Chatham Baroque Presents Twelfth Night Ensemble in October

On October 29, 2022, Chatham Baroque will present the early music ensemble Twelfth Night for "Flash and Elegance," an exploration of scintillating Italian sonatas by Caldara, Vivaldi, and Lanzetti, with special emphasis on the violoncello da spalla.


For the past 31 years, Chatham Baroque has performed on stages around the world, establishing itself as one of the nation's most distinguished period ensembles. With its 2022/2023 season, the nonprofit has returned to presenting live, in-person performances, as well as hosting visiting musicians.



"Flash and Elegance" will feature Twelfth Night Ensemble members Rachell Ellen Wong, on violin; David Belkovski, on harpsichord; Carmen Johnson-Pájaro, on violin; and Andrew Gonzalez, on violoncello da spalla.

• A co-founder of Twelfth Night, violinist Rachell Ellen Wong was the recipient of a prestigious 2020 Avery Fisher Career Grant and Grand Prize winner of the inaugural Lillian and Maurice Barbash J.S. Bach Competition. A rising star on both the historical performance and modern violin stages, she has performed throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as internationally.
• A co-founder of Twelfth Night, David Belkovski has been a first prize winner of several international and national competitions, including the 2019 International Fortepiano Competition. Recognized for his artistry on both historical and modern keyboard, he performs regularly on fortepiano, harpsichord and modern piano. He made his Lincoln Center debut this September as a soloist with the American Classical Orchestra.
• Violinist Carmen Johnson-Pájaro enjoys an eclectic performance career, spanning centuries and genres. As a freelance performer in the Boston community, Carmen has played with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphony NOVA, the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, and Palaver Strings. She currently plays with the Harvard Baroque Chamber Orchestra under the direction of the esteemed Sarah Darling and Phoebe Carrai.
• Hailed by the Strad Magazine for his "warm hearted playing and mellow tone," violist Andrew Gonzalez performs throughout the United States, Asia and Europe. A sought-after chamber musician and also an accomplished teacher, Andrew has served as a fellow of Carnegie Hall's Ensemble Connect and teaches chamber music in the Heifetz Institute's Program for the Exceptionally Gifted.

In 1756, Leopold Mozart, Wolfgang's father, observed, "Nowadays the violoncello is also held between the legs," suggesting that we should not take the modern approach to cello playing for granted. As one of few specialists of the violoncello da spalla, a cello held against the shoulder, Twelfth Night member Andrew Gonzalez is in a unique position to illuminate this fascinating instrument and technique. Featuring Italian baroque music of vivid drama and expression, Twelfth Night highlights the brilliance and flexibility of the "shouldered cello."

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