Sylvan Consort of Viols
The Sylvan Consort of Viols is composed of players from greater Philadelphia with members Sarah Cunningham, Donna Fournier, Gretchen Gettes, Margaret Humphrey, Rebecca Humphrey, Heather Miller Lardin, and Elena Smith. The name "Sylvan" not only reflects the area they call home but also the materials from which their beautiful instruments are constructed. The resonant sound of a viol has been said to "imitate the human voice in all its modulations, even in its most intimate nuances: that of grief and joy" (Harmonie Universelle, 1636). The consort regularly collaborates with vocalists and is excited to be collaborating with Variant 6 in this performance of early and new music.