Thomas Carroll and Andrea LeBlanc, founders of Arpeggione Ensemble. The period-music group’s inaugural concerts take place this weekend at Manship Artists Residency in Gloucester and at Long Hill in Beverly. Jamison Wexler photograph
The North Shore has a new period-music presence. Arpeggione Ensemble, founded by flutist Andrea LeBlanc and clarinetist Thomas Carroll, takes advantage of the rich array of Boston-area early music performers. Their names will be familiar—Berry, Hunt, Ogata, Fishman, others. All of the members have played with Handel & Haydn Society.
Arpeggione Ensemble hopes to “take advantage of venues with historic interest,” LeBlanc says, and begins with two afternoon concerts, Sept. 10 at the Manship Artists Residency in Gloucester, and Sept. 11 at Long Hill in Beverly, an outdoor venue. Repertory scholarship and inclusion figure prominently in LeBlanc and Carroll’s planning.
“Early music got founded as a countercultural movement,” Carroll says, “now it has a certain level of legitimacy. People are falling into a trap, and a whole lot of composers are not getting attention.”
Music of Chevalier de Saint-Georges, Crusell, Reicha and Meyerbeer are on this weekend’s programs. Female composers will hold a special place in Arpeggione’s future repertory, including a program dedicated to the Prussian princess/composer/patron Anna Amalia later in the season.
Carroll has also helped create podcast series, originated by Early Music America, which explores indigenous composers, examines pre-conceptions in early music, and addresses changes in the audition process.
Concord Chamber Music Society begins its 22nd season Sept. 11. Director Wendy Putnam has engaged a starry lineup of musicians, with the Escher and Pacifica quartets making appearances during the upcoming season. Yefim Bronfman performs in the spring.
Violinist Wendy Putnam, director of the Concord Chamber Music Series. Pierce Harman photograph
This Sunday, chamber music dynamos David Finckel and Wu Han play sonatas by Franck, Debussy, Saint-Saens and Jalbert. Audiences visiting the Concord Academy Performing Arts Center will need to provide proof of vaccination, and will be asked to wear masks.
Putnam hopes for a return to normal. “We didn’t sell subscriptions last year—we were in flexibility mode,” says the long-time Boston Symphony Orchestra violinist. “We have an opportunity to broaden our audience now, if we approach it strategically. The organization is at an inflection point, and we’re looking at future sustainability, at starting to doing what we do in different ways, tweaking the format so it’s more approachable.
“I’m optimistic,” she says, about the future of performances. “This organization has something to offer that extends beyond any one person. We’re a good fit in the community.” The Finckel/Han recital begins at 1:30 p.m.
Lots happening in early September. Winsor Music, directed by Gabriela Diaz and Rane Moore, opens a five-concert season Sept. 9 at First Church Boston (Bacewicz/Ligeti/Berio/Arensky). Byrne:Kozar:Duo (Corrine Byrne soprano, Andy Kozar trumpet) give a recital at Longy Sept. 9 (Beth Weimann, Lei Liang, Qi Li, Todd Kitchen). Castle of Our Skins has taken a leadership position on programming and collaboration, and this season should not be missed. Ashleigh Gordon’s versatile troupe begins with Daniel Bernard Roumain’s Music for Black People, a joint venture with the Celebrity Series, on Sept. 10 at Arlington Street Church.
A Far Cry returns with another glorious season, beginning Sept. 16 at Jordan Hall (Azmeh, Wijeratne, Weinberg, Roustom). Boston Artists Ensemble (Lena Frank, Mozart, Fauré) starts its Salem concerts Sept. 16th at Hamilton Hall (Sundays in Brookline). Soprano Susan Narucki sings Boulanger, Bauer, Bosmans and others, accompanied by pianist Donald Berman, Sept. 16 at Longy.
The estimable pianist Victor Rosenbaum gives a free solo recital (Brahms, Rosenbaum, Warren, Beethoven, Schubert) on Sept. 17 at Jordan Hall, celebrating his 80th birthday. Sarasa performs Female Torchbearers on Sept. 17 at Harvard Epworth Church.
Ashmont Hill Chamber Music begins its concerts Sept. 18th in Dorchester’s Peabody Hall with an appearance by the Merz Trio (Berg, Vasks, Monk, Dvorak, Price). Boston Chamber Music Society season begins Sept. 18th at Sanders Theater (Brahms, Poulenc, Beethoven septet). Music for Food presents French Chamber Music from Martin, Debussy and Franck to benefit the Women’s Lunch Place Sept. 18 at NEC’s Brown Hall (impressive cast of musicians).
Chamber music focus here, but don’t miss Elena Ruehr’s latest opera, Cosmic Cowboy, which opens Sept. 16 in the Emerson Majestic (White Snake Projects).
Keith Powers covers music and the arts for Leonore Overture, Chamber Music America and Opera News. Follow @PowersKeith; email to keithmichaelpowers@gmail.com.