In the intricate weave of sounds that make up a baroque ensemble, the lute is central. It’s fitting, then, that French-American lutenist Thomas Dunford is at the centre of some of the most exciting early music-making of the moment. A regular collaborator with everyone from Les Arts Florissants to his own band of all-stars, the Jupiter Ensemble, he has been dubbed the ‘Eric Clapton of the lute’ by BBC Music Magazine. It is with great delight that Musica Viva Australia presents Thomas Dunford’s Australian debut.

Musica Viva Australia presents Nicolas Altstaedt & Thomas Dunford

Queensland Conservatorium

The Ensemble Masques, led by harpsichordist Olivier Fortin, opens this season's harpsichord focus with 18th-century French chamber music. The program includes several solo harpsichord concertos by Baroque master Jean-Philippe Rameau and his contemporaries.

EPSG:4326

Ensemble Masques / Olivier Fortin, Cembalo

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg

Takae Ohnishi is a Japanese harpsichordist who has performed extensively in the United States and Japan as a soloist, chamber musician and basso continuo player. She has appeared with numerous orchestras and at various venues in the United States and Japan. Ohnishi won her first major award at the International Early Music Harpsichord Competition in Japan, and her debut CD, A Harpsichord Recital, was chosen as an International Special Prized CD by Japanese music magazine Record Gei-jyu-tsu, in 2002. Ohnishi was also chosen to be a visiting artist from 2011 to 2012 at the American Academy in Rome.

Takae Ohnishi, Harpsichord

St Paul's Episcopal Cathedral

Harpsichordist Jean Rondeau, cellist Nicolas Altstaedt and lutenist Thomas Dunford are long-time collaborators, bringing a shared musical language to this repertoire, combining clarity with expressive freedom and finely detailed ornamentation.

Antoine Forqueray

Events

Upcoming events

Oct 25, 2026

Jean Rondeau, Nicolas Altstaedt & Thomas Dunford · Southbank Centre

Past events

Aug 17, 2026

Musica Viva Australia presents Nicolas Altstaedt & Thomas Dunford · Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University

Dec 12, 2025

Ensemble Masques / Olivier Fortin, Cembalo · Elbphilharmonie

About

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