Genre

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Choral

 

 

Vocal

 

La Colombina is a classical music ensemble that specializes in the performance of early music from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The ensemble was founded in 1990 by the Spanish musician and conductor José Miguel Moreno, who remains its artistic director and principal lutenist. Moreno was born in Madrid in 1954 and began his musical studies at a young age. He studied guitar and lute at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid and later at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Switzerland. He has since become one of the leading interpreters of early music on the lute and has performed with many of the world's leading early music ensembles. La Colombina was founded with the aim of exploring the rich repertoire of early music from Spain and Latin America. The ensemble takes its name from the famous Spanish composer Francisco Guerrero's motet "Ave Virgo Sanctissima," which includes the line "Colombina dulcis, Ave Maria" (Sweet dove, Hail Mary). The ensemble's core members include Moreno on lute, viola da gamba player Fahmi Alqhai, and soprano Maria Cristina Kiehr. Over the years, the ensemble has also collaborated with many other musicians and singers, both from Spain and from other countries. La Colombina has performed extensively throughout Europe, North and South America, and Asia, and has received critical acclaim for its performances and recordings. The ensemble has won several awards, including the prestigious Diapason d'Or and the International Classical Music Award. One of the highlights of La Colombina's career was its performance at the 1992 World Expo in Seville, Spain. The ensemble performed a program of early music from Spain and Latin America, which was broadcast live on television to millions of viewers around the world. The performance was widely praised for its virtuosity and its ability to bring the music of the past to life. Another notable performance by La Colombina was its collaboration with the Spanish dance company La Fura dels Baus in a production of Monteverdi's opera "L'Orfeo." The production, which premiered in 2009, combined early music with contemporary dance and multimedia elements, and was hailed as a groundbreaking interpretation of the opera. La Colombina has also recorded extensively, with over 20 albums to its name. Its recordings have been praised for their musicality and their ability to capture the spirit of early music. Some of the ensemble's most acclaimed recordings include "La Tarantella," a collection of Italian Renaissance music, and "Tonos y Tonadas," a collection of early music from Latin America. In addition to its performances and recordings, La Colombina is also committed to education and outreach. The ensemble has conducted workshops and masterclasses for young musicians and has worked with schools and community organizations to promote the appreciation of early music. Overall, La Colombina is a world-renowned ensemble that has made significant contributions to the performance and interpretation of early music. Its commitment to exploring the rich repertoire of early music from Spain and Latin America, as well as its virtuosity and musicality, have earned it a place among the leading early music ensembles of our time.

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