PREVIEW TRACKS:
Jack’s Maggot [audio:http://petermcdowell.com/wp-content/uploads/05-Jacks-Maggot.mp3|titles=Jack’s Maggot|artists=Musica Pacifica]
Purcell: Three Parts Upon a Ground [audio:http://petermcdowell.com/wp-content/uploads/33-Three-Parts-Upon-A-Ground.mp3|titles=Three Parts Upon a Ground|artists=Musica Pacifica]
Having recently completed a lively and popular series of performances of music from 17^th century Italy in Petaluma, Berkeley, Sacramento, and Davis, Bay Area based early music ensemble Musica Pacifica (www.musicapacifica.org), now celebrating their 20^th season, is pleased to present “Dancing in the Isles, The Sequel!” – a further selection of Baroque and traditional music from England, Scotland, and Ireland to complement the music from their original “Isles” CD, in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Palo Alto.

Described by the press as “some of the finest baroque musicians in America” (American Record Guide) and “among the best in the world” (Alte Musik Aktuell), Musica Pacifica performs 17th- and 18th-century music on varying combinations of recorder, violin, cello/gamba, harpsichord, and percussion. Their very recent Dancing in the Isles CD has continued to get rave reviews from music journals all over the world, including American Record Guide; the German magazine Concerto; Early Music Today from the UK, and the prestigious Gramophone from the UK, who called it “one of the zestiest recordings of recent vintage to present works that once had them dancing and listening with joy.” And the online journal, Musica dei Donum said: The playing is first-rate: full of bounce, stylish, and technically immaculate.”

Performances will be held:

Thursday, February 16^th , 7:30 pm at Ashkenaz, Berkeley
1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley
For tickets ($10 general admission) visit www.ashkenaz.com

Saturday, February 18^th , 8pm at First Lutheran Church, Palo Alto
600 Homer Ave., Palo Alto
$20 general admission, $15 for seniors, members of SF Early Music Society, Early Music America, and ARS; and $10 for students. Tickets are available through www.brownpapertickets.com or at the door.

Sunday, February 19^th , 4 pm at Noe Valley Chamber Music, San Francisco
Most Holy Innocents Episcopal Church, 455 Fair Oaks Street
(between 25th and 26th Streets), San Francisco
Tickets are $20 General Admission, $15 for seniors and students
For tickets and more information, visit www.nvcm.org

Members of Musica Pacifica (Judith Linsenberg, recorder; Elizabeth Blumenstock, baroque violin; Charles Sherman, harpsichord; and Shirley Hunt, baroque ‘cello, viola da gamba) perform with Philharmonia Baroque and American Bach Soloists, and also appear with prominent early music ensembles nationally and abroad. They have performed on such prestigious concert series as The Frick Collection and Music Before 1800 (NY), the Getty Museum (LA), Tage Alter Musik (Regensburg), Cleveland Art Museum, and the Berkeley Early Music Festival (3 times), among others. They have performed at festivals in Germany and Austria and have been featured on German National radio as well as on National Public Radio’s “Performance Today” and “Harmonia.” Musica Pacifica’s eight CD releases on the Virgin Classics, Dorian, and Solimar labels have won national and international awards, including Chamber Music America/WQXR’s 2003 Record Award, being featured on Minnesota Public Radio, and being chosen as “CD of the Month” by the early music journal Alte Musik Aktuell (Regensburg). Full bios of all musicians are at www.musicapacifica.org. For these performances, Musica Pacifica will be joined by guest artist, percussionist John Loose.