EA Press Kit 2016

www.EchoingAir.org
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Contents
Performer Biographies
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Testimonials
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Representative Programs / Booking Information
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EchoingAir,Inc.featuresthevoicesofcountertenorstogetherwithearlyinstrumentswitha
specialemphasisonmusicoflate17 thCenturyEngland.Performancesincludeanexpandedpalate
ofotherEuropeanchamberworksoftheperiodaswellascontemporarymusicwrittenfor
countertenorandhistoricalinstruments.
Theensembleiscomprisedoftalentedperformersandeducatorswhohaveworkedwithleading
proponentsofearlymusicincludingtheBachEnsemble,EnsembleGalilei,MusicaAntiquaKöln,
EnsembleVoltaire,andChanticleer,andhaveperformedinvenuessuchastheBostonEarlyMusic
FestivalandthePromsinLondon.
Aseducatorsourgoalistofacilitatetheappreciationandunderstandingofearlyand
contemporarymusicthroughpresentationofengagingandaccessibleprogramsgearedtoward
audiencesofallages,frompre-schooltoadultlearners.
ChristChurch,Bradenton,FL
March12,2016
SouthMiamiSeniorHighSchool,Miami,FL
March7-8,2016
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Performer Biographies
StevenRickards,countertenor,isthefounderofEchoingAir.Hehas
receivedinternationalacclaimasoneofAmerica’sfinestcountertenors.
PerformingcreditsincludeJoshuaRifkin’sBachEnsemble,theAmerican
BachSoloists,PaulHillier’sTheatreofVoices,Chanticleer,theGabrieli
Consort,Chicago’sMusicoftheBaroque,HandelandHaydnSociety,the
NewLondonConsort,theSt.PaulChamberOrchestra,theSeattle
BaroqueOrchestra,theOperaCompanyofPhiladelphia,theSantaFe
Opera,andnumerousdomesticandinternationalsymphonyorchestras.
HewasawinnerofthecountertenorprizefromtheOratorioSocietyof
NewYorkandthe‘s-HertogenboschInternationalVocalcompetitions.
RickardswasvocalsoloistintheAmericanpremiereofMichaelNyman’sSelf-LaudatoryHymnof
InannaandHerOmnipotenceatLincolnCenter’sAliceTullyHallandwasfeaturedinthepremiereof
JohnAdams’soratorioElNiñoattheChâteletOperainParis.HehassinceperformedElNiñowiththe
AdelaideSymphony,theBBCPhilharmonic,theDeutschesSymphonieOrchester,theLosAngeles
Philharmonic,SanFranciscoSymphony,theTokyoSymphony,andtheMalmoOpera(Sweden).He
hasrecordedforChanticleer,Decca,Dorian,FourWinds,Gothic,HarmoniaMundi,Koch,Newport
Classics,Smithsonian,andTeldec.RickardscanalsobeheardontheNaxoslabelwhere,withlutenist
DorothyLinell,herecordedtwosoloalbumsofthesongsofJohnDowlandandThomasCampion.
RickardsreceivedhisBMEandMMfromIndianaUniversity,wherehenowservesonthefacultyof
theHistoricalPerformanceInstituteattheJacobsSchoolofMusic.WithaFulbrightandRotaryGrant,
hestudiedattheGuildhallSchoolofMusicinLondon.HereceivedhisdoctoratefromFloridaState
University.HiscompendiumTwentieth-CenturyCountertenorRepertoireisaninvaluabletoolfor
aspiringyoungsingersaswellasteachers.HecurrentlylivesinIndianapoliswhereheteaches
singingatIndianaUniversity’sHistoricalPerformanceInstitute,ButlerUniversity,MarianUniversity,
andtheUniversityofIndianapolis.
ChristineKyprianideswasformanyyearsaleadingBaroquecellist
andgambistinGermany,performinginternationallywithHuelgas
Ensemble,MusicaAntiquaKöln,DasKleineKonzert,DiapenteConsort,
CollegiumCarthusianum,AccademiaFilarmonicaKöln,LesArts
Florissants,Ganassi-Consort,LesAdieux,andtheLaRocheand
FinchcocksStringQuartets.Kyprianideshasalsobeenalong-time
collaboratoroffortepianistRichardBurnettinEngland.Herrecording
creditsincludeover70albumsforDeutscheGrammophon,EMI,Sony,
HarmoniaMundi,RCA,Capriccio,VirginClassics,Globe,andother
labelsaswellasradioandtelevisionproductionsforthemajorGerman
radios,DeutscheWelle,RadioNetherlands,RadioFrance,andmanymore.Kyprianidesholdsdegrees
inperformancefromthePeabodyandNewEnglandConservatoriesandtheRoyalConservatoryof
Brussels,andwasawardedtheGregorPiatigorskyCelloPrizeatTanglewood.Morerecently,she
receivedtheDoctorofMusicdegreefromtheIndianaUniversityJacobsSchoolofMusic,whereshe
teachesBaroquecello.ShehasalsoheldfacultypositionsattheLemmensInstitute(Universityof
Louvain),theMusikhochschuleofCologne,andtheDresdenAcademyofEarlyMusicandhasgiven
seminarsinhistoricalperformancepracticeattheCatholicUniversityofSantiagodeChile,the
ConservatoryofMusicinBuenosAires,theConservatoryofChurchMusicinHalle/Saale,theEarly
MusicSummerSeminarinWallonia,andelsewhere.KyprianidesisamemberoftheIndianapolis
BaroqueOrchestraandEnsembleVoltaire.ShecontinuestoperforminEuropeandisactiveasa
scholar.Herresearchinterestsasamusicologistincludethesocialandculturalhistoryofmusic,
particularlythatofVictorianBritain.
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ThomasGerberisafoundingmemberof–andharpsichordistin–two
periodinstrumentsBaroquegroups:theIndianapolisBaroque
Orchestra,BartholdKuijken,artisticdirector;andthechambermusic
groupEnsembleVoltaire.Bothorganizationspresentannualconcert
series.TheBaroqueOrchestraplaysthroughoutIndiana,andEnsemble
VoltairehastouredtheUnitedStatesandCanadasince1988.Mr.
GerberisassistantprofessorofmusicandhumanitiesatMarian
University,Indianapolis,andalsoservesonthefacultiesofthe
UniversityofIndianapolis,whereheteachesmusichistoryandcoaches
thestudentBaroqueensemble,andButlerUniversity,whereheteaches
harpsichord.GerberisharpsichordistoftheIndianapolisChamber
Orchestra,theIndianapolisSymphonyOrchestra(for"Messiah"performances),theAnnArbor-based
17th-century-musicchamberquintetAnaphantasia,theliturgicalearlymusicensembleMusik
Ekklesia,andthechambergroupEchoingAir.HehasappearedattheEarlyMusicFestivalofSt.Louis
andtheBloomingtonEarlyMusicFestival,aswellaswithotherperiod-instrumentearly-music
groups,suchasCatacousticConsort,theCallipygianPlayers,PillstoPurgeMelancholy,ArsAntigua
Chicago,andHaydn-by-the-Lake.HecanbeheardontheDorian,Concordia,IndieBarock,and
CatalpaClassicslabels.AfterreceivingmusicdegreesfromHillsdaleCollegeandBallStateUniversity,
GerberwentontoearnaMasterofMusicdegreeinharpsichordfromIndianaUniversity.His
harpsichordteachershaveincludedFernandoValenti,AnthonyNewman,andElisabethWright.
CountertenorNathanMedleyhasemergedinrecentyearsasoneof
theleadingyounger-generationcountertenors,withnotablesuccess
internationallyinconcertandopera.SincegraduatingfromOberlin
Conservatory,hehassungatsomeofthemajorstagesoftheworld
includingtheEnglishNationalOperaandBarbicanCentreinLondon,
LaSallePleyelinParis,PalaisdeMusiqueinStrasbourg,Amsterdam’s
Concertgebouw,AveryFisherHallinNewYork,andWaltDisney
ConcertHallinLosAngeles.Recentperformanceshavebroughthimto
theBostonEarlyMusicFestival(OttoneinMonteverdi’s
L'incoronazionediPoppea),theNetherlandsRadioPhilharmonic,the
LosAngelesPhilharmonic,Chicago'sRaviniaFestival,LucerneFestival,
OperaOmaha,PacificMusicWorks,MercuryBaroque,Seraphic
Fire,IndianapolisBaroqueOrchestra,CincinnatiCollegium,MiamiBachSociety,andDaytonBach
Society.Medleymadehisprofessionaldebutin2012inJohnAdams’TheGospelAccordingtothe
otherMarywiththeLosAngelesPhilharmonicconductedbyGustavoDudamel,whichwasrecorded
forDeutscheGrammophon.HereturnedtoLosAngelesin2013forPeterSellars’stagingofthesame
work,whichthentouredtoSwitzerlandandNewYorkCity.UnderthebatonofJohnAdamsin2015,
heperformedOlgaNeuwirth’sstagedsong/play,HommageáKlausNomi.HemadehisEnglish
NationalOperadebutin2014inAdams’TheGospelAccordingtotheotherMary,alsostagedbyPeter
Sellars.OtheroperacreditsincludeOttoneinHandel’sAgrippina(OperaOmaha),Speranzain
Monteverdi’sOrfeo(BostonEarlyMusicFestival),AthamusinSemele(PacificMusicWorks,Seattle),
OberoninBritten’sAMidsummerNight'sDream,DemainCavalli'sL'Egisto,LePeinturein
Charpentier'sLesArtsFlorissants,ActeoninCharpentier'sActeon,andOttoneinMonteverdi's
L'incoronazionediPoppea,wherecriticsinClevelandpraisedhimforaninterpretation"sungwith
baroqueperfection.”
InMay2016hepremieresanewpiecebyJohnHarbisonforcountertenorandgambaconsortin
ChicagowithSecondCityMusick.The2016-17seasonbringsdebutswiththeSanFrancisco
Symphony,St.LouisSymphony(inSt.LouisandatCarnegieHall),LondonSymphonyOrchestra,and
returnappearancewiththeLosAngelesPhilharmonicandtheNetherlandsRadioPhilharmonic,and
in2017-18,hisdebutwiththeNewYorkPhilharmonic.
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JeffreyCollierreceivedhisBachelorofArtsdegreeinmusicfrom
EmoryUniversityinAtlanta,Georgia,whereheperformedwiththe
EmoryEarlyMusicConsort.HeisafoundingmemberofEchoingAir
andhasperformedonbaroquefluteandrecorderwiththeIndianapolis
BaroqueOrchestraandEnsembleVoltaire.Hestudiedbaroqueflute
withBarbaraKallaurandhasparticipatedinmanyintensive
workshopsandmasterclasseswithsuchartistsasChristopherKrueger,
MichaelLynn,EvaLegene,JanetSee,andStephenPreston.Collierhas
performedwithensemblesthroughouttheMidwestandSouthern
UnitedStates,includingtheTallahasseeBachParley,theMiamiBach
Society,theBaroqueArtistsofChampaign-Urbana(BACH),Nashville’s
BelleMeadeBaroque,Winston-Salem’sPiedmontChamberSingers,
andEnsembleCaprioleinWilliamsburg.Reviewshavepraisedhis“pureandfocusedplaying”.Collier
canbeheardontheFourWindslabel.
C.KeithCollinsplayscurtal(dulcian),baroqueandclassicalbassoon,
shawm,recorder,andharp.HeisfacultyattheIUJacobsSchoolof
Music’sHistoricalPerformanceInstituteandattheUniversityofNorth
Texas.Hehasperformedwithmanyperiodorchestrasandchamber
ensembles,includingApollo'sFire,FolgerConsort,Tafelmusik,San
DiegoBachCollegium,NorthCarolinaBaroqueOrchestra,EchoingAir,
andGrammy-nominatedMusikEkklesia.Heisafoundingmemberof
theaward-winningshawmandcurtalbandEnsembleLipzodes,which
specializesinthemusicofcolonialLatinAmerica.Collinsstudiedat
BerryCollege(B.Mus.,B.S.)andIndianaUniversity(M.M.,D.M.).His
D.M.isthefirstdoctorateeverawardedinhistoricalbassoon
performance.HeistheformermusicspecialistatConnerPrairieLivingHistoryMuseum.Whennot
makingreedsormusic,CollinsenjoysservingontheboardoftheIndianaRaptorCenter,anon-profit
hospitalforinjuredandorphanedbirdsofprey.Hisdutiesincludeowlwrangling,vettrips,and
presentingraptorstothepublicineducationaltalks.
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Testimonials
“Many,manythanksforatrulywonderfulprogramSaturdaynight.Themultiple
standingovationsweretheclearestdemonstrationofhowappreciativetheentire
audiencewas!”
RichardBenedum,Organist-Choirmaster,ChristChurch,Bradenton,FL
“Theyimmediatelyproceededto“wow”theaudiencewiththeirincredibletalentand
musicalauthenticity.Theirpersonalitiesshinedthroughastheyentertainedand
educatedusall.”
DiannaCampbell,DirectorofChoralActivitiesSeminoleStateCollege,Sanford,FL
“Manybravosto[StevenRickards]andNathanMedleyforpresentingyourselveswith
greatexpressivenessbothfaciallyandmusically.[Their]voicesalsoareagreat
complementtothecountertenorrevival—voicessoverypleasantand“natural”–not
“hooty”andforced,asIhavesooftenheardinothers.”
Dr.DanielReuning,ArtisticDirector,BachCollegium,FortWayne,IN
“’Hark,HowtheSongsters’wasfulloflifeandjoy,andyourentireensemblesparkled
withexuberance.[StevenRickards]andNathanMedleyweresuperbbothseparately
andtogether.Therecordersandcontinuoplayerscomplementedthevoicesandone
anothersowell....”
Dr.JohnJost,ProfessorofMusicBradleyUniversity,Peoria,IL
“[EchoingAir’s]twohourswithourstudentswas,withoutquestion,
themostpositiveandproductivemasterclassIhaveexperiencedin
my28yearsatUF.”
RonaldBurrichter,ProfessorofMusic,UniversityofFlorida,Gainesville
“ThesingersoftheUniversityofMiamiCollegiumMusicumlovedthecollaboration.
Countertenorsarenotcommonplace;[StevenRickards]andNathanMedleyarea
wonderfulpairofartistswhoinspiredouryoungsingerswith[their]skill,
musicianship,andstyle.Thiswasanidealeducationalexperienceforthesecollegiate
andhighschoolstudents.”
DonaldOglesby,Professor,UniversityofMiamiFrostSchoolofMusic
ArtisticDirector,MiamiBachSociety
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Representative Programs
“HarkHowtheSongsters”
ThisconcertfeaturesNathanMedleyandStevenRickardsperformingcountertenorsolos
andduetswithadditionalinstrumentalchambermusicprovidedbyEchoingAir.
“Music’sDwelling”
Throughintertwiningcountertenormelodiesandfieryperiodinstrumentalperformances
theaudienceisguidedthroughliturgical,chamber,courtlyandoperaticliterature,
highlightingthespaceswheremusicfoundlifeandtheimpactoftheseplacesonthese
baroqueandrenaissancemasterpieces.
“EnglandThenandNow”
EchoingAirexploresandjuxtaposesearlyrepertoireandTwentiethandTwentyfirst-
Centurycompositionscomposedforcountertenorandearlyinstruments.Thisprogramof
vibrantBritishbaroqueandaccessibleEnglishrepertoireassuresusthatourhistorical
instrumentsarealiveandthrivingasJohnGardnerandGeoffreyBurgonfindtheirplace
nexttoHenryPurcellandJohnBlow.
“TheAbleJohnAbell:ScottishCountertenors,Harping,andExile”
ByexploringthevariedcareerofScottishsinger,composer,presenter,andcountertenor
JohnAbell,EchoingAirpresentsvocalandinstrumentalmusicofBaroqueScotland,
England,andIreland.Forthisprogramtheensembleaddstherarely-heardwire-strung
Gaelicharp,whichwaspopularinEnglandandcontinentalEurope.
“AnEveningwithMr.HenryPurcell”
ThelifeandtimesofEngland'smostillustrious17thCenturycomposer,HenryPurcell,is
presentedinanhistoricalperspectivethroughreadingsandsong.Thescriptfeaturesthe
variousaspectsofPurcell'slifeandoutput,includingchambermusicandmusicforthe
church,thecourt,andthetheatre.Thisprogramcouldbeinteractiveinnaturefeaturinga
choir,andmightconcludewithPurcellcatchesinvolvingaudienceparticipation.
Booking and Performance Information
JohnGingrichManagement,Inc.
StevenRickards:
P.O.Box1515,NewYork,NY10023
T:(212)799-5080Fax:(212)874-7652
E-mail:john@gingarts.com
123E.WestfieldBlvd,Indianapolis,IN46220
T:(317)252-4311C:(317)414-8374
E-mail:steven@echoingair.org
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