“...the music gives the performer freedom, which Montgomery seized...The gestures flowed like harmonious rivulets, building into swift cascades, and even torrents...grabbing the listeners with its ebb and flow” THE BOSTON MUSICAL INTELLIGENCER
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Vivian Montgomery
I roam the harpsichord, fortepiano, accordion, and piano as my passageways to life as a musician, a life that has tried to dissolve the barriers between “historical" and “living" music, between the mind and expression through sound, between dancing and singing and playing, between an instrument that plucks and one that breathes. An unmeasured prelude by Louis Couperin will never be just like a doina, but both are rhapsodic vehicles for freely traversing a landscape of harmonic surprises; a gavotte will always distinguish itself from a bulgar but both are brought to life by imitating the ecstatic jumps and landings of the dancer; Froberger’s plainte from the melancholy of his time in London may require more slavish attention to notational detail than a sad Russian melody quickly scribbled onto the bottom of a piece of manuscript paper, but each is the sonic embodiment of another person’s sorrow. And when I am playing any of it with others, I am seeking the same camaraderie, connection, and interplay – I can find myself laughing at unexpected turns of events, looking at my partner with terror at their fast tempo, thrashing about as we escalate toward a barely contained ending. Most importantly, I am seeking collaboration in singing of songs, dancing of dances, lingering on colors that bring about a shared delight. Shleimut – wholeness – all this, for bringing together the scattered particles of a life lived. |
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As I walked across the stage to the harpsichord, I had already entered the dance so fully that, sitting down to play,
I felt no difference between where I had been moments before and where I was going. This was magical. PERFORMANCE |
"...Eudaimonia has burst on the scene with…real artistry…completely delightful…done with great vitality…clarity and understated poignancy… The audience held its breath at the end, not wanting to disturb the tranquil spell…The remainder of the program was a surprise in its breadth and variety…Beautifully planned, the proceedings balanced aesthetic pleasure with reflection on the problem of homelessness…"
The Boston Musical Intelligencer ENSEMBLES AND PROJECTS |
Vivian’s work as a conductor has led to engagements directing baroque opera, orchestras, and choirs in Minneapolis (Ex Machina Antique Music Theatre Company and the University of Minnesota), Cleveland (CWRU/CIM Baroque Orchestra and Early Music Singers), Pennsylvania (Dickinson College Collegium), and in her current residence, Boston, as co-director of the new baroque orchestra, Eudaimonia, A Purposeful Period Band.
ABOUT |
"Exquisite music-making...exceptional for its precision, blend and stylistic unity...sprightly and charming” Music in Cincinnati
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Brilliant Variations on Sentimental Songs
Pamela Dellal, mezzo soprano Vivian Montgomery, Fortepiano |
Songs in the Ground
Cléa Galhano/Vivian Montgomery |
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Music of the past serving needs of the presentFounded and directed by early keyboardist Vivian Montgomery and violinist Julia McKenzie, Eudaimonia brings together some of the Boston area’s most creative performers in the historical performance field. As an artistic collective, we build upon shared ideals, ignited spirits, and a desire for healthy collaboration.
“……Eudaimonia has burst on the scene with ... real artistry … completely delightful … great vitality.” —Boston Musical Intelligencer Eudaimonia’s repertoire spans the mid-16th century through the middle of the 19th century and our programs center around vocal & orchestral works that speak to the mission of our partner organizations. The works of women composers are seamlessly blended into our programming. |