by Timothy Robson
Cleveland-based Contrapunctus Early Music, a 17-member a cappella ensemble of high voices directed by David Acres, performed a concise concert of music in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Friday, March 2 at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Despite their name, the ensemble — deployed in a variety of combinations — covered a wide array of works, from Gregorian chant to the world premiere of a newly-commissioned work by British composer Graham Keitch. [Read more…]
by Daniel Hathaway
Contrapunctus Early Music, an endeavor launched by British countertenor David Acres, has been absent from the Cleveland musical scene for a couple of years. The high-voice chorus of sopranos, altos, and countertenors is back again to sing a concert of music dedicated to the Virgin Mary on Friday, March 2 at 7:30 pm at St. John’s Cathedral in downtown Cleveland.
In the interim, Acres and his wife Judith have been busy on another project in South Carolina. “We have been concentrating on our choir in Charleston, The King’s Counterpoint, and we have enjoyed a wonderful 24 months,” Acres wrote in a recent email.
“A series of Baroque Messiahs and the inaugural concert in our exploration of Handel’s Oratorios, commencing with Judas Maccabaeus — both with members of the North Carolina Baroque Orchestra; a critically acclaimed performance in last year’s Piccolo Spoleto Series and an invite to return this year; together with over 16 performances in South Carolina, have stopped us from returning to Cleveland to explore more high-voice repertoire with Contrapunctus.”