Rejouissance to perform at two historic Kings county churches

BY JOHN DECOSTE

Kings County Register

A musical group that specializes in playing period music in period costumes will be performing at a pair of “period churches” in Kings County.

Rejouissance, a musical quintet from the Halifax area, will perform July 7 at 7:30 p.m. at St. John’s Anglican Church, Port Williams, and again July 8 at 7 p.m. at St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Auburn. Both concerts are part of the Musique Royale musical series, and the Auburn concert is also part of the St. Mary’s Concert Series.

Rejouissance was founded in 1995 by Halifax musicians Karen Langille and Ivor Rothwell, both long-time members of Symphony Nova Scotia.

The ensemble specializes in the performance of 17th and 18th century music on period instruments and in historically informed style.

In addition to Langille (violin) and Rothwell (bassoon), the group includes Celeste Jankowski on violin, Max Kasper on bass and Shawn Whynot on harpsichord.

The name, “Rejouissance,” used by 18th Century composers as a title for certain especially delightful pieces, means rejoicing or merrymaking - sensibilities the ensemble strives to instill in their performances. Often - as will be the case locally – the musicians perform in 18th Century costume, by candlelight.

Rejouissance draws much of its repertoire from the vast collections of European instrumental music, from early 17th Century composers such as Uccelini and Fontana to great 18th Century German masters: Bach, Handel and Telemann.

Both St. Mary’s and St. John’s, with their 18th Century architecture and superb acoustics, should be excellent venues in which to hear this talented and unique Nova Scotian musical ensemble. Tickets for both Rejouissance concerts are $15, and are available at the door the evening of the performance.