About || Gli Incogniti

BIOGRAPHY

Founded in 2006 The group now ranks among the top reference ensembles for historically informed performance

Gli Incogniti was founded in 2006 by a group of friends, brought together by the violinist Amandine Beyer. It is named after the Accademia degli Incogniti, an artistic and academic circle that was amongst the most active and libertarian of 17th century Venice. The spirit of this Accademia is indeed what drives the Incogniti today: a taste for the unknown in all its forms, for sound experimentation, research for new repertoire, for rediscovery of the “classics” and of lesser-known masterpieces.

The genuine pleasure they take in rehearsing and playing together meets their core ambition – to transmit a committed and coherent vision of the pieces they perform, connected to their combined sensitivities and personal preferences. The group now ranks among the top reference ensembles for historically informed performance, exploring a repertoire from baroque (Vivaldi, Bach, Pachelbel) to classic with Haydn, CPE Bach or even Mozart.

France, Colombia, Belgium, Japan, United States, Spain, China, Germany, Italy, Romania... are some of the countries where Gli Incogniti performed in the past years.

Gli Incogniti is regularly invited to perform in major venues, in France and abroad: Philharmonie de Paris (FR), Théâtre des Champs-Elysées (FR), the opera houses of Bordeaux, Dijon or Rouen (FR), the Wigmore Hall (UK), the Oji Hall in Tokyo (JP), the Philharmonie du Luxembourg (LU), BOZAR in Brussels (BE), Philharmonie Essen (DE), Oude Muziek Utrecht (NL), Royaumont Foundation, Arsenal de Metz, Théâtre de la Ville (FR)... It also performs on the stages of major festivals, among which Boston Festival (US), Printemps des Arts de Monte-Carlo festival (MC), MA Festival Brugge (BE), International Bergen Festival (NO), Festival de Torroella (ES), the festivals of Saintes, Montpellier, Sablé (FR)…

The ensemble regularly collaborates with renowned soloists such as Giuliano Carmignola, Kristian Bezuidenhout, Andreas Staier, Maria Cristina Kiehr, Alexeï Lubimov, Hans-Jörg Mammel…

Among the fifteen albums the ensemble has recorded, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (Zig-Zag Territoires/Outhere), Il Teatro alla Moda (Vivaldi – harmonia mundi) and its last album Beyond the limits (CPE Bach – harmonia mundi) have drawn considerable attention. Their new recording, dedicated to unknown and whimsical concertos by Vivaldi, will be released in autumn 2022 at harmonia mundi. The ensemble’s entire discography has been unanimously praised by the general and specialized press (Gramophone Award, BBC Musical choice, Telerama’s 4F, Diapason d’Or of the year, Choc Classica of the year, Scherzo’s Discos Exceptionales, Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik…).

A new disc dedicated to CPE Bach, the creation of a new Vivaldi programme, a new collaboration about music of oral tradition... the 2020-2021 season will be full of discoveries.

Collaborations with other artistic fields also nourish and enrich Gli Incogniti’s work. Between 2018 and 2021, the ensemble tours with Rosas, Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker’s dance company and B’rock Orchestra for the show The six Brandenburg Concertos with more than forty performances worldwide (Berlin, New York, Lisbon, Brussels, Paris, Luxemburg, Hong-Kong…). In 2022, the ensemble starts a new collaboration with Rosas for the Mysteriën Sonaten show (Biber).
Gli Incogniti also created in 2021 Bar’Oc – lo viatge d’amor with the group of singers La Manufacture verbale, a programme that mixes songs of oral tradition and baroque music.

Strongly attached to transmission towards the younger generation, Gli Incogniti has held since 2017 a chamber music and bodywork Academy for young baroque ensembles, students or newly professional, at the Théâtre des Quatre Saisons (Gradignan, France).

Gli Incogniti is an artist associated with La Coursive, Scène nationale La Rochelle. The ensemble receives the support of the DRAC Nouvelle-Aquitaine, of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region and of the département de la Gironde. It is regularly sponsored by Adami, Spedidam and CNM Export for its performance and recording activities and by the Caisse des Dépôts for its Academy.

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Unknowns

Meet the musicians who play with Gli Incogniti!

Violin & musical direction

Founder of Gli Incogniti, Amandine Beyer is shining with a solar energy that she engages in all the projects she carries: from her “all-around-the-world” tours to her classes at the Schola Cantorum of Basel, from concerts with Gli Incogniti to meetings with disadvantaged audience… It’s with happiness and passion that she joins each time the Incogniti and leads the Ensemble on new ways like dance, pre-classic repertoire or a simple… forest walk!

Harphsichord / Organ

Her dexterity on the harpsichord keyboard is matched only by her interpretation of a great precision and musicality! Part of the Ensemble from the beginning, she delights the group with her unexpected jokes, always elegant with sometimes a “piccola birra” in the hand

Violoncello

Marco Ceccato is the historical cellist (and official tester of Italian restaurants all around the world) of Gli Incogniti! Fitted with his Italian impetuosity and his French a bit approximate (between Spanish and Italian), Marco lends his rigour, talent and musicality alternately to concertos of Vivaldi and Haydn, to symphonies of Richter and CPE Bach. A bit grumpy? We would not change him for anything in the world!!

Viola / Violin

Marta Páramo is an artist full of life! She is a concentrate of energy (expect occasionally on the morning, when it’s time to get up…) and it contrasts with the tenderness of the sounds that originate from its viola. Colombian from head to toe, she delights Gli Incogniti with her good mood and her South-American vocabulary. Please note that she has a soft spot for permaculture, salsa and train ticket changes!

Violin

It is said that Alba Roca (or “Al Barocca”) also has her fan club… Violinist of excellence, it’s also a great dancer, singer and actress! She doesn’t hesitate to occupy the dance floor and to use her qualities of comedian to tell funny stories, for the huge pleasure of all the Incogniti.

Violin

Flavio Losco is also a founding member and a rock of Gli Incogniti. His Sicilian charm, his Breton wisdom and his enthusiasm from Nice represent his diversified and multiple origins! Hand on heart and still ready to help, he also has a precision and a dexterity without comparison when he pieces of Vivaldi, Haydn or Corelli with his violin.

Violin

After complete her studies on “classical” violin, Domitille Gilon turned towards baroque violin and then crossed the path of the Incogniti. Immediately they adopted her good mood and her smile! Domitille also has an obvious passion for pairs of shoes, hats, glasses and other accessories…

Viola de gamba / Violone

Founding member of the Ensemble, Baldomero Barciela alias “Baldo” is not only a remarkable musician and a talented performer but also a travel magician, a genius of alternative routes, an artist of logistic!

Violin

Yoko is the Ensemble’s small treasure, coming straight from Japan. Arrived in Lyon ten years ago to study the violin, without speaking a word of French, she brings to Gli Incogniti her kindness, her talent and her tenacity! By the way, she allowed the Ensemble to go to her native country for a tour in 2014. Discreet and concerned by others, she always has a special attention for everyone. Let us assure you, it’s a real treasure!

Viola

Ottavia Rausa has been declared, by her Incogniti colleagues, as the queen of the elegance! Expert in colorful clothes and hairstyle, she inspects the troops and their light vesture before each concert. Talented violist and performer, Ottavia has an energy, a dedication and a passion for music that brighten and embellish each member of the group.

Violoncello

Rebeca Ferri is a hypersensitive musician whose sensibility appears in each of her interpretations, in her cello play and is her gesture. Animated by the music, she delights Gli Incogniti with her presence, her kindness and her pictures… Because Rebeca is also an international famous music blogger (!!!). Indeed every day, she posts pictures of the amazing places in which she is performing, all around the world!

Violin

If it’s not an easy task to find pictures of Helena Zemanova in the Gli Incogniti’s archive, it’s because often she is behind the camera! She offers us beautiful photos of the musicians, always true and poetic.

Traverso

Manuel Granatiero is the only flutist of Gli Incogniti! By the way, he is the only official wind instrument player of the Ensemble… Coincidence? I don’t think so! Behind his apparent shyness are hidden an incomparable kindness and gentleness that he transmits by his presence and the sounds of his traverso.

Clavecín

Violaine Cochard is characterized by a huge smile and a joy of life that she communicates to all the Incogniti. Laugh is never far away in rehearsals even if the seriousness and concentration are (normally…) more present during the concert!

Tiorba / Guitarra

Charming and courteous, chic in all situations (even on the beach), Francesco Romano is pure elegance, accompanied with an extreme kindness and “spiced” with a subtle dose of humor. He is the official and historical theorbist of Gli Incogniti!