It a relatively little-known fact that Antonio Vivaldi was a busy composer of sacred music. Although best known today (and in his own lifetime) for his instrumental concertos such as The Four Seasons,  Vivaldi wrote around 50 varied vocal pieces as part of his work with the foundling children at Venice’s La Pietá.

This pair of concerts by Levens Choir provides a rare chance to hear Antonio Vivaldi's Sacred Music: all the drama, contrast and virtuosity associated with the music of Venice’s ‘Red Priest’ is found in these two major choral works Magnificat and Beatus Vir, together with two Sinfonias RV169 and RV130, and Concerto for violin, strings and continuo RV236 (soloist Kinga Ujszászi)

For this special project we have assembled a 15 piece orchestra "South Lakes Baroque" under the leadership of virtuoso violinist Kinga Ujszászi.   Now playing with some of the best period ensembles across Europe, she has appeared as a leader with a number of ensembles and as a soloist with the English Concert- of which she has been a member since  2017 - the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Irish Baroque Orchestra.  She is the leader of the group Spiritato.

We are privileged to have two of the UK's leading period oboists - Mark Baigent and Geoff Coates - playing in the South Lakes Baroque ensemble alongside our locally based string players.

Mark has played with the English Baroque Soloists under Sir John Eliot Gardiner, and with most of the leading period instrument orchestras in the UK and abroad. Geoff has also played with the English Baroque Soloists, as well as other leading orchestras, and has a growing profile as a soloist.

Philip Turner, our theorbo player, is a recent graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music, while Ian Pattinson will be familiar to many as Lancaster Priory’s distinguished organist.

The string players will be using Baroque bows and have had the opportunity to take part in a workshop on Baroque ensemble playing led by Kinga and Gawain.