Harpsichord Players Only
In 1978, a harpsichordist by the name of Elaine Comparone, and some of her fellow harpsichordists decided that their instrument needed a little more publicity.
So, they formed a New York-based organization called, “Harpsichord Unlimited,” with the intentions of bringing the harpsichord to a wider audience around the world and to teach people about the history and music of their beloved instrument.
First Crack
The first concert that “Harpsichord Unlimited” undertook was at the Festival of Chamber Music at St. Joseph’s Church in Greenwich Village. The audience loved the concert, and from there, expansion was just a matter of time for the group.
The group soon picked up more members, all of which were highly gifted harpsichord players, raising the prestige of the organization in just a matter of years. As time went on, members of “Harpsichord Unlimited” began receiving commissions to produce new harpsichord works.
Making it Big
As the organization continued to grow and grow, demands for the group to play more concerts and to compose more pieces grew as well. During that time, an annual Sunday afternoon concert and Wednesday evening concert series in New York City was established.
In 2002, the concert series was moved to Carnegie Hall, one of the most prestigious concert halls in the world. On top of their debut and performances at Carnegie Hall, the group also established an upstate concert series called the Hudson Festival Baroque.
Today
“Harpsichord Unlimited,” is still doing well today, albeit with a hiccup. During the 2008 economic crisis, many of the organization’s donors stopped financially supporting them, leaving the organization at the doorsteps of death.
Luckily, new supporters came to the rescue along with smaller contributions, helping the group to regain their financial footing.
Today, “Harpsichord Unlimited,” continues to promote the music of their instrument through concerts, festivals, and new chamber works. They do so with an eye towards showing the public that the harpsichord and its music are still relevant, even in our contemporary setting of 2011.