La Fenice

Ensemble la Fenice (i.e., The Phoenix Ensemble) is a five-man Baroque wind band based in the Burgundian village of Sens in the South of France, led by expert Baroque wind player Jean Tubéry. Ensemble la Fenice was founded in 1990 to explore Tubéry's interest in seventeenth century Venetian wind music, taking its name from the title of a composition by Italian Baroque composer Giovanni Martino Cesare. From the beginning, Ensemble la Fenice began to collect accolades, competition awards, and support from arts institutions in Europe. Perhaps not surprisingly, the music of the Gabrieli family ranks very high on the group's list of specialties, but it is also just as well known for working with Monteverdi, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, and taking part in annual performances of Heinrich Schütz's Christmas Oratorio. Ensemble la Fenice often partners with choral groups such as Choeur de Chambre de Namur and Ensemble vocal Sagittarius. Ensemble la Fenice has recorded most often for Ricercar, including a valuable series entitled The Heritage of Monteverdi. However, the group's playing is also heard on discs issued by L'empreiente digitale, Virgin Veritas, Naïve, Opus 111, Cyprès, and other European labels. They are not to be confused with the American wind chamber group La Fenice, led by oboist Peggy Pearson.