Role

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Ensemble

Country

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United Kingdom

 

Stile Antico is a British classical music ensemble that specializes in performing Renaissance polyphony. The group was formed in 2005 by a group of young singers who had recently graduated from Oxford and Cambridge universities. Since then, Stile Antico has become one of the most acclaimed vocal ensembles in the world, known for their impeccable musicianship and innovative programming. The birth of Stile Antico can be traced back to the early 2000s, when a group of young singers were studying at Oxford and Cambridge universities. These singers were all passionate about Renaissance polyphony, a style of music that was popular in Europe from the 15th to the 17th centuries. They were particularly interested in the music of composers such as Thomas Tallis, William Byrd, and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, who were known for their intricate vocal harmonies and complex counterpoint. In 2005, these singers decided to form a vocal ensemble that would specialize in performing Renaissance polyphony. They named the group Stile Antico, which means "ancient style" in Italian. The group's founding members included sopranos Rebecca Hickey and Emma Ashby, altos Clare Wilkinson and Eleanor Harries, tenors Jim Clements and Andrew Griffiths, and basses Will Dawes and Matthew O'Donovan. From the beginning, Stile Antico was committed to performing Renaissance polyphony in a historically informed way. This meant using period instruments and singing techniques, as well as researching the historical context of the music they were performing. The group's members spent countless hours studying original manuscripts and historical treatises on music, in order to gain a deeper understanding of the music they were performing. Stile Antico's first major performance was at the York Early Music Festival in 2005. The group's performance was a huge success, and they quickly gained a reputation as one of the most exciting new vocal ensembles in the UK. Over the next few years, Stile Antico performed at a number of prestigious venues and festivals, including the Wigmore Hall, the Edinburgh Festival, and the BBC Proms. One of the highlights of Stile Antico's early career was their performance at the 2007 Spitalfields Festival in London. The group performed a program of music by Thomas Tallis, which included his famous 40-part motet "Spem in alium". The performance was a huge success, and it helped to establish Stile Antico as one of the leading vocal ensembles in the world. Since then, Stile Antico has gone on to perform at some of the most prestigious venues and festivals in the world. They have performed at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Berlin Philharmonic, and the Lincoln Center in New York. They have also collaborated with some of the world's leading orchestras, including the Academy of Ancient Music, the English Concert, and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. One of the most notable aspects of Stile Antico's performances is their innovative programming. The group is known for their ability to create programs that are both musically and thematically coherent, while also being engaging and accessible to audiences. For example, their 2010 album "Media vita" explored the theme of mortality, and included music by composers such as John Sheppard, William Byrd, and Thomas Tallis.

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