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SANFRANCISCO’SSIZZLINGBAROQUEENSEMBLEMUSICAPACIFICA

ANNOUNCESNEWESTMEMBER,INGRIDMATTHEWSANDBIDSFAREWELLTOELIZABETHBLUMENSTOCK

ElizabethBlumenstock,left;IngridMatthews,right

SanFrancisco’sMusicaPacificacombinesworld-classmusicianshipwithaspiritedandcommunicativeperformingstyleandbringsexuberantvitalitytotheintimatechambermusicoftheBaroque.Since1990,theensemblehasfeaturedthetalentsofJudithLinsenberg,recorderandElizabethBlumenstock,baroqueviolin.CharlesSherman,harpsichord,joinedtheensemblein1997,andJoshLee,violadagamba,joinedin2012.

Nowafter27years,thisseasonmarksa“changingoftheguard,”asMs.Blumenstockhasannouncedherretirementfromtheensemble.Everreadytocelebrate,MusicaPacificaisgearinguptofêteMs.Blumenstock’sillustriouscareerwiththeensembleandtowelcomethewidelyacclaimedIngridMatthewsastheirnewviolinist.

SincewinningfirstprizeintheIrwinBodkyInternationalCompetitionforEarlyMusicin1989,IngridMatthewshasbecomewellestablishedasoneoftoday'sleadingbaroqueviolinists.SheservedasMusicDirectoroftheSeattleBaroqueOrchestrafrom1994until2013,earningwidespreadrespectamongmusiciansandaudiencesalike.(Seefullbiobelow).

ElizabethBlumenstockisalong-timeconcertmaster,soloist,andleaderwiththeBayArea'sPhilharmoniaBaroqueOrchestraandAmericanBachSoloists,concertmasteroftheInternationalHandelFestivalOrchestrainGöttingen,Germany,andisArtisticDirectoroftheCoronadelMarBaroqueMusicFestival.HerloveofchambermusichasinvolvedherinseveralaccomplishedandinterestingsmallerensemblesincludingMusicaPacifica,GalaxQuartet,LiveOakBaroque,EnsembleMirable,andVoicesofMusic.Anenthusiasticteacher,Ms.BlumenstockteachesfortheJuilliardHistoricalPerformanceprogram,attheSanFranciscoConservatoryofMusic,theAmericanBachSoloists'summerFestivalandAcademy,andtheInternationalBaroqueInstituteatLongy.Herdiscographyincludessome100CDsforsuchlabelsasharmoniamundiusa,Dorian/SonoLuminus,Koch,Naxos,ReferenceRecordings,andVirginVeritas.

MUSICAPACIFICASEASONHIGHLIGHTSCALENDAR: • ElizabethBlumenstock’sfinalconcertwithMusicaPacificawilltakeplaceonSaturday,December16th,2017ontheBarefootChamberConcertseriesattheHillsideSwedenborgianChurch,1422NavellierStreet,ElCerrito,California,wherethegroupwillalsohaveachampagnesend-offforMs.BlumenstockandawelcomeforMs.Matthews.Thisisthepublic’slastchancetoexperienceliveandinpersonthebrilliantmusicalchemistrybetweenMs.BlumenstockandMs.Linsenberg.barefootchamberconcerts.com/2017-2018-season/mp/

• IngridMatthewswillofficiallybeginasMusicaPacifica’snewpermanentviolinistonSundayApril8,2018atArizonaEarlyMusic:GraceSt.Paul’sEpiscopalChurch,2331E.AdamsSt.,Tucson,Arizona.azearlymusic.org/pages/2017_2018_5_musica_pacifica

OtherupcomingconcertsincludingvariousmembersofMusicaPacificaare:

• October1,2017:DancingInTheIslesatEarlyMusicinColumbus(withDavidGreenberg,violin),HuntingtonRecitalHall,CapitalUniversity,1CollegeandMainColumbus,Ohioearlymusicincolumbus.org/concerts/musicapacifica

• October15,2017:Sprezzatura--VirtuosicSonatasoftheItalianBaroquewithJudithLinsenberg,WilliamSkeen,cello,andKatherineHeater,harpsichordattheCaliforniaJazzConservatory,2087AddisonSt,Berkeley,CAcjc.edu/concerts/

• February16,2018:Alamode,Alemonde-apotpourriofMedieval,Renaissance,traditional,andworldmusic—performedonapanoplyofbowed,blown,pluckedandhitinstruments.OntheBarefootserieswithJudithLinsenberg,ShiraKammen,PeterMaund,andKatherineHeater.HillsideSwedenborgianChurch,1422NavellierStreet,ElCerrito,California,barefootchamberconcerts.com/2017-2018-season/lkhm/

MOREABOUTINGRIDMATTHEWSANDMUSICAPACIFICA

IngridMatthewshasappearedassoloistand/orconcertmasterwithnumerouslargeensemblesincludingtheNewYorkCollegium,theAustralianBrandenburgOrchestra,MusicaAngelica(LA),theBachSinfonia(WashingtonD.C),ArsLyrica(Houston)andmanyothers,andisactiveasachambermusicianwithMusicaPacificaamongmanyothergroups.HerextensivediscographyincludesarecordingoftheBachSonatasandPartitaswhichhasbeenhailedastoprecommendationfortheseworksbybothAmericanRecordGuideandThirdEar’sClassicalMusicListeningCompanion.MatthewshastaughtatIndianaUniversity,OberlinCollege,andtheUniversityofSouthernCaliforniaandiscurrentlyonthefacultyofCornishCollegeoftheArtsinSeattle.Sheisalsoactiveasavisualartist.ingridmatthews.com

ABOUTMUSICAPACIFICA

MusicaPacificahas,sinceitsfoundingin1990,becomewidelyrecognizedasoneofAmerica’spremierbaroqueensembles,laudedforboththedazzlingvirtuosityandthewarmexpressivenessofitsperformances.Theyhavebeendescribedbythepressas"someofthefinestbaroquemusiciansinAmerica"(AmericanRecordGuide)and"amongthebestintheworld"(AlteMusikAktuell).AthomeintheSanFranciscoBayarea,theartistsperformwithPhilharmoniaBaroqueandAmericanBachSoloists,andappearwithmanyotherprominentearlymusicensemblesnationallyandabroad.

TheyhaveperformedonsomeofthemostprestigiousconcertseriesintheU.S.,includingtheBostonEarlyMusicFestival,MusicBefore1800andtheFrickCollection(NY),theGettyMuseum(LosAngeles),theClevelandArtMuseum,thePittsburghRenaissanceandBaroqueSociety,theSeattleEarlyMusicGuild,theHoustonEarlyMusicSociety,andtheLosAngelesCountyMuseum,amongmanyothers.TheensemblehasbeenfeaturedattheBerkeleyEarlyMusicFestivalthreetimes,andtheirfirstappearancetherewascitedinEarlyMusic(UK)as"perhapsthestandoutoftheentirefestival."TheyhaveperformedatfestivalsinGermanyandAustriaandhavebeenheardonGermanNationalradioaswellasonNationalPublicRadio’s"PerformanceToday"and"Harmonia"andonMinnesotaPublicRadio.

MusicaPacifica'snineCDreleasesontheVirginClassics,Dorian,SolimarandNavonalabelshavewonnationalandinternationalawards,includingthehighestratingsinseveralCDmagazinesandbeingchosenas"CDoftheMonth"bytheearlymusicjournalAlteMusikAktuell(Regensburg).TheprestigiousGramophoneMagazine(UK),calledDancingintheIsles“oneofthezestiestrecordingsofrecentvintage.”FireBeneathMyFingers,wastoutedas“oneofthemostexcitingBaroquerecordingsI’veheard”onAudiophileAudition.TheirTelemannCDwonChamberMusicAmericaandWQXR's2003RecordAwardhonoringthebestchambermusicrecordingsoftheyear,andtheirMancinirecordingwascitedasa"NoteworthyDisc"inthe2000InternationalAntonioVivaldiAwardsforItalianEarlyMusicinVenice.

Online,MusicaPacificamaybefoundonAmazon,iTunes,Spotify,andmusicapacifica.org;andseenathttp://youtube.com/MusicaPacifica.

musicapacifica.org|twitter:MusicaPacifica|Facebook:facebook.com/musicapacifica

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