Role

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Performer

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Chamber

 

Mark Cudek is a renowned classical music artist who has made significant contributions to the world of early music. He was born in 1954 in Baltimore, Maryland, and grew up in a family that valued music. His father was a jazz musician, and his mother was a music teacher. Cudek started playing the guitar at a young age and later learned to play the lute, viola da gamba, and other early music instruments. Cudek attended the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, where he studied guitar and lute with Julian Gray and Ronn McFarlane. He also studied viola da gamba with Catharina Meints and baroque cello with Anner Bylsma. After completing his studies, Cudek began performing with various early music ensembles, including the Baltimore Consort, which he co-founded in 1978. The Baltimore Consort quickly gained a reputation for their innovative and engaging performances of early music. They performed music from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, as well as traditional music from England, Scotland, and Ireland. Cudek played the lute, guitar, and viola da gamba in the ensemble, and also sang on occasion. The Baltimore Consort released numerous recordings over the years, including their critically acclaimed album "The Art of the Bawdy Song." In addition to his work with the Baltimore Consort, Cudek has also performed with other early music ensembles, including Hesperus, the Folger Consort, and the Waverly Consort. He has collaborated with many renowned musicians, including soprano Ellen Hargis, tenor Paul O'Dette, and harpsichordist Davitt Moroney. Cudek has also been active as a teacher and scholar of early music. He has taught at the Peabody Conservatory, the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and the University of Maryland. He has also given lectures and masterclasses at universities and music festivals around the world. Cudek has published articles on early music and has served as a consultant for various early music projects. One of Cudek's most notable performances was his appearance at the 1996 Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. He performed with the Baltimore Consort and other early music ensembles, showcasing the rich and diverse traditions of early music. The festival attracted thousands of visitors and helped to raise awareness of early music in the United States. Cudek has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to early music. In 1990, he was awarded the prestigious Prix Italia for his work on the radio program "The Art of the Bawdy Song." He has also received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Maryland State Arts Council. In 2014, he was awarded the Early Music America Thomas Binkley Award, which recognizes outstanding achievement in the field of early music. Cudek continues to perform, teach, and record early music. He is a passionate advocate for the music of the past and believes that it has much to offer modern audiences. His innovative and engaging performances have helped to bring early music to a wider audience and have inspired many musicians to explore this rich and diverse tradition.

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