Liber: Ensemble for Early Music
Formerly: Liber unUsualisMelanie Germond, soprano
William Hudson, tenor
“Liber unUsualis performs with panache” The Musical times
Since its founding in 1996 vocal trio Liber has soared to prominence for its warm, compelling, and assured performances of Medieval and early-Renaissance music. The ensemble’s mastery of medieval vocal technique and its inventive programming have drawn enthusiastic audiences throughout the United States and Europe, where it regularly performs.
Writing from one of America’s most important early music centers, The Boston Globe has praised Liber unUsualis for its “deeply moving” performances and its “hair-trigger sensitivity to what the words had to say.” These are the very qualities that have won for the group a grant from The Fund for U.S. Artists at International Festivals and Exhibitions (2004), First Prize at the International Young Artist’s Presentation – Early Music (Belgium, 2002), the Professional Development Award from Early Music America (2002) and semifinalist status at New York’s prestigious Concert Artists Guild Competition in 1999.
In addition to these honors, the ensemble’s debut CD recording “Unrequited” was an unqualified artistic success, being voted one of the “Best of 2004” by Goldberg magazine, and hailed as “a most impressive recording” by Gramophone. Their second CD, “Flyleaves”, on the Passacaille label, has also drawn rave reviews.
“The singing is responsible, tasteful, and unfailingly artistic, with lovely balancing and blending of voices. Those who may regret the dismantling of Anonymous 4 would do well now to embrace Liber unUsualis—and be much the better off for doing so. This plucky little ensemble is a treasure to nurture.” American Record Guide
Liber, made up of founding members Melanie Germond (soprano), and William Hudson (tenor), has had an extraordinarily active concert schedule, performing extensively throughout the United States and abroad at many of the major European music festivals, including the Tage Alter Musik Regensburg (Germany), York Early Music Festival (England), Galway Early Music Festival (Ireland), Lower Machen Festival (Wales), Laus Polyphoniae/ Festival van Vlaanderen (Belgium), Day of Early Music (Belgium), Latvia's International Festival of Early Music, Viljandi Early Music Festival (Estonia), La Caixa Forum (Spain), and Rencontres de Musique Médiévale du Thoronet (France).
In the U.S. the trio has been heard at numerous festivals: Amherst, Phoenix, Cambridge, San Francisco, Seattle, San Diego, Milwaukee, Columbus, among many other engagements.
In the 2007/08 season, the ensemble performed in Canada, Belgium, San Francisco, and Germany. These engagements followed upon an active 2005-06 season, which took the ensemble to San Antonio, Boston, Portsmouth, Bloomington, Latvia, England, Estonia, France and Germany. In the 08/09 season Liber made their Netherlands debut, the 10/11 season will see the ensemble come back for a tour through Belgium.
The Liber members each hold a Master’s degree in historical performance from the Longy School of Music in Boston.
Also visit: www.liberunusualis.com
Nederlands