Matthew Dirst News

The San Francisco Early Music Society, in association with Early Music America, has announced the program for its biennial Berkeley Festival & Exhibition, June 1 - 8, 2014. Since its inauguration in 1990, the Festival has been recognized worldwide as one of the foremost events of its kind, bringing together early music performers, scholars, instrument makers, publishers and enthusiasts for a week of concerts, lectures, conferences and master classes centered in and around First Congregational Church and St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Berkeley.

Ars Lyrica Houston, Bach Society Houston, Houston Early Music and Mercury - The Orchestra Redefined will host the second annual Houston Early Music Festival (HEMF) from February 8-16, 2014 at venues across the city. The festival will feature four main-stage performances, two ancillary performances and four lectures.

Don a tiara and join Houston's Grammy nominated early music ensemble Ars Lyrica for Music for a Princess, a special concert at St. Philip Presbyterian Church on November 16 at 7:30 pm, featuring works from the storied music library of Princess Anna Amalia of Prussia.

The Grammy-nominated early music ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston continues its 10th anniversary Discoveries season with Venetian Carnival on New Year's Eve 2013. This event begins at 9 pm on December 31 with a festive musical program in the Hobby Center's Zilkha Hall; a gala reception follows immediately at 10:30 pm in the Hobby Center's Sarofim Hall Grand Lobby.

The Grammy-nominated early music ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston continues its 10th anniversary Discoveries season with Venetian Carnival on New Year's Eve 2013. This event begins at 9 pm on December 31 with a festive musical program in the Hobby Center's Zilkha Hall; a gala reception follows immediately at 10:30 pm in the Hobby Center's Sarofim Hall Grand Lobby.

Grammy-nominated early music ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston presents a staged version of G.F. Handel's pastoral masterpiece Acis and Galatea tonight, March 10th at The Hobby Center, with additional performances in Austin, and Bryan, Texas.

Grammy-nominated early music ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston presents 'Heart and Soul', a program of devotional works from the German Baroque for voice, strings, and organ tonight, February 3, 2013 at 6 pm at St Philip Presbyterian Church. The concert features renowned British counter-tenor Ryland Angel, Ars Lyrica Artistic Director Matthew Dirst on the newly installed Baroque-style Fritts organ, and a quintet of Ars Lyrica string players.

Grammy-nominated early music ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston presents 'Heart and Soul', a program of devotional works from the German Baroque for voice, strings, and organ on Sunday, February 3, 2013 at 6 pm at St Philip Presbyterian Church. The concert features renowned British counter-tenor Ryland Angel, Ars Lyrica Artistic Director Matthew Dirst on the newly installed Baroque-style Fritts organ, and a quintet of Ars Lyrica string players.

Grammy-nominated early music ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston presents a staged version of G.F. Handel's pastoral masterpiece Acis and Galatea on March 10th at The Hobby Center, with additional performances in Austin, and Bryan, Texas.

On one weekend in March 2013, all four of the "Big Baroque" organizations in Houston - Mercury (formerly Mercury Baroque), Ars Lyrica, Da Camera and Houston Early Music - will have back-to-back early music programs. This "lunar eclipse" of Houston's early music leaders is an opportunity for the early music scene that cannot be passed up. The leaders of Mercury, Ars Lyrica and Houston Early Music have created a special promotion - the Houston Baroque Marathon weekend - and have set the stage for a Houston-based, Texas Early Music Festival in spring 2014.

The Grammy-nominated early music ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston envelopes its guests with festive music by the legendary composers of the Viennese royal court at 9 p.m. tonight, December 31, 2012 at 9 p.m. at Zilka Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. The concert program featuring two rising stars of the opera stage - soprano Lauren Snouffer and countertenor John Holiday - will include arias and duets by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Christoph Willibald Gluck. The magnificent instrumentalists of Ars Lyrica Houston will perform works by J.H. Schmeltzer, Johann Joseph f*x and Johann Strauss, the "Waltz King."

The Grammy-nominated early music ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston envelopes its guests with festive music by the legendary composers of the Viennese royal court at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31, 2012 at 9 p.m. at Zilka Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. The concert program featuring two rising stars of the opera stage - soprano Lauren Snouffer and countertenor John Holiday - will include arias and duets by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Christoph Willibald Gluck. The magnificent instrumentalists of Ars Lyrica Houston will perform works by J.H. Schmeltzer, Johann Joseph f*x and Johann Strauss, the "Waltz King."

The Grammy-nominated early music ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston joins forces with Dallas-based Orpheus Chamber Singers for performances of J.S. Bach's Magnificat on November 10, 2012 in Houston and November 11 in Dallas. The program includes ceremonial works by Gabrieli and Handel's Coronation Anthems.

The Grammy-nominated early music ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston kicks off its its 2012-13 season, entitled Anticipations, tonight, September 21st at the Hobby Center's Zilkha Hall with It Takes Two.

The Grammy-nominated early music ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston kicks off its 2012-13 season this Friday, Sept. 21, at the Hobby Center's Zilkha Hall with It Takes Two.

The Grammy-nominated early music ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston today releases Domenico Scarlatti's La Dirindina, its newest recording on the Sono Luminus label. The title piece, a musical farce, features mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, baritone Brian Shircliffe and tenor Joseph Gaines with the Ars Lyrica ensemble, conducted by its artistic director, harpsichordist Matthew Dirst. Scarlatti's cantata, Pur nel Sonno is the companion piece, featuring soprano Celine Ricci; and Dirst partners with Richard Savino on two of Scarlatti's virtuosic sonatas for mandolin and harpsichord to complete the recording.

The Grammy-nominated early music ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston kicks off its its 2012-13 season, entitled Anticipations, on September 21st at the Hobby Center's Zilkha Hall with It Takes Two.

Grammy-nominated ensemble El Mundo will kick off the Houston Early Music season with a program of 17th- and 18th-century Spanish, Italian and Latin American music at Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church on Friday, October 12, at 7:30 p.m. Part of the Hispanic Heritage Series, the program is titled "The Kingdoms of Castille" and will feature music from the group's CD of the same name, nominated for a Grammy Award last year.

RETAIL THERAPY Gala Kick Off Tuesday, March 15, 2011, 6-8pm Momentum Audi, 2315 Richmond, 77098 Get ready to shop until you drop as DiverseWorks kicks off its Retail Therapy Gala with a party on Tuesday, March 15, 2011, from 6-8pm at Momentum Audi. Party goers will enjoy drinks with DW 2011 Gala Co-Chair Jared Lang & Cara Morales, and the Gala host committee.

Join us for a debutante ball done up DiverseWorks style. Darling debs feel free to abandon those pearls and white dresses' - prim and proper won't fly here. And gents, come in tux and tails or a fabulous gown if you prefer, because anything goes at a DW Gala. Join the DW crew as we flaunt our wild side and give a big bow for this year's honorees.