Portrait du Dauphin Louis Dieudonné, futur Louis XIV, Louis XIV as a young child, and lover of Baroque music, by an unknown painter (Public domain) — Portrait du Dauphin Louis Dieudonné, futur Louis XIV / Portrait of Louis Dieudonné as a young child, future King Louis XIV, by an unknown painter (Public domain)

The French Baroque in an intimate mode — that’s what’s on the menu for the next performance by North Wind Concerts on March 20. King Louis XIV of France, the Sun King, was known for the pomp and grandeur of his court at Versailles. But, in his more private moments, he also loved music for small ensembles. His roster of musicians included many of the finest musicians of the Baroque era, including composers and instrument makers whose families were employed by the royal court for generations.

That’s the kind of repertoire the concert will showcase.

Playlist for Louis includes music for solo theorbo by Robert de Visée, solo bass viol by the Sieur de Machy, solo harpsichord by François Couperin; works for flute or recorder and bass by Anne Danican Philidor and Pierre Philidor; and trios by Jacques-Martin Hotteterre and Pierre Philidor.

The Musicians

Alison Melville, recorder & traverso

Alison Melville has been playing the recorder since her days as a student in London, UK. Her career has since taken her across the globe, including performances on recorder and historical flutes in North America, New Zealand, Iceland, Japan and Europe. She has made numerous contributions to film and TV soundtracks, including the soundtracks of The Tudors, Atom Egoyan’s The Sweet Hereafter, an IKEA commercial, and for CBC’s The Friendly Giant. She can be heard on over 65 ensemble and solo CD recordings. Her work has been broadcast on CBC/R-C, BBC, RNZ, NPR, Iceland’s RUV. Alison appears regularly with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, and she is a past member of several other ensembles, companies, and festivals.

Jin Cho, traverso

Toronto-based flutist Jin Cho specializes in historical and contemporary performance on baroque flute, modern flute and Korean daegeum. He is a native of South Korea, and grew up there learning the flute with his father, who was a singer and music teacher. Jin studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, and the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, earning a Master’s degree and Artist Diploma in modern flute performance. Jin was also a recipient Rebanks International Fellowship at the Royal Conservatory of Music. He has performed with the Toronto Bach Festival, 21C Festival, L’Orchestre de la Francophonie, Baltimore Baroque Band, Symphony Number One, Bel Cantati Opera, Aspen New Music Ensemble and Lucerne Festival Alumni Ensemble, along with other solo and chamber music performances across the globe.

Jonathan Stuchbery, theorbo

Toronto-based Jonathan Stuchbery is a specialist in instruments of the lute and guitar family. He has performed across Canada and internationally with ensembles, and as soloist, with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Arion Orchestre Baroque, Pacific Baroque Orchestra, Early Music Alberta, Rosa Barocca, Capella Intima, and Dame Emma Kirkby. Together with soprano Sinéad White, he has toured Canada, the UK, and Ireland under the name Duo Oriana. He is also a member of Toronto based Diapente Renaissance Vocal Quintet. As a recording artist, he released the CD How Like a Golden Dream in 2023 on the Leaf Music label, and has worked with composers to develop new repertoire for historical instruments. Jonathan is also a passionate educator, and has taught at the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute, Canadian Renaissance Music Summer School Pacific (Vancouver), Sinfín Armonia (Ecuador) and the Pass Early Music Festival (Lethbridge), among others.

Louise Hung, harpsichord

Louise Hung heard Beethoven’s Für Elise playing from the speakers of garbage trucks in Taiwan as a baby, and discovered an affinity for Western classical music as a child. She earned a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance at the University of Victoria, followed by a Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Toronto. She also completed an ACP and Master’s degrees in Harpsichord Performance at UofT. In addition to North Wind Concerts, she has performed with Hammer Baroque, Musicians in Ordinary, Stratford Summer Music Festival, Kingston Road Village concert series, Cor Unum ensemble, Opera Q, Corde del Coure, Theatre of Early Music, and Tafelmusik Winter Institute.

Felix Deák, bass viol

Felix Deák works as a freelance cellist and gambist with a number of chamber ensembles and orchestras. He performs and tours regularly with the award-winning Montréal-based gamba consort Les Voix Humaines, JUNO award winning ensemble L’harmonie des Saisons, and Toronto’s Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra. His performances can be heard on CBC Radio 2, and as a recording artist, his contributions can be heard on releases on the Atma, Sony, and Dorian labels.

Playlist For Louis

The concert takes place on March 20, 2026 at Heliconian Hall, with tickets on a Pay-What-You-Wish basis.

Find more details and tickets [HERE].

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Anya Wassenberg

Anya Wassenberg is the Toronto City Editor at Ludwig Van. Previously, she was a freelance writer with a specialty in culture and travel for three decades, and a creative writing instructor for Ontariolearn.