Early Bird, featuring Rebecca Prosser (recorders) and Sharon Gould (harpsichord) will explore music composed in Venice, from the 15th to 18th century, showing how Venetian styles both influenced Northern European compositions and were inspired by them.

Highlights include settings by Jacob van Eyck and by Marco Uccellini of the folksong Questa dolce sirena, the anonymous chanson J'ay pris amours that was popular all around Europe, and Early Bird's own arrangement of the Concerto in D from L'Estro Armonico by Vivaldi. Also featuring music from Handel's Agrippina, composed and performed in Venice and his first major European success.

Rebecca Prosser studied as a scholar at the Royal College of Music. She has performed with many of the leading period instrument groups, including Florilegium and The English Concert, touring with them in Europe and the Far East. She has taken part in numerous recordings and can be heard on the sound-tracks of ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ and the 2015 film of ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E’. Having taught Recorder at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and Bristol University, Rebecca now enjoys a private teaching practice at home. She is an examiner for the ABRSM, touring throughout the UK and Internationally. She is regularly invited to be the external specialist adjudicator for internal exams and prizes at the Royal College of Music and Birmingham Conservatoire. Aside from her musical life, Rebecca’s passions include ballet, running and working on her allotment with her cat, Flora.

Sharon Gould discovered Bach and The Beatles at the same time, aged 8. Fascinated by the syncopated rhythms of both, and sad at being unable to join the latter as keyboard player, she took harpsichord lessons and formed her own Baroque orchestra five years later. This enterprising start led to an invitation to be the first music student at Churchill College, Cambridge, from where she founded and directed ‘The Vivaldi Players’. She has since conducted many orchestras and ensembles, often directing from the keyboard. Solo performances include concertos and recitals at the Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room and Queen Elizabeth Hall. Tours, TV, radio and recording work have taken her around Europe and America. She has taught at the R.C.M Junior Department, Chetham’s Music School and the R.N.C.M in Manchester. As a soprano, Sharon is a member of the Salisbury Cathedral Chamber Choir and the six-voice singing group ‘Skylarks’.

Early Bird - 
'Venice - Crucible of Culture'.

Please note: 
If wheelchair access is required, please contact John Waddington on 07595 228516 at least 24 hours in advance.