I’ll be arriving by gondola for today’s Noontime Concert, as The Classical Network continues its partnership with Gotham Early Music Scene (GEMS).
We’ll hear selections from another one of GEMS’ Downtown Concerts: The Queens Consort will present a program titled “Venetian Masters,” with music by Dario Castello, Biagio Marini, Giovanni Lagrenzi, Marco Uccellini, and Antonio Vivaldi.
Concerts in GEMS Downtown Concerts series are held at Saint Bartholomew’s Church, 50th St. and Park Avenue, in midtown Manhattan. You’ll find a complete schedule of free lunchtime performances at midtownconcerts.org.
In addition, GEMS presents evening concerts, such as “Big Wig: A French Baroque Dance Mix,” with music by Rameau, Lully, Purcell, and Handel, which will be performed by New York Baroque Incorporated, directed by Grammy-winning baroque violinist Robert Mealy, and featuring virtuoso baroque dancers Caroline Copeland and Carlos Fittante. That concert will take place on December 20 at 7 p.m. at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Tickets to the event will include same day museum admission. A special 10th anniversary GEMS gala reception will follow the concert.
Other upcoming highlights include a program of “Christmas Vespers” by Johann Rosenmüller, to be presented by the ensemble Artek with members of Les Sacqueboutiers de Toulouse on December 29 at 8 p.m. at Old Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, 273 Mott Street, in Tribeca.
The next concert of The Queens Consort, “Music for Yuletide,” will take place on December 16 at 7 p.m. at Saint Mark’s Church, 30-50 82nd Street, Jackson Heights, Queens.
You’ll find more information about GEMS and a complete listing of events, at gemsny.org.
Following today’s Noontime Concert, stick around for more music, including Stephen Dodgson – composer’s cantata “Last of the Leaves,” Gerald Finzi’s “The Fall of the Leaf,” and Lawrence Ashmore’s “Four Seasons,” among others. I’ll keep mining the gems until 4:00 EST, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.
