English Renaissance Music at Somerville Museum

The third concert in the Early Music Afternoons series takes place on Sunday, January 27 at 3:30 pm in the intimate galleries of the Somerville Museum.

Countertenor and cornetto player Michael Collver joins the El Dorado Ensemble -- Carol Lewis, Janet Haas, Mai-Lan Broekman, Paul Johnson and Alice Mroszczyk, violas da gamba; Olav Chris Henriksen, lute and cittern -- for "Music Divine," a celebration of English renaissance music. The concert features madrigals, fantasias, dancesand  ballad tunes by Ward, Cutting, Weelkes, Tomkins, Gibbons and others.

Michael Collver received his training at San Diego State University and the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis (Switzerland), specializing in early vocal techniques and cornetto. Collaboration with the Schola has continued since then with residencies involving special projects, recordings, books, and research publications. Mr. Collver is a founding member of Project Ars Nova and has toured extensively in Europe and the US with this ensemble as well as releasing six  CD's under the New Albion and Telarc International labels.  Collver has also been a soloist with Sequentia, the Empire Brass Quintet, Tafelmusik, Boston Baroque and the Boston Camerata.  As an oratorio soloist he has performed with orchestras ranging from Aston Magna to the Los Angeles Philharmonic.