Baltimore Consort Plays at King's College

The internationally renowned Early Music Group known as the Baltimore Consort played the first performance of their 30th season on a humid, rainy night in September in the Snyder room at the King's College Campus Center. Inside, the room was well lit and calm. Group members Mary Anne Ballard, Mark Cudek, and Larry Lipkis moved bows over stringed instruments while Ronn McFarlane strummed a lute, Mindy Rosenfeld liviley played flutes and whistles, and Danielle Svonavec sang.

They played early and traditional Scottish music from their CD "Adew Dundee." The most exotic of these pieces, I found, was called "A Scot's Tune." Among the many instruments played were crumhorns (see photo), which are strange instruments that sound like bagpipes but look like skinny saxophones. The instruments played--especially the lute--were far quieter than amplified instruments or brass instruments and thus were heard at a comfortable volume. The group's youthful-looking singer, Danielle Svonavec, sang without microphonal amplification and an accent--thus adding to authenticity.

The audience consisted mostly of older adults, but there were a few students there, perhaps to receive extra credit. The crowd was much pleased by the performance. Kudos to Robert Yenkowski for organizing the event. Attendance was free. In that sense perhaps the concert goers were rewarded for having a good taste in music.

Two of The Baltimore Consort's CDs, The Best of the Baltimore Consort and Adio España, are now available for borrowing at the King's College Moreau Library.