Ensemble La Rota: Double Entendre ENSEMBLE LA ROTA seems to have a thing for doubling. Before it garnered this year s prize in EMA s second Medieval and Renaissance competition, the group ranked as a finalist for the 2005 award. And the group s name has at least a double meaning, according to ensemble member Tobie Miller. Ensemble La Rota (Tobie Miller, Esteban LaRotta, Sarah Barnes, and Émilie Brûlé) performs at Corpus Christi Church in EMA s second Medieval/Renaissance competition. You might have noticed that our lute player s last name is also LaRotta, but the group isn t named after him, Miller says. La Rotta refers first to a dance form from the Middle Ages, but also the word rota means wheel or path, wheel referring not only to the wheel of the hurdy-gurdy, but also the wheel of fortune, which plays a large role in the poetry and music of the Middle Ages; path refers to Medieval pilgrimages; and finally, rota is the name of a Medieval instrument also. That Medieval instrument is the hurdy-gurdy, which Miller loves. I was studying early music at McGill University in Montréal studying recorder and I heard a hurdy-gurdy in a concert, she says, and I thought, Wow, this is what I want to do! I was completely fascinated. The hurdy-gurdy is not necessarily well known, even among the cognoscenti by Mark Powell of the early music world. La Rota hopes to change all that with a repertoire that spans from secular monophonic song to cantigas to isorhythmic motets to sacred polyphonic pieces. The four musicians who make up Ensemble La Rota Tobie Miller (recorder, hurdy-gurdy, soprano), Sarah Barnes (soprano), Émilie Brûlé (vielle), and Esteban LaRotta (lute, harp, tenor) came together at McGill, home to one of the most dynamic early music programs in North America. Barnes, 46 Summer 2007 Early Music America
Esteban LaRotta Brûlé, and LaRotta live in Montréal, while Tobie Miller is currently finishing a diploma in Medieval performance at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Switzerland. We started as a chamber music group at McGill, says Miller, when Esteban LaRotta, the lute player, arrived in 2002. Sarah Barnes was singing a lot of Medieval music, and we thought Émilie Brûlé would be a good vielle player. Miller s background is playing recorder, and Barnes got her start on the modern trumpet. When I was a child I listened to a lot of Baroque music, but I played trumpet in school band and went on to do a degree in trumpet. At McGill I realized that early music was something that I could do, something I could study and make a career of. Feeling limited by the repertoire for trumpet (both the early and modern varieties), Barnes turned to singing early music. Tobie and I had talked about one day doing some Medieval music, but we really didn t know each other all that well, and we were sort of thrown A lot of our concerts are not for early music crowds, but more for the general public, who won t know all the history but may say, Hey, I like how that sounds; it has a nice groove. Sarah Barnes together by one of the teachers who was interested in putting together a Medieval group. When Esteban arrived from Columbia, notes Barnes, he was, in fact, the only lute player at McGill; if we were going to do Medieval music, we wanted to make sure we got him involved. After coaching and university-based concerts, the group began to solidify into something more than a chamber music group that lasted one term. We found our own sound, says Barnes. Miller adds, we liked it so much that we started doing concerts outside of school. She is proud of the variety in La Rota s audiences: Lots of different people come to hear us: a really big mixture, she says. Young people, working people, and older people as well. We see lots of teenagers and young people too. A nice groove Young people have, in fact, become central to their audience base. The group recently performed in Joliette, a town of U nique Makers of historical flutes and recorders of the highest quality. www.wennerfloeten.de Early Music America Summer 2007 47
violadagamba.com The largest inventory of viols, baroque violins, violas, cellos, and other baroque bowed strings in the US under 20,000 people in southwestcentral Québec that is also home to the Joliette Art Museum, whose collection includes a large number of paintings from the French Middle Ages. Émilie Brûlé grew up in Joliette, along with many other young people who turned up for La Rota s show there. Miller says, The concert at the [Joliette] Art Museum [had] a great hall, a beautiful acoustic, kind of small, an intimate setting. We all thought, Oh, I wonder how many people we re going to get Charlie Ogle 541 683-4500 info@violadagamba.com www.violadagamba.com In stock: Pardessue, treble, alto and tenor viols. 6 string bass viols (10 models, 4 string lengths) 7 string bass viols (3 models) G violone, D violone, baroque violin, baroque viola, baroque cello, cello piccolo, viola d amore. Cases and bows, instruction books, strings. Strictly baroque! Émilie Brûlé in here? We didn t think there would be many tickets sold. However, we had been in touch with one of the local schools, a CÉGEP (College d Études Générales et Professionelles), a school in the Québec system for 17- to 18-year-old students before they go on to work or to university. Many of these schools have a twoyear program in music. And we had also given a school concert at an elementary school. When we showed up at the art museum for this concert, it was sold out, standing room only, filled with teenagers and children from the elementary school, and their parents. It was a big shock to us, but they loved the concert. The theme of that concert was general, Songs of Love and Devotion in the Middle Ages, but it didn t hurt that much of the music was in French. The poetry is very meaningful, and the audiences in Québec can understand quite a bit, says Miller, even though it is in Old 48 Summer 2007 Early Music America
French. But even if the audience doesn t understand, there is a lot that can be done with the performance to help the audience appreciate what it is hearing. Nonetheless, La Rota does provide printed programs with texts and translations. With a deep laugh that gives away her mixed feelings, Miller gives her take on the role of such aids: Program notes do help give background and cultural context. The big dilemma with texts and translations is whether the audience is reading them while listening. I m not sure I don t only do early music. I ve branched out quite a bit since finishing school; in fact, last week I premiered a new piece for soprano and rock band. Sarah Barnes that having a translation in your lap during the concert is the best compromise, but it s all a compromise. Ideally audiences would have a chance to look at the texts beforehand. The group has considered using projected supertitles, but we haven t incorporated this yet, she says. As in any group tackling this repertoire, there are bound to be debates about how historical evidence is balanced with the needs and wants of modern audiences. Sometimes historical accuracy is the most important, says Sarah Barnes, but sometimes if something sounds good, and the audience likes it and we like it, it doesn t matter as much if it isn t 100% historically accurate. We want to make something that is accessible to the public and enjoyable, but at the same time, is informed. A lot of our concerts are not for early music crowds, but more for the general public, who won t know all the history but may say, Hey, I like how that sounds; it has a nice groove. Prochaine entendre As a result of the EMA prize, La Rota will perform during the Boston Early Music Festival on June 15 at Emmanuel Church. In the spring, they will record a new disc for ATMA Classique and appear in a number of Princeton Early Keyboard Center presents a Summer Workshop Playing Counterpoint at the Keyboard July 9 13, 2007 at the Center s studios in Princeton, NJ This workshop, taught by PEKC Director Gavin Black, will explore many different aspects of the art of playing contrapuntally-conceived music on keyboard instruments. Topics addressed will include the role of contrapuntal analysis in interpretation, the relationship between counterpoint and other aspects of texture, the function of instrumental sound in clarifying counterpoint and in enlivening performance, practical aspects of learning music in which the demands of coun- The structure of the workshop will be such that it can meet the needs and respond to the interests of students of all different backgrounds and any pre-existing level of keyboard skill and experience. Several harpsichords and clavichords will be used in the workshop, and will be available to students for practice during the week. The fee for the workshop is $350.00. This includes all workshop sessions and individual lessons, but does not include accomodations or food. For more information or to register please see the Center s website: www.pekc.org or call the Center at (609) 430-0396 Honeysuckle Music Music for recorders, strings, flute, guitar & chamber groups... Recorders & accessories Jean Allison Olson 1604 Portland Ave. St. Paul, MN 55104 651.644.8545 www.honeysucklemusic.com jean@honeysucklemusic.com Early Music America Summer 2007 49
festivals, including the Bloomington Early Music Festival. For the moment, Tobie Miller researches many of La Rota s projects, an apt role since she is in Basel, while Sarah Barnes organizes and publicizes them. Soon Miller won t be the only member of La Rota in Europe as Barnes is moving there this summer. I m doing post-graduate studies at London s Royal College of Music in singing, mostly for the versatility they offer there. They re really strong in everything: early music, opera, oratorio, art song, and so on. I don t think there s any city, even Montréal or London, that could support a Medieval group full time. Perhaps in response to this reality, Barnes has already taken some steps to broaden her work. I don t only do early music. I ve branched out quite a bit since finishing school; in fact, last week I premiered a new piece for soprano and rock band, Barnes quips with delight. I m a freelance musician. Even after the move to London, she fully intends to stay with La Rota and hopes for more European Tobie Miller performances for the band. Tobie will work on Switzerland, and I ll work on London. Miller and Barnes encourage emerging groups to perform as much as possible and to organize their own concerts. Miller says the most important step when you re starting out is to make your own work before the work comes to you. Look for opportunities, like competitions. Competitions certainly helped us mature and improve. Have a good demo recording, too, says Barnes. Everyone is always asking for one. And be prepared to schmooze at festivals and concerts and to follow up with contacts and inquiries. It s hard when you re first starting out, and you don t want to say no to anything to get the experience, but sometimes you also have to balance that with the financial needs of the group, too. And be sure to ask for email addresses at concerts! says Tobie Miller, with a nod to our modern way of life, and use MySpace: it s a great publicity and networking tool. Mark Powell holds an MA in musicology from the University of Washington in Seattle and is former director of marketing for Early Music America. He is currently director of development and marketing for Portland Baroque Orchestra and is a member and executive director of the vocal ensemble Cappella Romana. Join Early Music America today! Early Music America is North America s non-profit service organization for early music. Serving performers, presenters, instrument builders and audience members. To become a Member or make a Contribution, call 206.720.6270/1-888-SACKBUT, visit www.earlymusic.org, or mail to: Early Music America, 2366 Eastlake Ave. E, #429, Seattle, WA 98102 USA ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP IN EARLY MUSIC AMERICA. JOIN NOW! Individual $55 Instrument Makers $65 Senior $45 Organization, by income: Student $30 To $100,000: $85 Family $65 $100,001-$200,000: $125 Overseas $65 Over $200,000: $150 Yes, I would like to become a Member or make a Gift to EMA: Name Organization Address City, State, Zip Phone E-mail VISA/MC # Exp. Date MAKE A GIFT TO EARLY MUSIC AMERICA! Your support helps us serve the early music community. Benefactor ($1,000+) Supporter (under $100) Patron ($500-$999) My gift will be matched by my Sponsor ($350-$499) employer(please include form) Friend ($200-$349) Early Music America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributor ($100-$199) Contributions are tax-deductible as permitted by law. 50 Summer 2007 Early Music America