Rezonance Baroque Ensemble presents a concert titled Folk of the Baroque 2: Composers Gone Wild! The Ensemble includes Rezan Onen-Lapointe (Artistic Director, Baroque Violin), Kailey Richards (Baroque Violin), Erika Nielsen (Baroque Cello), David Podgorski (Harpsichord), and Benjamin Stein (Theorbo/Lute)
The March 1 concert includes a variety of works by Baroque composers both well and lesser known, and includes stories about the artists and some of their less well-behaved moments, including affairs, murders, dubious business practices, and more. There will be repertoire by:
- Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
- George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)
- Alessandro Stradella (1643-1682)
- Giovanni Antonio Pandolfi Mealli (1624 – c. 1687)
- Henry Purcell (c. 1659-1695)
- Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632–1687)
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
Rezonance Baroque Ensemble
Rezonance Baroque Ensemble was founded in 2012 in Toronto. They’ve built a reputation based on music of the Baroque period, and incorporate improvisation into their performances. The ensemble is also known for creating innovative and accessible concert formats.
Rezonance is violinist Rezan Onen-Lapointe, harpsichordist David Podgorski, violinist Kailey Richards, cellist Erika Nielsen, and singer, composer, music director, writer and multi-instrumentalist Benjamin Stein
Rezan Onen-Lapointe is the founder and artistic director of Rezonance Baroque Ensemble. She is a specialist in historical performance, a soloist, and ensemble leader. She earned a Masters degree in Baroque violin from McGill University, and completed further studies at the Royal Conservatoire of the Hague. She has regularly with Aradia Ensemble, and recorded two albums with Aradia for Naxos, including the JUNO-nominated “Vivaldi’s Sacred Music, vol. 4.” She has also performed with many of the early music groups in Southern Ontario, including the Windermere String Quartet, Musicians on the Edge, Talisker Players, Elixir Baroque Ensemble, the Nota Bene Baroque Players (Kitchener-Waterloo), and the Ottawa Baroque Consort, among others.
David Podgorski began his music training at the age of five on the piano, and studied music in elementary and high school at St. Michael’s Choir School in downtown Toronto. He earned a Bachelor’s degree at McGill University in piano performance followed by a Master’s degree in harpsichord performance at the same institution. He has performed widely as a soloist and collaborator across North America, and in Europe, and has worked with artists such as Hélène Plouffe, David Greenberg, Matthias Maute, and Luc Beauséjour.
Doctor Kailey Richards is Toronto-based performer and teacher who specializes in historical performance practice. She earned a Bachelor of Music from Indiana University, followed by a Master’s degree in Historical Performance at the University of Toronto. She also earned a Doctorate in violin performance from the UofT.
Erika Nielsen is a collaborative artist, chamber musician, orchestral player, and educator. Her repertoire spans Baroque and Classical to New Music, and contemporary genres. She performs with Resonance Baroque Ensemble and Musicians on Edge, and has also performed with Kanye West and Johnny Reid. Erika is a 2018 Dora Award nominee for her 2017 performance in Onegin produced by The Musical Stage Company in Toronto and at the National Arts Centre, Ottawa. She has contributed to several albums by artists such as The Weather Station and The Trews.
Doctor Benjamin Stein completed a Ph.D at York University in historical and contemporary approaches to improvisation training in music education. He has played or sung for a number of prominent ensembles, including Tafelmusik Baroque Chamber Choir, Rezonance Baroque Ensemble, Unsettled Scores, Opera Atelier, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Elora Festival Singers, Toronto Masque Theatre and Soundstreams Canada. Benjamin is the Music Director at Whitby’s Westminster United Church.
The Concert
The concert takes place on March 1 at St. David’s Anglican Church (49 Donlands Avenue).
- Find details and tickets [HERE].
Are you looking to promote an event? Have a news tip? Need to know the best events happening this weekend? Send us a note.
#LUDWIGVAN
Get the daily arts news straight to your inbox.
Sign up for the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! — local classical music and opera news straight to your inbox HERE.
- PREVIEW | Rezonance Baroque Ensemble Present Folk of the Baroque 2: Composers Gone Wild! - February 26, 2026
- THE SCOOP | The Canadian Art Song Project Releases The Long Walk Home - February 25, 2026
- INTERVIEW | Theatre Legend Ronnie Burkett Talks About Reinventing Shakespeare In Little Willy - February 25, 2026
