Gotham Early Music Scene to Present Twelfth Night Ensemble In RIVALRY

Renowned historical performance specialists will perform at GEMS NY on June 26th. Twelfth Night, led by Rachell Ellen Wong and David Belkovski, presents a program of rivalries and feuds in the Baroque. From the petty to the life-altering, rivalries persist throughout music history, consuming even the most well-known composers. Exploring feuds between Handel and Porpora, to Leclair and Guignon, this Twelfth Night program allows the listener to hear both sides of the story.

Concert Information:

Sunday, June 26, 2022 at 5:00pm
St. Ignatius Church | 552 West End Ave | New York, NY
Tickets: $30 / $10 students and seniors, purchased online or at the door

Rachell Ellen Wong and Carmen Johnson-Pájaro, violins
Coleman Itzkoff, cello
Adam Cockerham, lute
David Belkovski, harpsichord

Based in New York City, Twelfth Night is an ensemble of historical performance specialists led by David Belkovski and Rachell Ellen Wong with the firm belief that art is best explored as a meeting place of the past, present, and future. The two cofounders are regarded as key young representatives of early music: Rachell is the first baroque violinist to receive an Avery Fisher Career Grant and David is the only recipient in the field of early music to recieve the Levinson Arts Achievement Award. The ensemble's upcoming projects include a video release of 17th-century Italian songs with renowned French soprano Julie Roset and performances of Handel's amorous pastoral cantata Aminta e Fillide. In the 2022-2023 season, Twelfth Night will be hosted in concert series across the country, including Arizona Early Music, Chatham Baroque, Music Before 1800, and Gotham Early Music Scene. Further collaborations include a recording with Australian mezzo-soprano Xenia Puskarz Thomas. To learn more, visit twelfthnightensemble.com

Grand Prize winner of the inaugural Lillian and Maurice Barbash J.S. Bach Competition, violinist Rachell Ellen Wong is a rising star on both the historical performance and modern violin stages. Her growing reputation as one of the top historical performers of her generation has resulted in appearances all across the globe with renowned early music ensembles such as the American Bach Soloists and The Academy of Ancient Music, and tours with Bach Collegium Japan, Les Arts Florissants, among others. Equally accomplished on the modern violin, Rachell made her first public appearance with the Philharmonia Northwest at age 11 and has since performed as a soloist with such orchestras as Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Panamá and the Seattle Symphony. Rachell made her conducting debut with the Seattle Symphony in 2020 when she directed Vivaldi's Four Seasons from the violin. She is serving as concertmaster for Seattle Baroque Orchestra's 21-22 season. She performs on a baroque violin from the school of Joachim Tielke ca. 1700. Ms. Wong is represented by Artist Manager Marianne LaCrosse of CTM Classics. For more information, please visit www.rachellwong.com.

Born in Skopje, Macedonia, David Belkovski's journey as a musician has taken him from early ventures into Balkan folk music to the vibrant beginnings of a career, performing regularly on harpsichord, fortepiano, and modern piano. First prize winner of several international and national competitions, including the 2019 Sfzp International Fortepiano Competition, David has been recognized for his artistry on both historical and modern keyboards. David made his Lincoln Center debut as fortepiano concerto soloist with the American Classical Orchestra/Tom Crawford as well as with Juilliard415/Monica Huggett. David is fast building a reputation as a director from behind historical keyboards, making his debut with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra conducting Handel's Radamisto. He has served as Assistant Conductor for a production of Luigi Rossi's Orfeo with conductor Avi Stein and now holds the position of Assistant Conductor for Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra. David directed Juilliard415 in a performance of his commissioned work Chaconne, written for Juilliard's renowned period ensemble. To learn more about David, visit davidbelkovski.com.