GEMS, The Quiet Force Behind New York's Early Music Community

GEMS, The Quiet Force Behind New York’s Early Music Community

In New York, GEMS lives up to its name. Since 2007, this discreet yet indispensable organization has helped young early music ensembles grow, secure funding, organize concerts, and build their audiences. John Thiessen has served as Executive Director from 2022 until early 2026. As GEMS enters a new chapter under new leadership, the Canadian-born musician reflects on how the organization became one of the driving forces behind the American early music scene.

RELIC, a period-instrument chamber orchestra supported by GEMS, is among the ensembles contributing to the vitality of New York’s early music scene. © John Lacko / RELIC / Gotham Early Music Scene

Founded in 2007 to deepen public understanding and appreciation of early music while enriching New York City’s cultural landscape, GEMS (Gotham Early Music Scene) has established itself as a cornerstone—and indeed a jewel—of the city’s early music scene. At the same time, GEMS strengthens the quality, visibility, and long-term sustainability of the artists and organizations that shape the field. Today, the organization prepares to welcome its new Executive Director, Dominic Giardino (with founder Gene Munrow acting as Interim Executive Director for the last few months). Shortly before concluding his tenure as Executive Director and preparing for the next phase of his career, John Thiessen spoke with Total Baroque Magazine. In this interview, he looks back on his time at the organization and explains why this unique institution is essential to the vitality—and indeed the survival—of early music in the United States.

How was the Gotham Early Music Scene founded?

John Thiessen: GEMS was founded by Gene Murrow who, after earning mathematics degrees from Columbia and Harvard, with oboe studies along the way at Juilliard, became the president of two successful personal computer retail companies. In his retirement, he wanted to help make New York a world class centre for early music, and so he formed GEMS as a non-profit organization. He went to the players to ask: “What do you need?” And their answer was, “we need work!” So, Gene said, “let’s get together.” There was some serious early music activity happening in New York, but it was never well funded. GEMS became a kind of safe place for ensembles to grow. GEMS started really flourishing around 2011, around the same time that Juilliard launched its historical performance program and Trinity Church began to present an extensive Bach Cantatas series (with me managing the orchestra, often employing the first students from the Juilliard program).

So, GEMS is some kind of incubator?

J. T.: Yes, in a way. The idea is to work with musicians and small ensembles. GEMS nurtures them until they can spread their own wings and eventually become their own nonprofit organizations. Until they do, GEMS helps them raise money and provides all their administrative tasks. And there are groups that I think are right on the edge of taking that next step. Together with GEMS, I wish them the very best.

It sounds like GEMS is the ultimate service organization for early music. The precious jewel in the crown of New York’s cultural life that lives up to its name!

J. T.: That role is reflected very concretely in the relationship that has developed between GEMS and the Historical Performance Department at Juilliard, where I teach. Many young musicians form their first ensembles there, then turn to GEMS to benefit from an administrative, fiscal, and professional framework. Whenever I go to teach at Juilliard, I walk past a poster showing the musicians from the department’s very first graduating class performing at a student concert. Several of those young virtuosos now lead their own ensembles. To me, that illustrates the impact of GEMS, alongside the Juilliard School, donors, patrons, and New York audiences: an entire ecosystem that enables a new generation of artists to take flight.