The Great Bear Ensemble

The Great Bear Ensemble is a London-based early music ensemble dedicated to bringing the rich and varied music of the seventeenth century to modern audiences through historically informed performance. Formed by musicians with a shared passion for exploring the expressive possibilities of Baroque music, the ensemble presents programmes that combine celebrated masterpieces with lesser-known works deserving of wider recognition.

Drawing inspiration from the cosmopolitan musical landscape of seventeenth-century Europe, The Great Bear Ensemble performs repertoire spanning the German, Italian, English, and Austrian traditions. Their programmes showcase the dramatic contrasts, virtuosic writing, and improvisatory spirit that define the period, featuring music by composers including Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber, Johann Heinrich Schmelzer, Johann Philipp Krieger, and Philipp Heinrich Erlebach.

Alongside live performance, the ensemble is committed to musical research and the revival of overlooked repertoire. Their projects include preparing modern performing editions and exploring works that have rarely, if ever, been recorded, offering audiences fresh perspectives on the richness of the seventeenth-century repertoire.

Recent appearances include the London Handel Festival at Handel Hendrix House, the Royal College of Music Museum, Danny House, Prangins Baroque (Switzerland), St Paul's Church, Bedford, and St John the Baptist, Holland Road. The ensemble continues to develop innovative concert programmes and recording projects that celebrate the diversity, imagination, and expressive freedom of early Baroque music.

Members:
Francine Maas violin
Matthew Millkey violin
Kiele Sacco harpsichord, organ