The early music group Syntagma Musicum was created in 1978 and then incorporated into the Universidad de Santiago de Chile in 1980. From the beginning, it was defined as a group that studies and diffuses western European instrumental repertoire - covering from the late Medieval to Baroque - and colonial Latin American music.

This applied historical musicologic work has lead them to undertake, at diferent moments in their career, repertoires such as the first Medieval instrumental forms, Renaissance dance and instrumental music, Baroque instrumental music - orchestral and chamber - and Colonial Chilean and Latin American Music.

Syntagma Musicum has played throughout the nation and the most prestigious places in the capital. Among of them are Teatro Municipal in Santiago and Viña del Mar, Claudios Arrau auditorium, Orient theater, Göthe Institut, Escuela Moderna de Música, the Chilean British Institute, etc. The group has made five international trips that include Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, Sao Paulo, Quito, Toluca, Ciudad de México, Misiones Jesuitas de San Javier, Concepción and Sta. Cruz, Bolivia. On those oportunities, it was favorably reviewed by critics and the public. It recently had an outstanding participation at the Festival de Música Antigua y Tradición Oral en Curitiba, Brasil.

It has done radio and television programs in Chile and abroad and recorded two cassettes: "Música francesa, española e inglesa en la Edad Media, Renacimiento y Colonial Chilena" (in its 3rd edition now) and "Música en el tiempo", which has ranked first in sales for several months. It has recently released its third production, a compact disk titled "Del Barroco al Clasicismo en la América Virreinal"; and also another CD titled "Música Virreinal Latinoamericana", accompanied by the Mexican vocal group "Ars Nova".

As a complement to extensive research in early music, it has offered lectures in subjects related to interpretation and organology. It has also carried out exhibitions of early instruments and facsimilie editions.

When undertaking and shaping its concerts, the group has been specially concerned about the relationship between the music and its historical context.. That is how the programs "Música de España y Flandes", "Música vocal e instrumental del Barroco Alemán", "El Arte de la Variación", "Música de J. S. Bach", "Concierto Las Naciones", "La Ofrenda Musical de J. S. Bach", "Exercicci Musicci, Georg Philipp Telemann" and "Del Barroco al Clasicismo en la America Virreinal" were structured.

The specialization of its players, in their own country and abroad, make it possible for them to be in contact with important experts and entities in Chile, America and Europe. Individually, each of them gives concerts, makes recordings and publications, thus assisting the most important centers and universities in their country. They also teach at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, the Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación, and the Escuela Moderna de Música.

The group has also played an outstanding role in organizing Early Music Festival (this year is the IV Festival de Musica Antigua "Barroco Americano" 6-10 of October, 1997) and meetings, always being concerned with promoting these activities at the national level.

For additional information about the Syntagma Musicum, contact:

Last update : 2 March, 1997

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