London Pro Arte Baroque

Artistic Director and Principal Conductor: Murray Stewart
Leader: Catherine Martin

An associated ensemble of the London Pro Arte Orchestra (founded in 1989), London Pro Arte Baroque, formed in 1995, brings together some of the finest young musicians specialising in playing period instruments.

The group made its London debut at St John's, Smith Square in 1995, and has since concentrated its activities around the major choral works of J S Bach. This has included acclaimed performances of Bach's Mass in B minor in France. London Pro Arte Baroque has recently returned from a highly successful tour to Spain, where it gave the Spanish Premiere of Charpentier's In honorem Sancti Xaverij canticum in Pamplona, with the Pamplona Chamber Choir, as well as a further performance at the Academia des Bellas Artes, Madrid.

Members of the London Pro Arte Baroque play in some of the most prestigious Orchestras and Ensembles, including the Academy of Ancient Music, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the English Concert, the London Classical Players and Floregium, under the direction of such distinguished conductors as Sir Charles Mackerras, Sir Roger Norrington and Christopher Hogwood. Between them, members of the Orchestra have taken part in many recent and highly praised recordings of renaissance, baroque and classical music.

London Pro Arte Baroque appears regularly at the London venues of St John's, Smith Square, St Martin in the Fields and St James's, Piccadilly. Recent highlights have included performances of Handel's Judas Maccabeus and Bach's Mass in B minor at St John's, Smith Square, as well as a rare performance of Boccherini's Stabat Mater at St Martin-in-the-Fields. London Pro Arte Baroque has also recently given performances of the Magnificats of both JS and CPE Bach, Handel's Messiah and the Mass in B minor at the Tudeley Festival, as well as a concert at the 2005 Thaxted Festival. Earlier this year London Pro Arte Baroque gave a Mozart 250th Anniversary concert at the 2006 Tudeley Festival, with soloists Colin Lawson and Gary Cooper.

Recent performances elicited the following press comment -

"A stylistically fine rendition of Bach's Overture from the first Suite in C......their playing in the Sinfonia that introduced Bach's Easter Oratorio (BWV249), was idiomatically phrased"

The Organ

"The London Pro Arte Orchestra were on excellent form.....with ensemble passages finely moulded"

The Organ (Handel Messiah)

"...an excellent response from the period instrument players"

The Organ (J S Bach, St John Passion)

"expansive, expressive playing of the London Pro Arte Baroque Orchestra"

The Organ (J S Bach, St Matthew Passion)

"the young London Pro Arte Baroque Orchestra stunned us with its musical maturity"

Le telegramme (J S Bach, Mass in B minor)

For further information about the London Pro Arte Baroque, please contact Richard Thomas, ManagerLPAB at 15 Bedwell Close, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 3XH, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1707 889034, Fax: +44 (0)1707 884267, e-mail:office@londonproarte.co.uk