Ensemble Molière

The British early music group Ensemble Molière, using historical instruments, was named the inaugural BBC Radio 3 New Generation Baroque Ensemble. As its name suggests, the group is also noted for cross-genre collaborations with theatrical groups. Ensemble Molière was formed in 2014 at the Dartington International Summer School, where all the members were participants. Those members are flutist Flavia Hirte, violinist Alice Earll, bassoonist Catriona McDermid, viola da gamba player Kate Conway, and harpsichordist Satoko Doi-Luck. The membership has remained stable since the group was established. Ensemble Molière soon began to attract the attention of bodies seeking to develop new artists, and the group made its debut at the London Festival of Baroque Music under the aegis of that event's Future Artists Scheme. Ensemble Molière was also a finalist at the York Early Music Festival's International Young Artists Competition. The year 2017 also saw the ensemble release an EP, Dance Sweets. The group's designation as the first BBC Radio 3 New Generation Baroque Ensemble led to numerous performing opportunities around the U.K. and continental Europe. Their appearances have been notably diverse, including "fringe" events such as the MAfestival fringe in Brugge, Belgium, and the Oudemuziek fringe in Utrecht in the Netherlands. The group's programs often mix music and spoken word; one is called "Medicine and Mortality." Ensemble Molière has also collaborated on various theatrical and operatic projects, including a production of Rameau's Pygmalion and a music theater production, including two clowns, that celebrated the 400th birthday of the playwright Molière, the group's namesake, in 2022; the program was entitled "Good Soup." Other programs for the group's 2024 concerts included "Telemann and His Friends in Paris" and "Hidden Gems," an evening of lesser-known French Baroque chamber music. Ensemble Molière released its full-length album debut, The King's Playlist, on the Linn Records label in 2024.
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