JUNE 2026 UPDATE
- Continuo Foundation
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
IN THIS UPDATE:
1. OUR IMPACT
OUR IMPACT
In June, 10 grantee ensembles presented a total of 15 concerts in 7 different locations across the UK, sharing a vast array of repertoire with their audiences. We also collaborated with the Oxford Festival of the Arts on a fabulous Early Music Weekend featuring 4 Continuo grantee ensembles.
The following excerpt from the Bloomsbury Players' report on their Schubert Octet tour highlights the entrepreneurial nature of self-promoted tours and also the way that our grantees regularly take it upon themselves to add outreach elements to their tours. Our funding of their core artistic work brings these positive ripple effects as a bonus.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime tour for us, despite the challenges, and we could never have done it without this grant - with so much risk involved in new venues and self- promotions. It was really worthwhile to bring our music to rural locations as well as cities, and to places where high-level classical music is not easy to access. The grant also allowed us to offer a workshop in the Tighnabruaich Primary School, which was the first time the students there had ever experienced a classical music workshop, and for some of the students, live classical music at all.
Continuo Foundation's cumulative impact:
£1,176,000 awarded to 123 ensembles
of which 41 emerging ensembles supported
1,450 freelance musician beneficiaries
436,000 audience beneficiaries
58 recording projects supported
39 new albums released
2026 GRANTS & FUNDRAISING
A message from Tina Vadaneaux, Founder and CEO:
Thanks to the unwavering support and generosity of our donors, we reached our £100,000 goal for Grant Round 12. We opened for applications on 7 July 2026 for projects scheduled to take place from December 2026 to May 2027 and look forward to reading all the creative proposals!
We are working toward being able to increase the size of our grant rounds to keep up with inflation. In order to do this, we need to secure further multi-year pledges to be able to provide ensembles with confidence that there will be £100,000 every six months to bring their projects to life.
If you would like to help us achieve this ambition, or if you know of an individual or trust who may be willing to do so, I would be delighted to speak with you about how you can help us to keep the Early Music world flourishing.
Please contact Tina Vadaneaux by replying to this email or visit our Support Us page.
OXFORD EARLY MUSIC WEEKEND
It was lovely to see so many Continuo supporters, Continuo Connect subscribers and musicians at the Oxford Early Music Weekend 20 - 21 June as part of the Oxford Festival of the Arts. Audiences enjoyed two days of concerts, curated in collaboration with Continuo Foundation, featuring BBC New Generation Baroque Ensemble Bellot Ensemble, all-star recorder ensemble Palisander, British-Spanish family quintet Lowe Ensemble and Música d'Outrora (pictured) in an Emerging Ensemble Showcase supported by Continuo. The music of John Dowland was celebrated by Dowland's Foundry in The Old Library at Magdalen College, and in a stunning closing concert by tenor Nicholas Mulroy and lutenist Elizabeth Kenny. Photo credit: Hugh Warwick
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
with Timothy Lin
Timothy Lin is a viol player, baroque cellist and researcher from Taiwan. He is a member of the Linarol Consort of Viols, Música d’Outrora and Les Acolytes, and also performs with groups such as Chelys Consort, Fretwork, Musical & Amicable Society and Manchester Baroque. In 2019, Tim founded The Glæm Ensemble to introduce the beauty of Early Music in Taiwan, and in 2021, he joined the Linarol Consort. In June 2022, Tim won the Corton-Hyde Early Music competition at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and loves to teach both viol and cello. He regularly assists Linarol Consort's annual Renaissance Course and coaches the viol consort at Magdalen College, Oxford. Photo by Martin Chiang
How has Continuo Foundation impacted your day-to-day life?
I think I go out more because of Continuo Foundation. They not only open more working opportunities for musicians but also more early music concerts for people to attend.
What new doors have opened for you since becoming a grantee?
I believe my career would be entirely different without the support of Continuo. Two of the ensembles I play with as a core member, the Linarol Consort of Viols and Música d’Outrora, are grantees. With Continuo’s support, I have participated in several concert tours and contributed to three album recordings. These opportunities have increased my exposure in the early music scene and allowed me to collaborate with other groups.
What do you love about being a musician?
Being a musician allows me to visit places and meet people I wouldn’t have a chance to encounter, which are some of the reasons I keep doing this job.
No.1 listening recommendation?
I feel a bit shy saying this. However, I really enjoy listening to one of the albums I participated in which was just released in May, Epitaph for a Green Lover: Music from the songbooks of Margaret of Austria played and sung by the Linarol Consort and soprano Héloïse Bernard. I think the story behind the album is really fascinating. I really recommend reading the liner notes alongside the album. It will give you a view of the life of one of the greatest female patrons in history.
For more about Timothy Lin check out his Continuo Connect Interview.
JUNE PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
Figure - VESPERS
Figure were joined by countertenor Iestyn Davies and Idrîsî Ensemble for two dramatic semi-staged performances built around Vivaldi's cantata Nisi Dominus. Venice of the 18th century was a crossroads, a cosmopolitan city with cultural influences from across North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. For this project, Vivaldi's music, in the capable hands of the band and Iestyn Davies, formed a central thread around which Idrîsî Ensemble performed ancient music Mediterranean, conjuring the world which built Venice. The performance received rave reviews from the Guardian, and this from MusicOMH: 'Iestyn Davies is peerless in Vivaldi, but the Idrîsî Ensemble's ancient Mediterranean chants steal the show in a magically immersive evening.'
Oxford Bach Soloists - J.S Bach: Cello Suites
The Oxford Bach Soloists completed their series of six concerts around Bach's Cello Suites. The series began last October and culminated in this June concert, featuring the sixth and final cello suite alongside a pair of Bach cantatas. Each programme featured one Bach Cello Suite, performed alongside choral and keyboard works by Bach and his contemporaries. The concerts also featured the Oxford Bach Soloist Scholars and co-principal keyboardists Dónal McCann and Anhad Arora. Directed by Artistic Director Steven Grahl, the Cello Suites were performed by Henrik Persson, Richard Tunnicliffe and Jonathan Byers. The series was hugely successful, reaching over 850 enthusiastic audience members, with all six concerts nearly (92%) sold out.
Harmonious Society of Tickle-Fiddle Gentlemen - Poglietti arrangements of Graziani Motets
The Harmonious Society of Tickle-Fiddle Gentlemen completed the sessions for their latest recording last month. During the 1670s and 1680s Alessandro Poglietti, the imperial organist in Vienna, sent about 15 sacred works to the Prince-Bishop of Moravia. Among them were several elaborate and virtuosic arrangements of solo monody by the Roman composer Bonifazio Graziani. In these arrangements, Poglietti transformed works for a single voice and continuo into virtuoso concertato motets for 5–10 voices, 6-7 string instruments and basso continuo. These world-premiere recordings will not only give audiences a chance to hear these masterpieces, but also to compare them to the original monody versions.
Alternative History Quartet - Amores pasados
In 'Amores pasados', Alternative History Quartet explored Renaissance music through the prism of British Rock and Art Song. The programme takes its name from the title piece by John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) – a work setting poetry from the three great ages of Spanish literature. This work and a piece dedicated to the group by Tony Banks (Genesis) were presented alongside music by Thomas Campion, an English Renaissance composer, and Spanish Renaissance works by Victoria and Morales. The sold-out concert was co-supported by Baroque at the Edge. Click on the video below about the recording of 'Cradle Song', a setting by John Paul Jones of William Blake's eponymous poem, to hear some of this contemporary piece for period instruments and voices.
