Musica Gloria is a young, vibrant instrumental and vocal baroque ensemble led by Beniamino Paganini (traverso, baroque keyboards, maestro al cembalo and musicology) and Nele Vertommen (baroque oboe, recorder and artistic research). The ensemble aims to bring early music to listeners in an affectful, lively, colourful and historically informed way on (copies of) historical instruments. Musica Gloria’s repertoire ranges from early to late baroque and from the most famous to the least known works. Bringing captivating, balanced and well-crafted programs is a must for the ensemble. Depending on the programme and project, Musica Gloria consists of two to forty and above young, enthusiastic soloists. Musica Gloria consciously chooses an approach based on respect and responsibility for the music, the musicians, all others involved and the environment.
Musica Gloria was founded in Bruges in 2006 by then 12-year-old Beniamino. The ensemble and choir consisted of about 20 enthusiastic children and young people. They conquered the hearts of young and old with atmospheric baroque Christmas concerts based on old carols. After being selected for the fringe concerts of the MA Festival in Bruges and the Early Music Festival in Utrecht in 2014, it further evolved into a professional ensemble with a solid foundation thanks to several projects with diverse line-ups: from traverso with strings and basso continuo to orchestral line-ups, and from programs in duo line-ups to singing with instrumental ensemble. In 2020, among other things, the publication of several recordings – both self-published and with Klara and AMUZ – provided a boost.
Musica Gloria attracts an enthusiastic audience and plays some thirty concerts a year, including regularly in front of full houses at national and international venues such as AMUZ (BE), BachFest Leipzig (DE), BOZAR (BE), 30CC (BE), Concertgebouw Brugge (BE), De Bijloke (BE), Internationale Telemann-Gesellschaft Magdeburg (DE), Klara (BE), Les Festivals de Wallonie (BE), MA Festival (BE), Mubafa (BE), Musica Antica (NL), Trigonale Festival (AT) and Viaggio in Italia (IT). There is no question of sitting still with the ensemble; in the last years, in addition to performing these concerts, the ensemble has released many video recordings on YouTube and 5 CDs: Corelli & Handel: Encounters in Rome (2023), The Bachs & The Flute (2022), Fasch’s Oboe and two CDs with a selection of our YouTube publications (2021 & 2023).These recordings have been listened to worldwide and received positively by numerous listeners, radio stations, TV stations and reviewers (including 5 Diapasons,10/10 in Luister and Disque du jour on Radio France).
Musica Gloria warmly thanks all of their enthusiastic volunteers, (sustainable) sponsors, crowdfunders and fans, as well as the Flemish government, the city of Leuven, and the Belgian Tax Shelter.
Photogallery
