Stephen Stubbs & Tekla Cunningham: Stylus Fantasticus

Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber — Selected works
Carlo Farina — Selected works
Giovanni Battista Fontana — Selected works
Johann Heinrich Schmelzer — Selected works

Faculty artists Stephen Stubbs (lute and baroque guitar) and Tekla Cunningham (violin) are driving forces behind the success of ensemble-in-residence Pacific Musicworks, whose reputation for excellence has been confirmed through consistently high-quality programming at the UW and in the greater arts region. The musicians’ instrumental and improvisational agility is on display in this program of music performed in the “free and fantastic style” – the free-form, quasi-improvised violin music of the 17th century. The PMW cohorts are joined by colleague Maxine Eilander (harp) in this performance featuring music by Farina, Fontana, Schmelzer, and Biber.

About Tekla Cunningham

Baroque violinist Tekla Cunningham delights in bringing the music of the baroque, classical and romantic eras to life with vivid and expressive historically informed performances.

Praised as "a consummate musician whose flowing solos and musical gestures are a joy to watch", her performances have been described as "ravishingly beautiful" and "stellar". Her greatest musical love is music of the baroque and chamber music of all stripes, though she can’t seem to quit Johannes Brahms. She is co-artistic director of Pacific MusicWorks in Seattle, artist-in-residence at the University of Washington and founder and director of the Whidbey Island Music Festival.

Tekla plays regularly as concertmaster and principal player with the American Bach Soloists. Her new release 'Stylus Phantasticus' with Pacific MusicWorks is delighting critics. "Tekla is a marvel…an endlessly songful bird". Early Music America describes the recording as "played with verve, the music presented here reaffirms the old notion that instrumental music can have the flair of any theatrical spectacle. … a stellar vessel for the boldest showmanship".

Tekla plays on a violin made by Sanctus Seraphin in Venice in 1746.

http://www.teklacunningham.com/

About Stephen Stubbs

https://stephenstubbs.wordpress.com/