Close exchange with Early Music Vancouver

Trio Turbulences

The Göttingen International Handel Festival and the renowned Canadian early music institution Early Music Vancouver (EMV) have entered into a close artistic exchange for the coming years. The initial focus will be on jointly supporting young ensembles. As part of this initiative, a special prize awarded by the Göttingen International Handel Festival was introduced for the first time at this year’s Emerging Artist Competition hosted by EMV. The recipient of the prize, which includes an invitation to perform at the 2027 Festival, is Trio Turbulences from Geneva.

The ensemble, consisting of Tim Meulenbeld (cornett), Anna Parejo Belando (voice) and Eric Dotmeier (lute), was founded in 2024 as part of a research project at the Haute École de Musique de Genève. The three musicians work intensively with historical source materials and explore historically informed improvisation and composition. They deliberately perform in a reduced instrumentation that allows the intimacy of vocal music to come through especially clearly. The use of the cornett, whose sound is particularly close to that of the human voice, further enhances the rhetorical expressiveness of the performance.

Trio Turbulences expressed their gratitude for the award with the following statement: “We see the Göttingen Prize as an encouragement to continue exploring the space between historical fidelity and creative freedom. To present this work at the Göttingen International Handel Festival for audiences and artists who value both equally is a true privilege.”

Jochen Schäfsmeier, Managing Director of the Göttingen International Handel Festival and member of the competition jury, emphasized the significance of the transatlantic collaboration with EMV: “Early Music Vancouver’s competition recognizes projects that open up new perspectives in early music. With Trio Turbulences, we selected an ensemble that not only demonstrates outstanding musical excellence, but also actively shares its exceptional improvisational artistry with other ensembles. It gives me great pleasure to welcome this remarkable ensemble to the upcoming Festival in Göttingen and to accompany its continued artistic journey.”

At this year’s göttingen händel competition, the Göttingen International Handel Festival’s competition for young early music ensembles, a special prize awarded by EMV was presented for the first time in May 2026. Alexander Weimann, Artistic Director of the Pacific Baroque Orchestra in Vancouver, selected Barque Ensemble as a member of the Göttingen jury to perform as a guest ensemble in Vancouver in 2027.

Early Music Vancouver (EMV) is one of North America’s leading early music organizations. Founded in 1970, it presents concerts, festivals, educational programs, and competitions dedicated to historically informed performance practice, spanning music from the Middle Ages through the Baroque period.