CANZONA was formed in 1992 and comprises some of this
country's leading players of period instruments. The versatility of
its director Theresa Caudle, who plays both the violin and cornett,
creates the stimulus for a flexible line-up of wind and string
instruments and many of Canzona's concerts are as a chamber
group. The ensemble is often joined by a singer and has performed
with many distinguished soloists including James Bowman and
Peter Harvey. The players of Canzona have a particular passion for
17th century music, but whatever they are playing, from
Monteverdi to Mozart, they make every effort to play on
appropriate instruments for the period.
Canzona is frequently expanded to orchestral proportions and has
performed with many outstanding conductors and choirs including
Polyphony and the Holst Singers (conducted by Stephen Layton).
Canzona continues to have a long-standing association with several
choirs including the Leith Hill Musical Festival, Burford Singers,
Bristol Bach Choir and Chelmsford Cathedral Choirs. Choral works
performed include Bach's St. John & St. Matthew Passions and
Magnificat; Handel's Messiah, Israel in Egypt and Dixit Dominus;
Monteverdi's Vespers and music by Purcell and de Lalande.
Canzona has performed at prestigious early music festivals as far
afield as Finland and Malta as well as The Three Choirs Festival,
Spitalfields Festival, Winchester Festival and the Stour Music
Festival in this country. Other UK appearances include
performances at the Royal Festival Hall, St John's, Smith Square, St
Martin-in-the-Fields, Buckingham Palace, King's College,
Cambridge and Trinity College, Cambridge and Wells, Bristol,
Blackburn, St Albans, Chelmsford and Southwark Cathedrals. In
2016 Canzona took part in a concert to celebrate the Queen's 90th
birthday together with Huw Williams and The Choir of The Chapel
Royal at The Queen's Chapel, St James' Palace, and the ensemble's
most recent performance as a chamber ensemble was a concert of
17th century Venetian instrumental music for The Georgian Concert
Society in Edinburgh. Forthcoming engagements include a St.
Matthew Passion at The Leith Hill Musical Festival in Dorking,
Messiah in Chelmsford Cathedral and, in Bath Abbey, the St. John
Passion with the Bath Choral Society and Messiah with the Abbey
choir.
Canzona has made two highly-acclaimed recordings: Motets by
André Campra on EtCetera, and Theresa Caudle and Canzona's
recording “Violino o Cornetto” of 17th century Italian sonatas for
violin and cornett on Nimbus Alliance.