Cameo Baroque
A chamber ensemble dedicated to performing the music of the 17th and 18th centuries on instruments that are replicas of those used during that time period. I am privileged to be able to play traverso with my truly wonderful colleagues and to be a founding member of CB.
Our core members are Beth Hilgartner, baroque recorders and voice, Laurie Rabut, viola da gamba, and Ernie Drown, harpsichord. Sometimes we have a guest join us-Jim Whipple on baroque bassoon and Charley Lang on viol da gamba have both graciously joined us on occasion.
Playing baroque music on the modern flute had, over time, become a mine field of stylistic questions-I had pretty much stopped playing baroque music in public despite my life-long love for the music of this time period and the overwhelming sense of appreciation I felt when hearing, and playing in my practice room, this glorious music. I was fortunate that my first teacher, Yaada Weber, was immersed in what was then called “the new baroque.” Mrs. Weber, as I still refer to her, sent me and my dad to hear Gustav Leonhardt play at UC Berkeley when I was thirteen years old. We sat right on stage-it was an amazing experience to see and hear this elegant master of the keyboard playing with such artistry, insight and erudition.
Finally, I decided to just go ahead and get a baroque flute, get on with it, and learn to play the instrument. To begin the process of chipping away at understanding historic performance practice and the ancestor of my modern flutes. It didn’t take long to realize that the new finger system was simply the beginning of a very lengthy journey that I am still traveling, and that a more engaged study practice was in order. High order, in fact. But, with much joy, much discovery, a wonderful teacher-Suzanne Stumpf, MUCH practice, and fantastic colleagues, I am here to say I am further down the path than I was before. AND quickly learned to refer to my flutes as the traverso and the modern flute, as opposed to the traverso and the regular flute…
So, to continue on with this overused metaphor, this particular journey led to a road called:
Cameo Arts Foundation, Inc.
An organization that I am passionate about. The brain child in every way of Beth Hilgartner.
CAF, Inc., strives to connect musicians, potential venues and non-profit service organizations in such a way as to promote reciprocity, growth and support from within our immediate community directly to our immediate community.
In short, the mission of CAF, Inc., is: provide live music, inspire free will offerings, support local non-profit service organizations. When Beth shared her idea with me, a few years ago, I was, in the parlance of my youth, blown away, and knew instantly that it was right.
We live in world that has become, thankfully, global. We also live in communities within arms length that need assistance every day, each day. I love knowing that I can easily give aid to people across the world who may be suddenly in need of assistance or are in ongoing dire circumstances. And, I treasure knowing that with this small gift of music and a bit of organizational muster, I can contribute to the well-being of people who might easily be standing next to me in line at the grocery store-their baskets much less full than mine-and also in dire circumstances-not knowing where shelter, protection, warmth and food may be coming from next.
Cameo Baroque is the “in-house” ensemble for CAF, Inc., but CAF sponsors many concerts each year. I encourage you to read more at the link below and learn how you too can participate!
*Also, please visit the link above to see our 2020 concert for the 19 Days of Norwich and Beyond Concert “A Telemann Triptych”
And like the Facebook page, to receive updates!
Leslie Stroud 