Curly Music in Johnstown

Birgit Bornauw (Be): baroque bagpipes and Flemish bagpipesBenjamin Macke (Fr): diatonic accordion and footbass

Musique Royale welcomes two musicians from Europe, Birgit Bornauw and Benjamin Macke to perform "Curly Music" part of the 37th Summer Festival with concerts taking place in historic venues in Blandford, Crousetown, Johnstown and Parrsboro. Birgit Bornauw and Benjamin Macke, both renowned musicians in their field, collaborate regularly and share their contagious love of this old music with great generosity and enthusiasm.

The repertoire, carefully chosen by Birgit and Benjamin, comes mainly from the Baroque period, but not exclusively, since it is a musical genre that has inspired composers to this day. The duo thus plays tunes from different eras which all have the particularity of "sounding baroque to their ears". Baroque music has many points in common with the traditional music they know well: short melodies and simple structure, significant work on variations, ornamentations, style, and a close relationship to dance.

Rather than performing in purist approach, the pair appropriate these melodies, and bring a personal and original look to their interpretation, allowing themselves all the freedoms that "real" baroque musicians would be forbidden to pursue! You will find in Curly Music melodies from different regions of Europe: France, Germany, Ireland, England, Scotland... and of course some tunes from Wallonia and Flanders!