The players
Martha McGaughey was for many years a member of the Paris-based Five Centuries Ensemble, known for its performances of both early and contemporary music. A founding member of Musical Assembly, whose recording of the chamber music of François Couperin received critical acclaim, Ms. McGaughey has performed with many of the New York Baroque groups, and collaborated with the British viol consort, Phantasm, in several concerts and a CD of the consort music of William Byrd. She has recorded for the Fonit Cetra and Erato labels, as well as for EMI. Ms. McGaughey taught at the Ecole Nationale de Musique in Angouleme (France), and at Stanford University. Since 1986 she has been on the faculty at The Mannes College of Music. She has twice been a Regents' Lecturer at the University of California, and teaches regularly at summer workshops. In the 2016-2017 Season she was a featured soloist with the China National Symphony in Beijing, and gave several master classes in France. She also teaches ESL at NYU and at Building One Community, The Center for Immigrant Opportunity, in Stamford, Connecticut.
Carlene Stober is also a member of the Grenser Trio. In addition to performing with many other ensembles, she was contmuo cellist for Bach Vespers at Holy Trinity Church for many years. She has appeared on "Prairie Home Companion," and has performed with the Utah Shakespeare Festival and Theatre for a New Audience (New York City). As a modern cellist, Ms. Stober is a member of the Saratoga Opera Festival Orchestra and has performed at the Manitou Chamber Music Festival in Colorado. She served as principal cellist of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and performed throughout the U.S as a member of the Delphi String Quartet. She holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music, and can be heard on the Deux Elles, MSR, Ravello, and Quill Classics recording labels. She is also a music librarian and designs sound for theatrical productions.
Arthur Haas received the top prize in the Paris International Harpsichord Competition in 1975 and then stayed in France for a number of years as an active member of the growing European early music scene. He is a member of the Aulos Ensemble, one of America's premier period instrument ensembles. In December, 2014, he was featured in a concerto evening with the China National Symphony in Beijing. He has recorded harpsichord music of Jean-Henry D'Anglebert, Forqueray, Purcell and his contemporaries, Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre, François Couperin, the three books of Pieces de Clavecin of J .Ph. Rameau, and, most recently, works of Bernardo Pasquini. Mr. Haas is Professor of Harpsichord and Early Music at Stony Brook University and Visiting Professor of Harpsichord at the Yale School of Music. He was a founding faculty member of the Historical Performance Program at the Juilliard School. Mr. Haas and Ms. McGaughey are also members of Aula Harmoniae, which has toured Korea and Peru, and of Gold and Glitter, with Daniel Lee, violin, and Sang Joon Park, flute.
Empire Viols founded in 1994, Empire Viols has focused on the rich repertoire for two viols and harpsichord, while also expanding its programs with daring and adventurous transcriptions of music originally composed for other instruments. The ensemble performs in the Northeast U.S. and beyond, and was for almost 20 years in residence at New York's Second Presbyterian Church on the Upper West Side. Ms. Stober and Ms. McGaughey were featured on composer Debra Kaye's debut CD, And So It Begins.
Martha McGaughey was for many years a member of the Paris-based Five Centuries Ensemble, known for its performances of both early and contemporary music. A founding member of Musical Assembly, whose recording of the chamber music of François Couperin received critical acclaim, Ms. McGaughey has performed with many of the New York Baroque groups, and collaborated with the British viol consort, Phantasm, in several concerts and a CD of the consort music of William Byrd. She has recorded for the Fonit Cetra and Erato labels, as well as for EMI. Ms. McGaughey taught at the Ecole Nationale de Musique in Angouleme (France), and at Stanford University. Since 1986 she has been on the faculty at The Mannes College of Music. She has twice been a Regents' Lecturer at the University of California, and teaches regularly at summer workshops. In the 2016-2017 Season she was a featured soloist with the China National Symphony in Beijing, and gave several master classes in France. She also teaches ESL at NYU and at Building One Community, The Center for Immigrant Opportunity, in Stamford, Connecticut.
Carlene Stober is also a member of the Grenser Trio. In addition to performing with many other ensembles, she was contmuo cellist for Bach Vespers at Holy Trinity Church for many years. She has appeared on "Prairie Home Companion," and has performed with the Utah Shakespeare Festival and Theatre for a New Audience (New York City). As a modern cellist, Ms. Stober is a member of the Saratoga Opera Festival Orchestra and has performed at the Manitou Chamber Music Festival in Colorado. She served as principal cellist of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and performed throughout the U.S as a member of the Delphi String Quartet. She holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music, and can be heard on the Deux Elles, MSR, Ravello, and Quill Classics recording labels. She is also a music librarian and designs sound for theatrical productions.
Arthur Haas received the top prize in the Paris International Harpsichord Competition in 1975 and then stayed in France for a number of years as an active member of the growing European early music scene. He is a member of the Aulos Ensemble, one of America's premier period instrument ensembles. In December, 2014, he was featured in a concerto evening with the China National Symphony in Beijing. He has recorded harpsichord music of Jean-Henry D'Anglebert, Forqueray, Purcell and his contemporaries, Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre, François Couperin, the three books of Pieces de Clavecin of J .Ph. Rameau, and, most recently, works of Bernardo Pasquini. Mr. Haas is Professor of Harpsichord and Early Music at Stony Brook University and Visiting Professor of Harpsichord at the Yale School of Music. He was a founding faculty member of the Historical Performance Program at the Juilliard School. Mr. Haas and Ms. McGaughey are also members of Aula Harmoniae, which has toured Korea and Peru, and of Gold and Glitter, with Daniel Lee, violin, and Sang Joon Park, flute.
Empire Viols founded in 1994, Empire Viols has focused on the rich repertoire for two viols and harpsichord, while also expanding its programs with daring and adventurous transcriptions of music originally composed for other instruments. The ensemble performs in the Northeast U.S. and beyond, and was for almost 20 years in residence at New York's Second Presbyterian Church on the Upper West Side. Ms. Stober and Ms. McGaughey were featured on composer Debra Kaye's debut CD, And So It Begins.
| Empire Viols "Excellent" — The Wall Street Journal |
Martha McGaughey Carlene Stober violas da gamba Arthur Haas harpsichord |
| Concerts Special Delivery State of Gambo Bach, Byrd and Beyond Stolen Music Orpheus and the Angel BLT Mostly Marais Ten |
| Empire Viols |