AMERICAN BAROQUE ORCHESTRA – AN IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW

According to its website, “the mission of the American Baroque Orchestra (ABO) is to engage audiences with historically informed performances of magnificent music. ABO‘s members consist of renowned specialists in period-instrument performance.”

The American Baroque Orchestra is an acclaimed ensemble dedicated to performing 17th and 18th century musical pieces played on appropriately dated instruments. Since its inception ABO has continually researched and actualized in concert a variety of well known and not as well known works unceasingly seeking to unlock and explore the fullest expressive potential of these musical treasures. They have performed the music of Mozart, Handel, Rameau and countless others.

The American Baroque Orchestra was founded in 2010 by Artistic Director, Conductor and Violist, Mark Bailey. Through their concerts and educational outreach programs that span the country the ABO has brought magnificent music to the masses. Playing in cultural centers, churches and parks, the ABO is fully able to engage the minds and hearts of their listeners.

Recently I met with Mark Bailey and Associate Music Director Kevin Sherwin in a small coffee shop in North Haven, Ct.. I previously met Sherwin at an Arts Council of New Haven event and his depiction of the ABO was intriguing. The musicians are all classically trained and highly dedicated in persevering the true baroque experience and I wanted to fully understand their boundless commitment.

The following is part interview and part discussion between the three of us.

AMP: What was the motivation behind the American Baroque Orchestra?

MARK: About 15 or 20 years ago I was leading a more conventional life as a musician. I was teaching, conducting and performing with an expertise in Russian music. I hadn’t done much with this historical approach of using historical instruments. On a whim, I happened to pick up a CD containing pieces by Bach played on period instruments. The sound of those beautiful instruments just grabbed hold of me. I was amazed at what I was hearing in Bach’s music that I never heard before with the use of modern instruments. There was a quality and texture to it. I was captivated. Luckily, at Yale there was a world renown violinist and expert in this field. Jaap Schroeder took me under his wing. He was quite a mentor. All the current established symphony orchestras are primarily using modern instruments. There weren’t many companies using baroque instrumentation. The only way to begin such a grass roots movement was to find musicians who savor playing such lovely music. I determined that the best thing to do was to just start an ensemble and let it grow. That is how the ABO started. We wanted to give this music a brand new approach with an unique voice.

AMP: Where does one find the musicians for such an undertaking?

Mark: It’s certainly a specialty. One good thing with a novel movement like this is that if it takes off it gains in popularity. It seems that younger musicians have really grabbed hold of this voyage. As the use of historically correct instruments becomes more wide spread, more programs become available. We actually have a good selection of fairly young musicians who have the interest and commitment and are specialists in creating this historical landscape. Most of the orchestra comes from the New York and New England vicinity. Some of our members come from Washington D.C. and Montreal and even the west coast. They are willing to travel because this is a real passion for them.

AMP: How does one go about auditioning for ABO?

Mark: I happen to know most of the players. So they were invited to join but we do get some musicians who ask to participate. I have a group of core players who I trust but if I need an extra musician I’ll ask for recommendations. It always works out. The recommendations are always spot on.

AMP: Your musicians reside quite a distance apart. How do you rehearse?

Mark: It a different approach. It’s a more project based approach where you bring everyone in for a couple of days before the performance and really immerse. We usually have double rehearsals and make the focus directly on the event. Over time if you partner with people who are liked minded and work with a lot, it comes together quickly. It’s never stale when we perform. It’s always seems fresh.

Kevin: Historically, in Europe they would pull together their musicians just like this. Everything would be on a project to project basis. Vivaldi would be composing an opera and he would hire musicians from all around Italy. They would rehearse for a week or so. There’s a reason they and now ABO and similar groups are able to accomplish this. There is this common style and musicianship of this type of music. We come together already understanding the language and it becomes more about our interpretation and direction.

AMP: Where does ABO perform?

Mark: We perform throughout New England especially in Boston and Cape Cod. Certainly in the Connecticut area. We had a special project in the Bay area as well. As we are approaching our 10 year anniversary we will be looking to expand our reach. There is plenty of interest and desire to hear this music performed. ABO performed Handel’s Messiah in Hartford around a year ago in February. We packed the place even though that’s not the traditional time to perform Messiah.

AMP: What sort of venues does the orchestra play?

Kevin: Churches, historical societies and libraries are usually our partners. Our performances are for the community. They are usually tied to some important event or marker.

Mark: Many people are hearing this variety of music for the first time and that what excites us. Also, in our outreach we do programs in schools.

AMP: How many performances does the orchestra perform yearly?

Kevin: Between chamber music, educational programs and orchestra about a dozen times but with the full orchestra around three to four.

AMP: Mark, as the founding Artistic Director and Conductor what do your duties entail?

Mark: Basically, it’s my child. In the broad view it’s insuring that the organization and ensemble is fulfilling its mission. It’s also about being able to bring this wonderful experience to our audiences and uplifting their lives through music. I need to make sure this is happening. Not only philosophically but in reality as I am conducting. That means that the projects and themes we decide to do and the people we decide to highlight have to achieve that vision. That includes every little gesture I make as a conductor and as the person who has to oversee it all.

AMP: Kevin, what are your duties as the Assistant Music Director?

Kevin: I started with the orchestra about five years ago. It has been a incredible experience. Artistically I am a guitarist. I play baroque and early romantic guitar in the orchestra. I occasionally conduct and prepare the chorus when there are choral projects. One of the biggest learning experiences for me in this role is the entrepreneurial aspect. When your a baroque orchestra in 2020 it’s about finding your audience. It’s about finding our role in a contemporary world. The ABO has been highly successful in largely finding the appropriate partnerships we discussed earlier. We play baroque music with baroque instruments for intellectual scholarship but also for the emotional qualities of the music. It’s about merging cultures. Our goal is to immerse people in music history. We want to have our audiences feel what it was like to listen to the music as it was originally created. It is part of my role to create this ambiance.

Mark: Kevin also does a great job on acquiring funding and grants. He does extraordinary work in discovering and cultivating our valuable partnerships.

AMP: What do the musicians to take away from a performance?

Kevin: As an artist when you are trying to communicate to your audience you really have to listen to how you respond to the music. For me, the period performances and attention to style have enriched me with so much soul and life. You are getting inside of all these new musical possibilities. My response to the music is so emotional because of the stories we tell. For example, we recently performed the music of essentially the first classical composer of African decent, Joseph Bologne. He had an incredible life story and it was all told through his music. He was very personal in how he wrote. That program told the story of this remarkable figure by conveying his passions through music and that fervor get transferred to the musicians.

Mark: What I truly appreciate about the ABO is the fact we can view the world around us in a different light. When we go back in history and play two hundred year old music it allows you a moment of release from contemporary concerns. You get to step back and get a fresh perspective. I feel that we strongly appreciate the world we live in when understand how we got here.

I want to thank both Mark Bailey and Kevin Sherwin for their time and dedication.

As an aside both Mark and Kevin perform on classical viola and guitar as Musica Vera Duo

The American Baroque Orchestra next performance:

Sunday, April 26th at 5 PM

Church of the Assumption

61 N. Cliff Street

Ansonia, Ct 06401

ITALIAN EXPOSITION: A MUSICAL JOURNEY THROUGH VENICE, ROME AND BEYOND

Mark Bailey, Artistic Director

Soloists: Edson Scheid -Violin

Kevin Sherwin-Romantic Guitar

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