From Ireland to Chicago, Baroque is Everywhere!

The Irish Baroque Orchestra in Kilkenny (Ireland)

Under the baton of Peter Whelan, the Irish Baroque Orchestra performed the second instalment of its Classical Masterworks series at St Canice’s Cathedral in Kilkenny. The programme featured Pieter Van Maldere’s “Dublin” Symphony (1729–1768), the earliest known symphony to have been written and performed in Ireland. Also included were Mozart’s Horn Concerto K. 447, with Anneke Scott as soloist, and his Symphony No. 39. The programme was repeated the following day at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

With the Irish Baroque Orchestra and Anneke Scott.

Ensemble Clematis at the Ribeauvillé Festival (Alsace)

For the closing weekend of its 40th edition, the Ribeauvillé Festival welcomed the Belgian ensemble Clematis to the church of Riquewihr. Their new programme, A Baroque Cabinet of Curiosities, brings together works written for the most diverse formations, combining violins, violas, viols and bassoon in highly varied and original combinations. Conceived and presented by Jérôme Lejeune, this cabinet of curiosities draws mainly on two sources: the rich collection of manuscripts gathered in the late 17th century by Gustav Düben, organist of Stockholm’s Lutheran church, and the famous Partiturbuch Ludwig, copied by Jacob Ludwig (1623–1698), a musician in the service of Duke August II of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel.

With the Ensemble Clematis and Jérôme Lejeune.

Into the Winds at the Pesmes Festival (Burgundy, France)

At the “Organ and Music” Festival in Pesmes, Burgundy/Franche-Comté, the early wind ensemble Into the Winds presented a programme devoted to the music of Charles VI (1368–1422), the king declared insane in 1392 during the Hundred Years’ War. Far from sombre, the music of the early 15th century proved both refined and spectacular.

With Adrien Reboisson, Marion Le Moal, Julián Rincón-Sandie Griot, Valentin Bruchon and Laurent Safar.

Güldener Herbst in Meiningen (Germany)

The Güldener Herbst early music festival takes place each year in Thuringia. In 2025, it was hosted by the city of Meiningen, with a prologue in Weimar. Two long-forgotten manuscripts from the Anton Ulrich collection were unveiled: Domenico Sarro’s opera seria Didone abbandonata (1724), given as the festival’s opening work at the National Theatre, and Bartolomeo Conti’s oratorio La Colpa Originale (The Original Sin, 1718), which brought the festival to a close.

With ensemble Johann-Sebastian Bach Weimar, Johannes Kleinjung, Friederike Beykirch, ensemble Capella Jenensis, the Choir of the Chapelle de Meiningen, Samuel Bächli, Peter Kofler, the trio meZZZovoce, ensemble Art Echo, Gerg Amelung and Yat Ho Tsang.

Cupid’s Bow: a New Baroque Ensemble in Chicago

Brandon Jack Acker (theorbo), violinists Martin Davids and Karen Dekker have announced the creation of a new Chicago-based Baroque ensemble: Cupid’s Bow will be dedicated to the instrumental repertoire of the Baroque era. A recording is planned for January 2026, followed by a concert the following month.