Our Concept: Humanism
Our point of departure: The Human
Our point of arrival: The Human.
Our vehicle: Texts and Music
I can not help but to be deeply inspired by the attitude of the Renaissance humanists, with people like Francesco Petrarca, Christine de Pizan and Erasmus of Rotterdam, who studied the past to create and develop new ideas about society. With Servir Antico I use their works to create musical programs with history and use performance as a platform to amplify their visions.
I believe in the power of performance as a stage to share with the audience the voices of these visionaries of the past, but we are also committed to using it for amplifying new voices.
In this creative humanistic process, we always welcome the involvement of institutions and individuals that want their communities to be engaged and represented.
Catalina Vicens
About the Ensemble
Humanism, Music and Text
SERVIR ANTICO is a musical and social project which aims to bring the human and its creative power as a bridge between past and future. Inspired by the legacy of Renaissance Humanism (broadly speaking, an intellectual/cultural movement forged from the 13th century with its climax in the 16th century) each project combines historical music with themes that invite listeners and participants of the social projects into a moment of reflection, creation, and expression and to propose a kinder, creative future.
Founded and directed by Catalina Vicens, musician and researcher specialized in medieval and renaissance repertoires, she unites the power of acclaimed vocal and instrumental soloists with vast experience in historically informed performance with the desire to create an environment of respect and communication. Their programs are designed not to only bring an almost forgotten repertoire to contemporary audiences, but to immerse them in a multi-sensorial experience. Poetry, dramaturgy, and musical text transport the listener back to an era of dazzling creation, visionary ideas, introspection and beauty. With the music and texts as a point of departure, projects of social engagement are an intrinsic part of each program.
Servir Antico has been invited to perform in Europe and Northamerica, including at the Early Music Vancouver (Canada), Concertgebouw Brugge, AMUZ, De Bijloke Gent, AlbaNova Festival, Erasmus House Brussels (Belgium), Féstival Baroque de Pontoise (France), Villa Médicis – Academie de France (Italy), Warsaw Philharmonic (Poland) Utrecht Early Music Festival (The Netherlands), Boston Early Music Festival (USA), Trollhättan Early Music Days (Sweden), Festival für Alte Musik Basel (Switzerland) a.o. Their social project use both digital platforms to engage audiences worldwide and work in communities in Switzerland, USA and Belgium. Its members have performed with world renown ensembles such as La Capella Reial de Catalunya, Hesperion XXI, La Cetra Baroque Orchestra, Poème Harmonique, Les Arts Florissants, Ensemble Correspondences, Ensemble Gilles Binchois, Alla Francesca, Les Flamboyants, Sequentia and Collegium 1704, among others.