Piffaro to Open 30th Anniversary Season Next Month

Piffaro opens its 30th anniversary season October 2 - 4, 2015 with a romp through the best of two hundred years' worth of repertoire that the ensemble has performed in its three joyous decades of music making. Fans are invited to help curate the concert by voting for their favorite pieces on Piffaro's website: www.piffaro.org.

The concert will be a reunion of sorts, as former band members including Adam and Rotem Gilbert ("Class of" 1989 - 2007), Eric Anderson (89-95), and George Hoyt (96-99) join in the celebration.

Audiences need not have followed the ensemble since its days as the "Philadelphia Renaissance Wind Band" in the 80's to enjoy the concert. The program will provide a lively survey of music from one of European history's most cosmopolitan periods. Repertoire will span 15th century motets by the Low Countries' Jacob Obrecht, to villancicos composed in the 17th century by Gaspar Fernandes in what are now Guatemala and Mexico. Other composers who will be represented on the program include Josquin des Pres, Ludwig Senfl, Cipriano de Rore, Orlando di Lasso, Francisco Guerrero, and Cristobal Morales.

Piffaro had its beginnings in group of musicians in the University of Pennsylvania's Collegium Musicum in the 70's, playing on a ragtag assemblage of instruments. In 1985 the ensemble inaugurated its annual Delaware Valley concert series and began performing as the Philadelphia Renaissance Wind Band. Since then Piffaro, as it became known, has built a collection of 40+ historically accurate instruments to perform on, released 18 commercial recordings, including four on the prestigious Deutsche Grammophon/Archiv label, performed at the world's major early music festivals, and launched an annual National Recorder Competition for Young Players to draw attention to rising talent (the next iteration takes place on February 6). The ensemble has been honored with Distinguished Artist and Lifetime Achievement awards by the American Recorder Society and Early Music America. Its musicians have contributed immeasurably to the early music discipline as performers, researchers, and teachers.

Piffaro mourns the loss of one of its remarkable musicians, Tom Zajac, a member of the ensemble since 1989. Tom passed away on Monday, August 31st. October's concert is dedicated to his memory.

Call 215-235-8469, email info@piffaro.com, or visit www.piffaro.org for tickets or information.

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