Inside the Kapsber’girls’ Workshop

For over a decade, the French quartet Kapsber’girls have been reclaiming overlooked pages of the Baroque repertoire. Driven by in-depth research and creative work, the ensemble develops original programmes conceived for the stage and shaped by a strong taste for experimentation. Their journey also sheds light on the practical realities of production and touring today, balancing artistic ambition, collective organisation and a changing sector.

“There wasn’t a single turning point, but it’s true that an agency won’t take the risk of signing you unless you already have some sort of track record, and that’s precisely what we built up step by step, entirely on our own.” © Hubert Caldaguès

When they founded their ensemble in 2015, the Kapsber’girls were four students at the Conservatoire de Lyon. Two voices, a viola da gamba, a few plucked strings, and the desire to explore the Baroque repertoire with a fresh perspective, full of humour and vitality. Their name, playfully borrowed from the Italian composer Girolamo Kapsberger, bears witness to this spirit. More than a decade later, the Kapsber’girls have released three acclaimed albums: Che fai tù? (2020), Vous avez dit Brunettes ? (2021) and Vox Feminae (2025). They have forged a unique musical and artistic identity, and are striving to bring their work to as wide an audience as possible within an unstable cultural landscape. Total Baroque Magazine met Albane Imbs, who provides the ensemble’s musical direction from her theorbo, baroque guitar or lute, and Alice Duport-Percier, the quartet’s soprano. They gave us a behind-the-scenes look at their studio, the process of creating their programs, and their life together.