Orfeo 2000

Although 2500 km separate France and Romania, a shared passion for early music has brought together Fernanda Romila and Jean-Pierre Menuge to form Orfeo 2000 Baroque ensemble. The have performed a series of concerts in the mountains of the Auvergne, Du Forez and the Haute Ardeche. They have collaborated in a program showcasing the works of Bach, Vivaldi and Corelli, as well as other 17th and 18th century composers. Romila and Menuge are strong advocates of expressive, vibrant and sincere interpretations of Baroque harpsichord and recorder music. Through a lively repertoire, sometimes drole and full of humour, they demonstrate that early music has not aged but rather speaks more than ever to contemporary sensibilities. Above all, the pleasure experienced in the listening to, as well as in the playing of, Baroque music is the primary function of Orfeo 2000.

Jean-Pierre Menuge has been coached by English and Dutch masters. He has performed in a great number of concerts in France, England, The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Hungary, Germany, and Poland where he organizes a masterclass on behalf of the Minister of Culture. He has played with prestigious musicians such as James Bowman, and worked in theatre and film productions. Jean-Pierre is also a harpsichord manufacturer and it is one of his instruments, a copy of a Tibaud (1691, Toulouse) that is used in his concerts. A strong advocate of expressive, vibrant and sincere interpretations of Baroque recorder music, his playing is guided by personal research and experience. Most of all, Jean-Pierre is driven by the pleasure of sharing music.

Fernanda Romila was born in Bucharest and holds advanced degrees in composition and organ from the National Conservatory of Romania. She studied harpsichord with Frederick Hass at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels and has earned awards at the Brume Music School. Romila received her training from renowned masters such as Jordi Sawall, Pierre Hantai, Nicholas Parle and Marten Root. She is a member of numerous Baroque ensembles. In Belgium, she recently recorded for the first time, producing a CD of 18th century sonatas for harpsichord, violin and bass.