511 N. Park. The concert will feature Forgotten Clefs, the Krause-Clarke duo, Billy Simms on theorbo, and refreshments. A $30 donation is requested at the door.
For more information, head to Musikanten’s website.