It’s not just the money: Continuo Foundation expands its reach with its fourth funding round

Continuo Foundation has announced the recipients of its fourth funding round, awarding £100,000 to 24 period instrument ensembles, selected from 55 applications requesting support that was three times greater than the funds available. Continuo is supporting 14 new groups, thereby extending its community of grant recipients to 65 period-instrument ensembles. Since its founding in September 2020, the total funding provided by Continuo to the UK's Early Music sector is now £460,000.

The 24 ensembles receiving grants will undertake 67 performances and recordings over the next six months, with projects taking place in 45 locations across the UK, bringing the total number of communities benefiting from Continuo-supported performances to more than one hundred.   

The recently formed ensembles in this grant round include the Cedar Consort, who will tour a Telemann programme featuring recorder soloist Tabea Debus; Figure Ensemble, who will juxtapose Carpentier’s Messe pour les trépassées with the Fauré Requiem; and The Vauxhall Band, who will bring the atmosphere of 18th century Pleasure Gardens and theatre to life in a dramatised concert.

Another ensemble new to Continuo’s grants, Solomon’s Knot, will tour a large-scale project marking the 300th anniversary of Johann Kuhnau. The group's artistic director, bass-baritone Jonathan Sells comments: "It’s not just the money – it is so valuable to be part of the Continuo Foundation community. Continuo is a great ambassador for the whole early music sector, approaching support holistically, giving musicians tools to be more successful and providing a voice for the sector in the UK."

The 24 recipients of Continuo’s fourth round of project grants are, Baroque In The North, Brook Street Band, Cedar Consort, Ceruleo, Chelys Consort of Viols, Ex Cathedra, Feinstein Ensemble, Figure Ensemble, Fiori Musicali, Fretwork, Galliarda, Gonzaga Band, Laudonia, Linarol Consort of Viols, Lux Musicae London, Manchester Baroque, The Mozartists, Musical & Amicable Society, Sackbut Frenzy, Solomon’s Knot, Spiritato, The TFG, The Vauxhall Band, and Yorkshire Baroque Soloists.

Full details from the Continuo Foundation's website.