Baroqu-en Hearts: Music for Valentine's Day

• Danielle Reutter-Harrah, soprano
• Tekla Cunningham, baroque violin
• Tess Roberts, viola da gamba
• Henry Lebedinsky, harpsichord

A musical tribute to love gone right, love gone wrong, love gone mad, and love just plain gone. From the heartwarming to the heartbreaking, enjoy music by Purcell, Handel, Strozzi, and more, performed by acclaimed soprano Danielle Reutter-Harrah, violinist Tekla Cunningham, violist da gamba Tess Roberts, and harpsichordist Henry Lebedinsky. Complementary Valentine's Day-themed refreshments will be provided.

About Whidbey Island Music Festival

http://whidbeyislandmusicfestival.org/

About Danielle Reutter-Harrah, soprano

https://pacificmusicworks.org/profile/danielle-reutter-harrah/

About Tekla Cunningham, baroque violin

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.

About Tess Roberts, viola da gamba

Emerging viola da gamba player Tess Roberts has been exploring the world of early music through the viol since age 11. Recent performances include appearances with Tekla Cunningham for Heinrich Biber's Glorious Mystery Sonatas, the University of Washington Baroque Ensemble, Seattle's Medieval Women's Choir, and guest appearances with Seattle Historical Arts for Kids.

Tess has also enjoyed teaching opportunities at Seattle Historical Arts for Kids, UC Davis, the University of Washington, and has recently opened a private viola da gamba studio in Seattle. She is currently studying with Caroline Nicolas after graduating from the studios of Lee Innman and Shulamit Klinerman. She leads casual play-in and coaching sessions of historical music and performance practices for the local viol community. She hopes to broaden her teaching to early childhood music education with a global music focus, by studying Ethnomusicology at the University of Washington as she prepares for graduate studies in Gamba performance in Europe.

About Henry Lebedinsky, harpsichord

https://www.henrylebedinsky.com/