For years Catacoustic mentored promising young musicians, many of which have gone on to successful careers in teaching and performance. What started as scholarships and grant awards helping participants attend workshops or buy or repair instruments, as well as a loose arrangement of support and guidance, was later turned into a formalized program with generous grassroots funding from an actively involved audience.

 

In the most recent 2 seasons prior to the pandemic, the Young Artist Program represented an individually-tailored yearlong commitment on the part of both Catacoustic and the young mentees. Promising instrumentalists and vocalists received lessons, coachings, and performance opportunities at the side of top professionals in Early Music from around the world. The Young Artist Program provided this experienced and professional direction at no cost to the participants. It is an extraordinary opportunity for serious students and performers of early music to gain skill, insight, and proficiency in the field of historically informed performance practice.

 

The benefits to the students are obvious. The benefits to Catacoustic and the community it serves include the growth in our pool of highly skilled musicians, who are fluent in the specialized language of early music. In Cincinnati this led to an sizeable increase in the number of early music ensembles regularly performing around the city, and the start of the Cincinnati Early Music Festival.

 

Working to make Cincinnati fertile ground for early music has long been part of the mission statement of Catacoustic Consort. For Annalisa Pappano this will remain a steadfast focal point for future seasons in her new home.