The weekend of July 8, 9 and 10 the Indianapolis Early Music Festival hosts The Baltimore Consort. Consort member Mary Anne Ballard is a musician with a long history of performing, directing, coaching and researching. In addition to her work with the Consort she's a regular member of the faculty for Oberlin Conservatory's summer Baroque Performance Institute.
"We're calling our opening concert that Friday night Ladyes Delight. It's a tour of our musical roots with music by composers like John Dowland, Thomas Morley, William Byrd and, of course, Anonymous. There are dances, songs and consort pieces. It's quite a varied program."
Saturday morning the Consort presents a free children's concert. "Our instruments are a bit unusual. Some of them are quite colorful! We introduce them to the children with little demonstrations, and then put them together in some interesting combinations. The instruments are so interesting, and the music is both tuneful and rhythmic, so we always have a good time."
Sunday night, there is a solo concert by one of the Consort's gentleman. The group's lutenist Ronn McFarlane presents a concert titled Viva Vivaldi. There certainly will be works by Vivaldi, but there may be some surprises as well. "Ronn is a delightful musician. He's also a composer who's written about forty songs which I enjoy very much. Some are in the style of the period, but some are quite contemporary.