Troveresse

Troveresse were founded initially to perform the songs of the trouvères, of 12th and 13th-century France. In November 2007 they performed ‘Songs from the Heart’, a concert of music and poetry woven together based on the chansons de femmes, songs in the woman’s voice from 13th-century France. Following an enthusiastic public response to ‘Songs from the Heart’, Troveresse took this show to the Adelaide Fringe Festival, where they performed on 28-29 February and 1-2 March 2008. On 20 June 2008, Troveresse performed a concert of Spanish music, drawing on repertoire spanning four centuries from the high medieval to the early renaissance.

Troveresse brings together excellent singers and instrumentalists from a range of backgrounds. Experience in Middle Eastern, gypsy, celtic and a range of other traditions from around the world combine with classical and early music training to create a free and improvisatory style which is excitingly different.

For more information, contact Helen Dell at helendel@vicnet.net.au.


..Reviews for Troveresse at the Adelaide Fringe Festival 2008..

“Angelic songs ... voices sweet as mead... Enchanting musical arrangements ... Medieval French sung in dulcet tones. The perfect pitch resounds beautifully in the acoustics of ... Saint Cyprian church”
Rip It Up (06/03/2008)

“Troveresse performs with obvious enthusiasm, considerable skill and ... muted passion”
Stephen Whittington, The Advertiser (01/03/2008)


..Book Troveresse..

Troveresse sings for all functions and festivities. We can provide anything from a soloist to a 7-piece band, depending on your needs and your budget. Email Helen for details and a quote (helendel@vicnet.net.au).


..Artist Biographies..

Helen Dell http://www.helendell.com/ (director) is a classically-trained mezzo-soprano with an added tang provided by her many years of experience as a folk-singer. Both contribute to her talent for medieval music-making. She completed a music degree, specializing in performance, at Melbourne University where she studied singing with Bettine McCaughan. She went on to post-graduate studies in medieval music and received her doctorate in 2006. She is still studying as a medievalist, now as a Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne. Helen is the author of a book on desire in medieval women’s song, based on her PhD research, released last year. Helen is passionately devoted to a wide range of musical repertoires, from the 12th to the 20th centuries and from most of western Europe. Helen has performed with ensembles and orchestras in Australia and overseas. Her greatest love is for all things medieval, especially music. In the 1980’s she founded the first of a series of highly successful medieval music ensembles: Tre Fontane, one of whose programs received the following one-word review: ‘superlative’. In 1998, this group metamorphosed into its second incarnation: Carnevale. Last year Helen founded, and now sings with and directs Troveresse, already making a name for beautiful and innovative performances. Her other instrument is the portative organ. Helen has a gift for innovative programming and is hopelessly addicted to bringing wonderful music to audiences in new and exciting ways.

Alex Connelly, one of a very musical family, first met and became enthralled by medieval music as a seven year old hearing music by Hildegard of Bingen. A gifted and versatile singer, he has sung in many university and church choirs. He also plays recorder in various experimental music groups around Melbourne, including Artists at play. This experimental work has contributed to his undoubted flair for improvisation. His other great musical passion is for traditional folk music from all over the world.

Lou Horgen discovered the beauty of medieval music when she walked into a rehearsal of the University of Melbourne, School of Music’s Medieval Ensemble in 1992. Since then she has explored Early Music with a passion, becoming a founding member of Veritas Medieval Ensemble and spending many enjoyable years singing with the lutenist Geoffrey Hall as part of Astarte Baroque Ensemble and later as The Jolly Bacchanals. Recently Lou has begun to practice the art of historical gesture with guidance and encouragement from Helga Hill and performed with gesture for the Early Arts Guild.

Karen Huckle (guest artist) has played the lever harp for ten years, after forsaking a twenty year relationship with the piano for an allegedly more portable instrument. A long-time lover of Celtic folk music, Karen’s lyrical style is perfectly adapted to medieval music and she has taken to its demands with ease and intelligence. Karen has performed at the Windsor, Carols at the St.Heliers Convent arts precinct in the last few years and at the Open days for the convent and the Melbourne Registry office. If you saw a harpist serenading the corners of Spring and Collins Street on a Spring evening, from the steps of Parliament a few years ago that was Karen. She plays for weddings, parties, and any celebration, and has provided music for a number of book and library launches at the Stonnington Library Service and at Carlton, East Melbourne and Fitzroy libraries. Karen is also a former member of Melbourne Harp group ‘Fleet of Harps’.

Alistair Lord (guest artist) discovered his passion for traditional hand percussion after spending a year in the Middle East where he fell in love with the complex and hypnotic rhythms of the region. His darabuka style is influenced primarily by Turkish finger techniques and he has since branched out to incorporate djembe, bendir (frame drum), req and daf in his repertoire. Al also performs with Shisha drum and dance, Fireworks Dance Company and the Balkan gypsy band, and with Zarafa and R&B singer-songwriter Shireen Morris.

Chris Evans (guest artist) began playing guitar as a young child and double bass at high school. He took up electric bass in his late teenage years and has spent much of his musical performing life doing pub gigs around Melbourne. After one such gig in 2001, Chris was stumbling home and managed to fall into a time hole that took him back to late 17th century France. Due to the lack of electricity in the region at the time, he ditched his bass guitar in favour of the bass viol. He had a few lessons with Marin Marais but was banned from court employment because he refused to wear the obligatory silly wig. Luckily, Chris befriended some Bavarian magi who transported him back to the 2001 in return for Chris’ acid wash denim flares and favourite stubby holder – made from bubble wrap. Now back, in the then present, Chris re-clothed and sought lessons on the viol from Ruth Wilkinson and later, Miriam Morris at the University of Melbourne from which he graduated in 2006. He is attracted, strongly, to the beguiling sounds of medieval tunes and instruments.

Ann McCarthy (guest artist), blessed with a rich and unusual mezzo-soprano voice, trained in classical voice technique with Helen Dell where her interest in medieval music was awakened. She has a background in choral singing, and has sung with Schola Amici at St Brendan's in Flemington, Melbourne, and with the Australian Catholic University staff choir. In New Zealand she sang with the Orpheus choir and St Paul's Cathedral choir in Wellington. Raised on a diet of musicals and folk ballads of many kinds, Ann's inspirations include the soundtrack to rock musical Hair, the off-beat lyricism of Suzanne Vega, and the foot-tapping sounds of NZ’s Hamilton County Bluegrass Band.