Trio Picolit

In Januari 2020 I sang the Mozart Requiem in Deventer and had a conversation with the double bass player, a nice Italian guy I had sang with a couple of times. I told him that I really wanted to start a new Baroque ensemble, he started to laugh and said that this was very convenient since he and a friend were looking for a Soprano!

Right now I can say: this ensemble kept my head and voice in the game! (An empty concert agenda without any clear idea of when things might start again makes it very difficult to keep focus, make plans and stay optimistic.) With the Trio I did have a clear focus and had study hard, rehearse, build a website, do photoshoots, online concerts, recordings and so on! And now I can proudly present to you: Trio Picolit

The Trio’s repertoire is drawn primarily from the music composed in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. Concerts, which illustrate historical, cultural and theological subjects, include music by iconic composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach and Claudio Monteverdi as well as lesser-known composers such as Tarquinio Merula and Nicolas Vallet.

Trio Picolit seeks to communicate the spirit of the Renaissance and Baroque eras by striving for excellence in performance and programming. Its members have been trained at the finest music conservatories in the Netherlands and all have a special interest in the performance practices of early music. In order to achieve their vivid and genuine interpretations, the musicians play on authentic instruments from the era. Moreover, they make unorthodox programmes and, rather than be beholden to early music dogma, reimagine repertoire in the style of Trio Picolit, daring to innovate with sound while preserving and paying tribute to the early music tradition.

‘Picolit’ alludes to a tiny, delicate wine variety from the northeast of Italy, which has had a worldwide reputation since the 18th century when it was served to the clergy and in royal courts from Great Britain to the Russian Empire. Picolit plays on the idea that a great musical experience should feel like a sweet, fabulous wine, and they aim to offer their audiences a taste of the rich and colorful flavors of the early music.