Arcangelo New Ensemblists

“I will remember each individual Arcangelo project extremely vividly, the reason for this being Jonny’s incredible way of working, shaping, demonstrating, leading, trusting, playing, which can only make one 100% present in the space and time. 

Confirmed future projects include working with the Balthasar-Neumann Ensemble in Germany and Helsinki Baroque in Finland. I have received invitations from Il Pomo d’Oro, The Mozartists, Solomon’s Knot, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and English Baroque Soloists. I wholeheartedly believe that it is mainly thanks to the exposure and, in a way, partly the confidence, that the Arcangelo New Ensemblist role has given me, that I have received all these brilliant opportunities.”

“Apart from the immediately hugely improved professional status within the industry that the New Ensemblists offers, the musical gains have also been enormous. I actually switched my main continuo instrument just over a year ago as I thought the archlute suited Arcangelo’s sound world and repertoire better than a traditional theorbo. The first day that we did the Academy was my first day playing archlute continuo and I had quite helpful discussions with Jonny about my sound production and roles within the section. I feel very fortunate that I got to learn many aspects of my role as an archlute continuo player while playing with only exceptional continuo players around me. This is another crucial difference to conservatoire education…where it is not at all common to be surrounded by players like Jonathan Manson or Jonny Cohen whilst actually learning repertoire. What I mean by this is that there was an amazing clarity of the level and refinement I should be striving for in the wider industry. I find this to be a subtle but very significant difference; I learned so much about phrasing and rhythm from Jonathan and other Arcangelo cellists which shifted the way in which I built up my technique and continuo playing.”

“Since I joined Arcangelo I also started to play with other important groups in London and Germany – The English Concert and Balthasar-Neumann Ensemble – and I have had a successful audition in Paris for Thomas Dunford’s Ensemble Jupiter. I also started to play in new groups in Spain where I live. Talking about personal projects, I made my first solo CD recording, THE NEW VIOLONE. It’s the first recording with the G violone as protagonist, and it will be released soon. I am also co-founder of a new group in Spain with two other exceptional musicians, OBNI. Now I’m focused in new recording projects. I think that Arcangelo helped me somehow in all these achievements. I believe that perhaps the most important point in this is the open-mindedness that I have gained here. Traveling is always enriching to see what people do in other places, other ways of being. Playing here has also inspired me, it gives you new ideas.”