About the Orchestra of the Renaissance

The Orchestra of the Renaissance is making a name for itself as a pioneer in the performance of sixteenth-century sacred music. The repertoire has long been the exclusive domain of modern a cappella groups, yet recent studies show that instrumentalists participated in sacred ceremonies throughout Europe during the Renaissance. The Orchestra of the Renaissance is committed to restoring the role of instrumentalists to our picture of vocal music from this period.

Richard Cheetham has played sackbut with many of Europe’s leading early music ensembles and in particular with Jordi Savall’s Hespèrion XX. He also played sackbut with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe for twelve years during the ground-breaking partnership of COE and Nicolaus Harnoncourt. Research into the performance practices of sixteenth-century Spain led him to form a vocal and instrumental ensemble to explore the unique sound of voices accompanied by a Renaissance wind band.

Michael Noone is a specialist in Spanish Golden Age polyphony and combines a lively interest in musical scholarship with musical performance. His Music and Musicians in the Escorial Liturgy under the Habsburgs, 1563-1700 (Rochester University Press) is recognised as an important contribution to the study of sixteenth-century Spanish polyphony.