Photos
Photos
Bitterroot Baroque
Hamilton, Montana
2027 Fall Concerts
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Meet Rafa Prendergast
Brooklyn based violinist Rafa Prendergast is an active performer of works dating from the early 17th century through the present day. Rafa is a guest concertmaster with the Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado, and performs frequently with Handel and Haydn Society, Twelfth Night, Theotokos, Upper Valley Baroque, Nuova Pratica, The Smithsonian Academy Orchestra, New York Baroque Incorporated, and ARTEK, among many others.
Rafa was featured in a social media campaign for ABC’s The Bachelor. Residencies and visiting Guest Artist engagements include Avaloch Farm Music Institute, the University of Michigan’s School of Music, and Michigan State University. Rafa has performed as part of the Boston Early Music Fringe Festival, Death of Classical series, Aston Magna Music Festival, Gotham Early Music Scene’s Midtown Concerts series, and WQXR’s Midday Masterpieces series.
Rafa holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music, studying under Carolyn Huebl and Maria Romero and graduating magna cum laude; and a Master of Music Degree from The Juilliard School studying with Cynthia Roberts, Elizabeth Blumenstock, and Robert Mealy, and was a recipient of the full tuition Historical Performance Scholarship.
About Bitterroot Baroque
Bitterroot Baroque was founded in 2014 to help foster cultural enrichment through activities involving historically informed early music in Ravalli County and the State of Montana. The non-profit organization was formed to present musicians and ensembles representing the best in period instrument performance from across the country in and around the Bitterroot and Missoula. Visiting ensembles have included Repast Baroque, Diderot String Quartet, Dark Horse Consort, Les Délices, Musica Pacifica, Fire and Grace, and Agave Baroque with Reginald Mobley.
While in Montana, these visiting musicians give workshops, teach master classes and private lessons, coach ensembles, and present interactive programs to local community organizations and schools. It was through these workshops that the Bitterroot Baroque Orchestra was formed, creating opportunities for local musicians to explore a new genre of music together with the leadership of these visiting artists. Bitterroot Baroque also facilitates early music collaborations throughout the state of Montana, including through the use of their instrument collection of harpsichords, chamber organ, string instruments and bows, and their newly purchased theorbo.
Want to join the Bitterroot Baroque Orchestra?
Are you a classical musician interested in exploring baroque music on period instruments in Montana? Would you like to be a part of a community baroque orchestra focused on music from the 17th and 18th century? The Bitterroot Baroque Orchestra meets about twice a month in Hamilton, led by violinist Loy Koch, to read music by Bach, Couperin, Rameau, Vivaldi, and other great baroque composers. Workshop intensives bring the orchestra together for a weekend of orchestra rehearsals, private lessons, and chamber music culminating with a public performance. If this sounds like a group you'd like to be a part of, contact us at bitterrootbaroque @ gmail.com.
