We are delighted to close our 2023-24 with the debut of Twelfth Night Ensemble, led by David Belkovski and Rachell Ellen Wong.

The San Diego audience will remember Rachell Wong as the wonderful concertmaster of Ensemble Jupiter during their last tour, so we are thrilled to present her again with her own exciting ensemble. Co-founded by Wong and harpsichordist David Belkovski, Twelfth Night will present "The British Orpheus," a program of music by Purcell and Handel.

For this performance, we'll have access to an atmospheric artist's loft within a lovingly renovated post-industrial space. Guests are encouraged to bring their own drawing or painting materials and capture the musicians as they perform. Some easels and easel lights will be available on a first come, first serve basis.

​Celebrate the arrival of spring with the Arcadian beauty of Mozart and Brahms clarinet quintets in NIGHTINGALE, presented by Twelfth Night & Megan Euell, Fine Artist.

​This will be an intimate concert in an artist's loft situated within bustling Industry City. Sketching during the event is heartily encouraged! Drawing boards available on a first come first serve basis; please bring your own paper and materials.

​BYOB! There are wine and beer shops within Industry City. And join us for the after party at local distillery Standard Wormwood.

Violinist Rachell Ellen Wong, winner of the 2020 Avery Fisher Career Grant, leads this program of baroque works that speaks to the human condition, evoking the feelings of hope, loss, exuberance, anger and joy.

Violinist Rachell Ellen Wong, winner of the 2020 Avery Fisher Career Grant, leads this program of baroque works that speaks to the human condition, evoking the feelings of hope, loss, exuberance, anger and joy.

Follow violinist Rachell Ellen Wong and harpsichordist David Belkovski as they take you on a winding trip around Baroque Europe to showcase the undisputed champion of the instruments — the violin – in one of its most fertile artistic periods. The music is full of invention; on the program are both Tartini’s virtuosic and aptly named “Devil’s Trill” and Leclair’s memorable “Tambourin”. You’ll hear this and more on our Grand Tour — please enjoy the ride!

Johann Sebastian Bach’s birthday celebration continues as harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani and Baroque violinist Rachell Ellen Wong lead the Milwaukee Symphony in favorite Bach masterpieces. This second of two programs culminates with Bach’s Magnificat, which celebrates its 300th anniversary in 2023. The Milwaukee Symphony Chorus lends its power to Magnificat’s story, in which Mary first discovers she will bear God’s son; its sacred message is told in her voice, beginning with “Magnificat anima mea Dominum” or “My soul magnifies the Lord.”

Johann Sebastian Bach’s birthday celebration continues as harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani and Baroque violinist Rachell Ellen Wong lead the Milwaukee Symphony in favorite Bach masterpieces. This second of two programs culminates with Bach’s Magnificat, which celebrates its 300th anniversary in 2023. The Milwaukee Symphony Chorus lends its power to Magnificat’s story, in which Mary first discovers she will bear God’s son; its sacred message is told in her voice, beginning with “Magnificat anima mea Dominum” or “My soul magnifies the Lord.”

Happy birthday, Bach! In celebration, the MSO performs two complete programs of Bach favorites with the help of harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani and Baroque violinist Rachell Ellen Wong, Grand Prize winner of the inaugural Lillian and Maurice Barbash J. S. Bach Competition. This first of two programs includes two of Bach’s famed Brandenburg Concertos, the balanced and brilliant Violin Concerto in E major, and finally the Orchestral Suite No. 3 with its cherished “Air” movement for strings.

Happy birthday, Bach! In celebration, the MSO performs two complete programs of Bach favorites with the help of harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani and Baroque violinist Rachell Ellen Wong, Grand Prize winner of the inaugural Lillian and Maurice Barbash J. S. Bach Competition. This first of two programs includes two of Bach’s famed Brandenburg Concertos, the balanced and brilliant Violin Concerto in E major, and finally the Orchestral Suite No. 3 with its cherished “Air” movement for strings.

“ARCADIAN VISIONS”

featuring
Emi Ferguson, flute
Rachell Ellen Wong, violin

18th-century works from Europe and New England celebrating, luxuriating in,
and mourning the loss of the natural world.

Baroque violinist Rachell Ellen Wong was the Grand Prize winner of the inaugural Barbash J.S. Bach Competition as well as a 2020 recipient of the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant. Her harpsichordist is David Belkovski; together they co-direct Twelfth Night, a period ensemble based in NYC. The program will include music from German-speaking lands by J.S. Bach and 17th century violin virtuosi H.I.F Biber and J.H. Schmelzer.

Whether petty or life-altering, rivalries are persistent throughout music history, consuming even the most well-known composers. Exploring the most memorable feuds between Handel and Porpora, Leclair and Guignon, and other Baroque masters, this Twelfth Night program allows the listener to hear both sides of the story.

Spend the evening in New York’s oldest arts club, surrounded by venerable architecture and floor-to-ceiling curated art in Salmagundi Club’s beautiful Gilded Age brownstone.

Come hear utterly magnificent, scrumptious, decadent, yummy trio sonatas performed by TWELFTH NIGHT at @artxnyc in Chelsea! Come experience a selection of works by the greatest composers of the genre, including François Couperin’s unforgettable “Apotheosis of Corelli”.

Twelfth Night Presents: Before the String QuartetThere is no doubting the dominance and sheer popularity of the string quartet in classical music. The string quartet is as likely to be found at your local concert hall as at a corporate function or wedding, playing anything from Beethoven to Dua Lipa covers. But this wasn't always the case: before the string quartet, the trio sonata reigned supreme. It was considered the perfect genre for domestic and public concerts. Europe witnessed a flood of publications throughout the Baroque era, as nearly all composers took advantage of this opportunity to find their way into people's homes. The premise of the trio sonata is simple––just two upper parts and one bass part—but the effect is anything but simple, resulting in music as expressive, rich, and moving as one can imagine. In this concert, Twelfth Night explores the trio sonata, showcasing several composers across Baroque Europe.

Vivaldi's Four Seasons

New World Center, Michael Tilson Thomas Performance Hall, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Stage

Rachell Ellen Wong, Baroque violin

David Belkovski, harpsichord

Experience the excitement of historical performance at the New World Center. Explore how Baroque compositions would have sounded at the time of their creation, informed by historical texts, scores and iconography. Travel back in time to trace the evolution of the modern orchestra with experts Rachell Ellen Wong and David Belkovski of the NYC-based Twelfth Night ensemble, as they lead Fellows through intimate performances orchestral works, including selections from French and English Baroque opera and Vivaldi's Four Seasons, played on historically set-up instruments. 

Music from dazzling 18th century Prague

The Kingdom of Bohemia doesn’t get much airtime in the history of Baroque music. But far from being a musical backwater, 18th century Prague boasted a dazzling array of musical talents. Czech musicians worked in many of the great courts of Europe, and Count Wenzel von Morzin (the dedicatee of the beloved Four Seasons) maintained an orchestra in Prague that Vivaldi himself described as “virtuosissima”. Directed by Nate Hegelson, the SBO will bring you back in time exploring some of the finest Czech composers of the age.

Music from dazzling 18th century Prague

The Kingdom of Bohemia doesn’t get much airtime in the history of Baroque music. But far from being a musical backwater, 18th century Prague boasted a dazzling array of musical talents. Czech musicians worked in many of the great courts of Europe, and Count Wenzel von Morzin (the dedicatee of the beloved Four Seasons) maintained an orchestra in Prague that Vivaldi himself described as “virtuosissima”. Directed by Nate Hegelson, the SBO will bring you back in time exploring some of the finest Czech composers of the age.

Recipient of a prestigious 2020 Avery Fisher Career Grant - the only early music specialist in the respected program’s history - and Grand Prize winner of the inaugural Lillian and Maurice Barbash J.S. Bach Competition, violinist Rachell Ellen Wong is a star on both the modern and historical performance violin stages. Praised as a “[musically] eloquent” (San Francisco Classical Voice) player “with the kind of freedom, authority, and strength…that one expects from the world’s finest pianists” and a “bewitching musical presence” (The Piedmont Post), American pianist and arts entrepreneur Audrey Vardanega (b.1995) has performed as a solo and collaborative pianist across Europe, China and America.

Northwest Sinfonietta welcomes violinist Rachell Wong—a star on both the historical performance and modern violin stages. She will play/conduct Vivaldi’s timeless blockbuster favorite, The Four Seasons, taking us on a journey through the beauty, drama, danger and joys of Spring, Summer, Fall and teeth-chattering Winter. Each year this December concert creates magical moments and memories during the holiday season.

Northwest Sinfonietta welcomes violinist Rachell Wong—a star on both the historical performance and modern violin stages. She will play/conduct Vivaldi’s timeless blockbuster favorite, The Four Seasons, taking us on a journey through the beauty, drama, danger and joys of Spring, Summer, Fall and teeth-chattering Winter. Each year this December concert creates magical moments and memories during the holiday season.

QUINTESSENTIAL IV

String Quintet in E Minor – Frank Bridge

String Quintet No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 87 – Felix Mendelssohn

QUINTESSENTIAL IV

String Quintet in E Minor – Frank Bridge

String Quintet No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 87 – Felix Mendelssohn

The Lillian and Maurice Barbash J.S. Bach Competition will celebrate its Fifth Anniversary with a gala concert featuring past laureates: Avery Fisher Career Grant recipients violinist, Rachell Ellen Wong, and double bassist, Nina Bernat; Young Concert Artists International Auditions winner, violinist, Lun Li; and Tianyou Ma, winner of the Bach Prize at both the Singapore and Menuhin International Violin Competitions.

The concert is presented by Gotham Early Music Scene (GEMS). 

J.S. Bach Violin Concerto in D minor, BWV 1052R

Rachell Ellen Wong, violin with Twelfth Night

In 1795 everything changed. Beethoven’s Opus 1, a collection of Piano Trios, set the musical world on notice, that something different was on the horizon.

Rachell Ellen Wong, violin

David Belkovski, fortepiano

Nathan Whittaker, cello

In 1795 everything changed. Beethoven’s Opus 1, a collection of Piano Trios, set the musical world on notice, that something different was on the horizon.

Rachell Ellen Wong, violin

David Belkovski, fortepiano

Nathan Whittaker, cello

J. S. Bach’s Soprano Cantatas 51 and 199

Continuing our season with a shout of joy and a moment of reflection, these two sacred cantatas by J. S. Bach highlight the dazzling voice and deeply moving musicianship of Portland-based soprano Arwen Myers. Directed by Kris Kwapis, this program will explore the rich emotional connections between voice and instruments with Cantata 51 for soprano, trumpet and strings and Cantata 199 for soprano, oboe and strings.

J. S. Bach’s Soprano Cantatas 51 and 199

Continuing our season with a shout of joy and a moment of reflection, these two sacred cantatas by J. S. Bach highlight the dazzling voice and deeply moving musicianship of Portland-based soprano Arwen Myers. Directed by Kris Kwapis, this program will explore the rich emotional connections between voice and instruments with Cantata 51 for soprano, trumpet and strings and Cantata 199 for soprano, oboe and strings.