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Jupiter Ensemble

early music ensemble

Sunday Concert

Livestream with Ticket Reservation

Online / In-Person

Buy Virtual Tickets

$15 for virtual tickets | $10 for members
In-Person Tickets Sold Out

 
Image of Jupiter Ensemble

Jupiter Ensemble was formed by lutanist and Artistic Director, Thomas Dunford, who gathered together a new generation of early music specialists who are breathing new life into period practice. A group that embodies the Mahlerian aphorism that “tradition is not the worship of ashes but the preservation of fire”, Ensemble Jupiter present an exuberant portrait of Antonio Vivaldi, whose solo works, operas and oratorios are among some of the most timeless music of the Baroque period. Outstanding Mezzo-soprano Lea Desandre anchors the program with selections of vocal works, while Ensemble Jupiter exhibit Vivaldi’s instrumental brilliance with two concertos for lute and cello.

Jupiter Ensemble

Thomas Dunford – Lute and artistic direction

Lea Desandre Mezzo soprano

Rachell Ellen Wong – Violin

Augusta McKay Lodge – Violin

Manami Mizumoto – Viola

Bruno Philippe – Cello

Douglas Balliett - Doublebass

Tom Foster – Harpsichord and organ

This event will be broadcast live from the Music Room on Sunday, March 6 at 4 PM. To reserve a ticket, follow the link above to register. All registered ticket holders will receive a link directing them to a livestream webpage where the performance can be accessed. Ticket holders will be able to watch this performance “On Demand” for 48 hours following the broadcast time.

IN PERSON AUDIENCES: KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
  • Concert guests 12 years of age and over must show proof of vaccination or a same-day negative COVID-19 test.
  • Concert guests over the age of two must wear a face mask covering their nose and mouth at all times, regardless of their vaccination status.
  • The Music Room is now able to operate at 1/2 capacity. However, given the intimate nature of the setting, we can no longer follow strict social distancing guidelines. All in-person guests may be seated next to, in front of, or behind other vaccinated and masked concert guests.

Founded in 2018 by lutenist Thomas Dunford, Jupiter Ensemble was born from the meeting and friendship between Mr. Dunford and young, brilliant musicians of his generation: Lea Desandre, Jean Rondeau, Douglas Balliett, Bruno Philippe, Sophie Gent, Thibaut Garcia, and Peter Whelan. The great freedom, energy, listening and improvisation skills of each individual musician allow them to perform with passion, strength, and emotion as a virtuoso ensemble. Their mastery is on display in all genres from Vivaldi to Joaquin Rodrigo, through Handel, Destouches, Couperin, Mancini or original compositions by Thomas Dunford and Douglas Balliett.

Jupiter Ensemble's first disc, released in autumn 2019 for the Alpha label, is dedicated to Vivaldi. Alternating extracts from operas and instrumental concerti, it highlights the different soloists of the ensemble. The multiple awards garnered for this recording confirm the success of this first project: Diamant Opéra Magazine, Caecillia prize awarded by Union of the Belgian Music Press, International Classical Music Awards (ICMA), and France Musique choice.

In September 2020, Jupiter Ensemble recorded its second album Amazone, a recital by Lea Desandre, for the Erato-Warner Classics label. Composed of arias from French and Italian operas, this new disc features works from the 17th and 18th centuries. This program, built in collaboration with musicologist Yannis François, gives pride of place to unjustly forgotten pieces, some of which have never been played since their creation.

Highlights from the 2020-2021 season include performances at Berlin Philharmonic, Wigmore Hall,  Philharmonie de Paris, La Chaux de Fonds, Festival de Pâques d’Aix-en-Provence, Köln Philharmonic, Rouen Opera, and the Salle Gaveau in Paris.

Jupiter Ensemble is sponsored by La Caisse des Dépôts, its principal patron, and is in residence at the Singer-Polignac Foundation. Jupiter Ensemble is a member of FÉVIS and PROFEDIM.

Watch & Listen