‘That which was onely privately compos’d,
For your delight, Faire Ornament of Worth,
Is here, come, to be publikely disclos’d:
And to an Universall view put forth.’

From the dedication of John Danyel’s Book of Ayres of 1606

 

Named after the singers and lutenists who performed in the Stuart monarchs' most intimate chambers, the Musicians In Ordinary are dedicated to the performance of solo song and chamber vocal music of the Renaissance and Baroque eras.

Lead by soprano Hallie Fishel and lutenist John Edwards, Musicians in Ordinary have committed two decades to authentic scoring, historical pronunciation and playing techniques of the period, frequently collaborating with other singers and instrumentalists.

MIO place their repertoire in cultural context through a diverse selection of programming, including lectures and performances at universities in literature, history and art departments and at museums and other institutions. MIO’s podcast series, hosted by John Edwards, invite specialists in the area of history, religion, literature, theatre and music for in depth discussions around central themes against a backdrop of readings and musical performances of the period.

Contact MIO for more information.

The Musicians In Ordinary Renaissance String Band

  • Matt Antal

    VIOLA

  • Brandon Chui

    VIOLA

  • Sheila Smyth

    VIOLA

  • Laura Jones

    BASS VIOLIN

  • John Edwards

    LUTE

  • Christopher Verrette

    VIOLIN

  • Felix Deak

    VIOLA DA GAMBA

Special Guests

  • Tracy Ryan

    Actor

  • Prof. Tom Bishop

    Professor of English
    University of Auckland

  • Linda Austern

    Associate Professor of Musicology
    Northwestern University

  • Dr. Natalia Khomenko

    Lecturer
    York University

  • VK Preston

    Assistant Professor of History
    Concordia University

  • Prof. Deanne Williams

    Professor of English
    York University

  • Prof. Stephen Orgel

    Professor of Humanities, Emeritus
    Stanford University

  • Prof. George Torres

    Professor in Music
    Lafayette College

  • Prof. Matt Kavaler

    Professor of Art History
    University of Toronto

  • Julia Morson

    Soprano

  • Rev. Dr Lisa Wang

    Lecturer, University of Toronto

    Vicar, Parish of the Transfiguration

  • Whitney O'Hearn

    Mezzo-Soprano

  • Katherine Anderson

    Alto

  • Eleanor Verrette

    Vielle