Modern Day Debut Of

Baroque Music, Sat.

Fanfare Consort, specialists in early music performance, will present a concert called “Germanic Presence in Ye Olde England” at St Rose of Lima Church in Newtown on Saturday, September 8.

The ensemble, performing on historically accurate instruments, will present modern-day premieres of Baroque music that has not been heard since the time of the composers. The evening’s program will feature works by Finger, Handel, Keller and Pepusch, all German-born composers who lived in England during the 17th and 18th Centuries.

“These are works that have not been heard since the time they were originally written,” Thomas Freas, the founder and artistic director of Fanfare Consort pointed out last week. “For today’s listeners, these will be brand-new works of music.”

Fanfare Consort is a period instrument ensemble that researches, publishes, records and performs a rich body of Baroque literature that remains unheard by today’s audiences. The September 8 concert in Newtown will feature clarino, a valveless Baroque trumpet; Baroque strings, or gut strings; Baroque oboe, an 18th Century boxwood that plays in two keys; basso continuo, a large fretted bass lute, or chitarrone; a positiv, a small portable tracker pipe organ; and a harpsichord.

The group will also be performing at St Mary’s Church in Greenwich on September 7 and then on September 9 at Valhalla United Methodist Church in Valhalla, N.Y.

Mr Freas, a clarino virtuoso, is a resident of Sherman. A highly sought-after performer in the field of early music, Mr Freas has appeared with many prominent period instrument ensembles and as a soloist throughout the United States. He is also a popular teacher with Newtown High School’s Visiting Artists program.

“A lot of the students have been asking when I’ll be performing locally, so we thought this would be a good opportunity,” said Mr Freas. The live performance benefit Mr Freas’ students — and music lovers of all ages — but it will also serve as a live rehearsal for the members of Fanfare Consort, who plan to head into the recording studio soon.

Mr Freas will be joined for the September concerts by oboist Sarah Davol, violinists Mary Hoyt and Rachel Evans, violist Monica Gerard, Richard Kolb on chitarrone, and Christa Rakich on harpsichord and positiv. All of these musicians have garnered international recognition for their interpretations of early music. Together they will present a passionate and exciting performance of the unique repertoire.

The concert will include discussions and demonstrations of the instruments and music being performed. The educational and entertaining program will offer explanations of the music and a comparison of the historical instruments and their modern counterparts.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, or $25 per family. For further information call 203-258-9103. St Rose of Lima is at 46 Church Hill Road in Newtown.