Sequentia celebrates its 50th anniversary in April 2027
Soon beginning its sixth decade of continuous activity, Sequentia stands out as one of the world’s truly legendary ensembles for medieval music. This international group of specialised singers and instrumentalists, united under the direction of co-founder, performer and teacher Benjamin Bagby, is dedicated to the performance and reconstruction of Western European music from the period before 1300. Combining deep experience, meticulous and original research, intensive rehearsal and long program gestation, Sequentia’s intense performances are compelling, surprising in their immediacy, and strike the listener with a timeless emotional connection to our own past musical cultures.
News
Critical Voices through the Years
Since the advent of the internet we have witnessed a huge change in the way musical performance is evaluated by critics. Printed newspapers and music magazines no longer dominate the discussion, as a new generation of freelancers goes online to discuss and critique performances in their communities.
Sequentia in Kyiv
Veteran Sequentia duo Bagby and Norbert Rodenkirchen will return to Ukraine for a third time, participating in the Baroque music festival in Kyiv.
Benjamin Bagby Interviewed by Stef Conner
Composer, conductor, vocalist, researcher, pianist, producer and university professor, Stef Conner is the very incarnation of a multi-talented artist with an insatiable curiosity about music.
Barbara Thornton Scholarship
The Barbara Thornton Memorial Scholarship being offered by Early Music America has been increased to $5000.
Current Programs
Latest Releases
History
History of the Ensemble
As Sequentia celebrates its 50th anniversary, here is a brief overview of the ensemble's history. The story of our beginnings in Basel and Cologne, during the formative years 1977-1987, will be published by Benjamin Bagby in 2027.
Program Archive
Looking back over the past 50 years we will try to rediscover the richness of our 30+ recordings and almost a hundred of concert programs, attesting to the ensemble's intensive work and dedication in bringing medieval music to life. An archive is being assembled to make all our programs available again.
Soloist's Biographies
Over the years Sequentia has joined forces with hundreds of outstanding singers and instrumentalists, as core ensemble members or as guest artists for specific projects and repertoires. Here are the ensemble's current core members.
From the Press
Since the advent of the internet we have witnessed a huge change in the way musical performance is evaluated by critics, as a new generation of freelancers goes online to discuss and critique performances in their communities. Here is a cornucopia of critical voices from past years.
Study and Research
Study with Sequentia
Since 1979 the members of Sequentia have taught hundreds of courses in medieval music performance, including summer music academies, workshops and masterclasses, all over the world.
Barbara Thornton Scholarship
At the suggestion of Barbara's longtime partner and Sequentia co-founder Benjamin Bagby, Early Music America created a scholarship fund for young musicians, which is a living memorial to Barbara Thornton's work and dedication to her craft.
Projects
The ensemble's focus has always tended to gravitate towards long-term recording and performance projects, such as the works of Hildegard von Bingen, the exploration of Lost Songs, or Benjamin Bagby's solo 'Beowulf' performance, which has continued for over 35 years.
Writings on Medieval Music
Benjamin Bagby is a performer of medieval music who enjoys writing about his craft and explaining how he perceives its unique challenges. Here is a selection of articles, some scholarly, some for a general readership; also 'think pieces,' interviews, essays for program books, and responses to questions.