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JUNE UPDATE
- Continuo Foundation
- Jul 9
- 6 min read
IN THIS UPDATE:
2. FUNDRAISING - 2025 GRANTS
IMPACT - FEEDBACK AND FIGURES
In June, five grantee ensembles presented a total of eight concerts, in seven different locations across the UK. In addition, Continuo-supported albums by La Serenissima and the Illyria Consort were released to great critical acclaim - and both are in the Apple Music Classical Top 10 chart!
Following last month's news that the Bellot Ensemble were selected as Britten-Pears Young Artists, in June they were announced as the BBC New Generation Baroque Ensemble (2025-27). It is so rewarding to support this pipeline of emerging talent! Don't miss the chance to catch this exciting young ensemble live this coming Saturday 12 July at our Oxford Early Music Day.
We were also delighted to receive this comment from Sounds Historical as they wrapped up their tour of 600 Years! From Hildegard to Haydn, performed in 13 locations across the country:
Being supported by Continuo Foundation has given us a valuable platform and wider visibility with audiences and within the early music community. The grant has also meant that we’ve been able to perform in communities who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access live early music. The reassurance that comes with having Continuo Foundation support has given venues who are new to early music more confidence to organise one of our concerts.
Continuo Foundation's impact since inception:
£950,000 awarded to 110 ensembles
1,255 freelance musician beneficiaries
337,600 audience beneficiaries
32 new albums released
FUNDRAISING - 2025 GRANTS
A message from Tina Vadaneaux, Founder and CEO:
On behalf of all of us at Continuo, I wish to thank each of you whose generosity has enabled us to raise the £100,000 required to launch Grant Round 10, now open for applications until 5 August.
Our expert Advisory Panel and Trustees are keen to discover the creative ideas being proposed for new concert programmes, tours and recording projects from November 2025 to end of May 2026. We are very grateful to these skilled professionals for giving their time pro bono so that 100% of donations received can go to the musicians performing in the projects which will be selected.
We are thrilled with the impact of our consistent, strategic investment in the early music sector over the past four years, through bi-annual grant rounds and the Continuo Connect digital resource. Hearing audiences and promoters comment on the dramatic increase in the quality, quantity and variety of programmes being created, as well as their geographic spread, is extremely rewarding.
If you would like to discuss how you can help us keep this positive impact going, please contact me at tina@continuofoundation.co.uk. There is more information on our Support Us page.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
with Henrik Persson
Having studied with Jennifer Ward Clarke and Richard Campbell, baroque cellist and viol player Henrik Persson now enjoys a rich and varied freelance career, both as a continuo player and as a soloist. He is a principal player with Oxford Bach Soloists, and longstanding member of the Musical & Amicable Society, with whom he also appears as a soloist. He is also a regular with many of the UK's leading period instrument ensembles, including Florilegium. Henrik was first continuo player of the New London Consort and the Musicians of the Globe, with whom he toured extensively around the world. Together with Caroline Ritchie he founded Newe Vialles, operating as both a viol duo and consort. Henrik performs on an original cello by Nicholas Chappuy 1770 and an original viola da gamba by Edward Lewis 1703.
How has Continuo Foundation impacted your day-to-day life?
The grants that my group has received have been extremely important in helping us record and bring our viols to the public in a much more impactful way than before. We very much feel the support of Continuo Foundation behind us, which has given us more confidence and also more opportunities for the future.
What new doors have opened for you since becoming a grantee?
We have scheduled more concerts than we could have otherwise, and it has been wonderful to be able to connect with so many people out there who really care about what we do. The beautiful video material we were able to film has also expanded our following significantly.
What do you love about being a musician?
No day is ever the same! An infinite variety of music, venues, and of course, my many dear colleagues and friends.
Where did you encounter the most receptive audience?
I once many years ago got to play for a Sanskrit conference at one of the Oxford colleges. It was absolutely extraordinary, as the audience had been meditating in the room for around half an hour before we played. Their concentration levels were simply on another plane and as soon as we walked on stage, the feeling was one of united otherworldly listening and attention that none of us had ever experienced before. Or indeed, since!
No.1 listening recommendation?
Anything with the great French organist Pierre Bardon on the Isnard organ at Saint Maximin. Jeffrey Skidmore and Ex Cathedra’s recording of Lalande’s Te Deum. Or Handel’s Saeviat Tellus with Jill Feldman, Andrew Parrott, and the Tavener Consort and Players, the very recording that made me a period instrument musician!
More about Henrik Persson is available in his Continuo Connect Interview.
JUNE PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
Apollo's Cabinet - The Comic Muse
Apollo's Cabinet gave two performances of The Comic Muse, in Twickenham and Stoke Newington, as they mark the release of their latest album with a cross-country concert tour. Since the tour started in April, they have given a total of seven performances, in locations from Northampton to Truro, with more in July in Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly, and next Tuesday 15 July at the Lichfield Festival (Staffordshire). Featuring music by Handel, Arne and Geminiani, this semi-staged performance shines a light on the world of 18th-century actress, soprano, and London stage star, Kitty Clive, and showcases the vibrancy of mid-18th-century theatre. Enjoy the clip below illustrating the ensemble's signature dramatic style, described as ‘Baroque meets Bridgerton.'
Rune - Decameron Musicale
Recently-formed ensemble Rune are touring Decameron Musicale, a mosaic of musical stories inspired by Boccaccio’s Decameron. Concerts so far have been in Rotherhithe and at the Stoke Newington Early Music Festival. Exploring themes of fortune, virtue, love, trickery and intelligence, music by 14th century composers including Landini, Ciconia and Machaut was performed alongside rarely heard English pieces. The tour continues in September with concerts in Blackheath and Banbury. Rune will also lead an educational workshop and create promotional videos.
Blondel - Cover Story
In June, Blondel performed their programme, Cover Story, at the Harwich Festival. Following the evolution of popular late-medieval melodies as they are copied, rearranged and repurposed over the years and across Europe, Cover Story tracks connections between people, places, texts and music. Inspired by the virtuosic wind players of the Middle Ages, Blondel bring their signature blend of rousing shawms and bagpipes, and introspective recorders to their performances. In July this programme will tour to Maldon, Otley and York, and will then be recorded for release on First Hand Records,
NEW ALBUM ALERT
La Serenissima - Crossing Borders
La Serenissima's latest album illustrates the cultural links between 18th-century composers in Germany and Italy, featuring little-known works by Brescianello and Schreyfogel, with music by Sieber, Vivaldi and Telemann, including the latter's double concerto for flute and recorder. La Serenissima's twelfth album released on Signum Records explores how the composers' styles changed and developed as they moved among Italy, Germany, France and other European countries. The album features recorder player Tabea Debus and flautist Katy Bircher performing from new editions by Adrian Chandler. The album is already in the Apple Music Classical Top 10 chart!
Illyria Consort - Heinrich Bieber - Violin sonatas 1681
Following the chart-topping success of his album of Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas and the acclaimed recording of Walther’s Scherzi da violino (also supported by Continuo), baroque violinist Bojan Čičić and the Illyria Consort have now released a recording of Heinrich Biber’s 1681 collection of sonatas – one of the 17th century's most ambitious and inventive set of violin works. The album has been named Gramophone Magazine's Recording of the Month July 2025. It was also Record of the Week on BBC R3 Record Review (28 June), and reached No.1 on Apple Music's Classical chart, where it remains in the Top 10!
COMING SOON: OXFORD EARLY MUSIC DAY
Continuo will co-present an Early Music Day with the Oxford Festival of the Arts this coming Saturday 12 July. The afternoon comprises concerts by two Continuo grantees, and a talk by Sir Nicholas Kenyon. The Linarol Consort of Viols and countertenor William Purefoy will present music by Orlando Gibbons, marking the 400th anniversary of his death. This will be followed by an Emerging Ensemble Showcase with Bellot Ensemble, with a programme recorded in 2024 for their debut album, Cupid's Ground Bass, supported by Continuo Foundation. The day concludes with Sir Nicholas Kenyon reflecting on the early music revival over the past century and its lasting influence. All events will take place at the Grove Auditorium, Magdalen College. For more information, please click below - we would love to see you there!
