Laterna Magica

Ensemble "Laterna Magica", or "Magic Lantern" (St.Petersburg, Russia), specializes in performing Western-European music of Middle Ages. "Laterna Magica" combines original sounds of the period instruments with experiments in interpretation. The ensemble unifies freedom, coming out of the performers' experience in playing Classical, Baroque, Rock, Folk, and Jazz music, with self-restriction resulting from the keen stylefeeling. Non-academic voices add genuine expression to the ensemble's work.

Treating medieval music as a vivid art, which is able to live outside museums, but in concert halls, churches, clubs, or streets, the ensemble involves medieval repertoire in the various contexts of contemporary music life. Since its' foundation in 1998, "Laterna Magica" became very well known not only in St.Petersburg, but also in Russia, Estonia, Poland, and Belarus. The ensemble took part in several International Early Music Festivals - in Tartu (Estonia, 1999, 2000), Moscow (1999), St.Petersburg (2000), Minsk (2002); it also gave concerts at the Chamber music festivals in Polotsk (Belarus, 2000), Veliky Novgorod (2003), Kostomuksha (2005), at the festivals "Jazz Spring", "Window to Netherlands" in St.Petersburg (2000, 2001) etc.; toured Belarus, Finland, Poland and USA (see review about concert at the United Methodist Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 17 October, 2001). In 2000-2003 Laterna Magica was cooperating with the St. Petersburg Foundation of Culture and Arts ?The Pro Arte Institute", preparing original programs of medieval and contemporary music, such as "Tour around the Mass of Tournai" and "Laterna Magica in Microcosmos: piano cycle of Bela Bartok - version of Laterna Magica". Since 2004 ensemble performes in close contact with the company Record ONE.


Performers:
Taras Drak ? lute, al-ud, fiddle, tar, darbukka
Ekaterina Bonfeld ? medieval flutes, cornamusa
Olga Komok ? voice, hurdy-gurdy, portative organ
Dmitry Ignatov ? al-ud, tar, darbukka
Rustik Pozyumsky - fiddle
Arman Habibi - santoor