FSU College of Music to present concert commemorating 200th anniversary of Florida becoming U.S. territory

“Musical Landscapes Across the New World” will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20. (Graphic by Katie Taylor)
“Musical Landscapes Across the New World” will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20. (Graphic by Katie Taylor)

Florida State University’s College of Music and the Housewright Virtuoso Series will present the musical group Incantare in a concert to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Florida becoming a U.S. territory.

“Musical Landscapes Across the New World” will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20, and highlight music beginning in 16th-century Spanish Florida and ending in the Spanish territories throughout the Americas. The program will present music from worlds both old and new while also highlighting the musical and cultural connections of under-explored musicians from the Renaissance and early Baroque periods.

“We are delighted to have Incantare bring the Renaissance and Baroque periods to life as part of our Housewright Eminent Scholars program,” said Greg Jones, associate dean of community engagement at the College of Music. “The musicology program at FSU always stays close to real music-making, and we are excited for our community to be enchanted by these wonderful musicians and scholars.”

The program also will feature performances by the early music ensemble members and faculty from the College of Music.

Incantare is an ensemble featuring continuo, two violins and three sackbuts (early trombones) and was founded by Alice Culin-Ellison, Liza Malamut, Ben David Aronson and Garrett Lahr in 2018.

“Together, we respectfully present this program in the framework of colonial America and the greater European impact on indigenous populations of the New World, revealing a complex and fascinating story of transoceanic musical confluence in the communities of North America and beyond,” Malamut said.

As guests of the Housewright Virtuoso Series, Incantare will also offer master classes and lectures to Florida State students during their residency.

“In the days prior to the concert, Incantare will collaborate with FSU students and faculty during an intensive residency, wherein we will explore the style, process, history, context and performance practice of the music,” Malamut said.

The group has performed in programs throughout the United States, with appearances at the Pittsburgh Renaissance and Baroque series in collaboration with Chatham Baroque, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, LeMoyne College, The Perkins Mansion in Rochester and the International Trombone Festival.

For tickets, visit tickets.music.fsu.edu. This event will not be livestreamed.