Monica Huggett (born 16 May 1953 in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, England) is a British conductor and leading baroque violinist.

Biography

At the age of 16, Huggett started studying at the

Royal Academy of Music The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is the oldest conservatoire in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the first Duke of ...

, London, with

Manoug Parikian Manoug Parikian (15 September 1920 - 24 December 1987) was a British concert violinist and violin professor. Early life Parikian was born in Mersin to Armenian parents. He studied in London. Career Parikian made his solo début in 1947 and led ...

and

Kato Havas Kato or Katō may refer to: Places *Kato, Guyana, a village in Guyana *Katō, Hyōgo, a city in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan * Katō District, Hokkaido, a district located in Tokachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan * Katowice, a city in Southern Poland ...

baroque violin A Baroque violin is a violin set up in the manner of the baroque period of music. The term includes original instruments which have survived unmodified since the Baroque period, as well as later instruments adjusted to the baroque setup, and mode ...

with

Sigiswald Kuijken Sigiswald Kuijken (; born 16 February 1944) is a Belgian violinist, violist, and conductor known for playing on period and original instruments. Biography Kuijken was born in Dilbeek, near Brussels. He was a member of the Alarius Ensemble ...

. She co-founded and served as leader of the

Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir is a Dutch early-music group based in Amsterdam. The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir was created in two stages by the conductor, organist and harpsichordist Ton Koopman. He founded the Amsterdam Baroqu ...

under

Ton Koopman Antonius Gerhardus Michael Koopman (; born 2 October 1944), known professionally as Ton Koopman, is a Dutch conductor, organist, harpsichordist, and musicologist, primarily known for being the founder and director of the Amsterdam Baroque Orches ...

from 1980 to 1987. She was made a Fellow of the

in 1994, and serves as professor of

at the

Hochschule für Künste Bremen The University of the Arts Bremen (German: Hochschule für Künste Bremen, HfK Bremen) is a public university in Bremen, Germany. It is one of the most successful arts institutions, and its origins date back to 1873. The University of the Arts Br ...

, Germany. Huggett has worked with Christopher Hogwood at the

Academy of Ancient Music The Academy of Ancient Music (AAM) is a British period-instrument orchestra based in Cambridge, England. Founded by harpsichordist Christopher Hogwood in 1973, it was named after an 18th-century organisation of the same name (originally the A ...

; with

Trevor Pinnock Trevor David Pinnock (born 16 December 1946 in Canterbury, England) is a British harpsichordist and conductor. He is best known for his association with the period-performance orchestra The English Concert, which he helped found and directe ...

and the English Concert; and toured the US in concert with

James Galway Sir James Galway (born 8 December 1939) is an Irish virtuoso flute player from Belfast, nicknamed "The Man with the Golden Flute". He established an international career as a solo flute player. In 2005, he received the Brit Award for Outsta ...

. She has served as the director of The Hanover Band, guest director of the

Arion Baroque Orchestra Arion Baroque Orchestra, founded in 1981, is a Canadian baroque orchestra based in Montreal, Quebec, specializing in music of the 18th century performed on period instruments. History Arion Baroque Orchestra was founded in Montreal in 1981 ( ...

, Montreal;

Tafelmusik Tafelmusik (German: literally, "table-music") is a term used since the mid-16th century for music played at feasts and banquets. Table music could be either instrumental, vocal, or both. As might be expected, it was often of a somewhat lighter c ...

, Toronto; the

Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (OAE) is a British period instrument orchestra. The OAE is a resident orchestra of the Southbank Centre, London, associate orchestra at Glyndebourne Festival Opera Artistic Associate at Kings Place, and h ...

; the

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) is an American chamber orchestra based in Los Angeles, California. LACO presents its Orchestral Series concerts at two venues, the Alex Theatre in Glendale and UCLA's Royce Hall. History James Arkatov, a ...

;

Philharmonia Baroque The Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra (PBO) is an American orchestra based in San Francisco. PBO is dedicated to historically informed performance of Baroque, Classical and early Romantic music on original instruments. The orchestra performs its ...

, San Francisco; the

Norwegian Chamber Orchestra Det Norske Kammerorkester or The Norwegian Chamber Orchestra (established in 1977) is a chamber orchestra based in Oslo. Biography The orchestra was founded by the violinist Bjarne Fiskum who got the idea for a summer course for young string tal ...

; and Concerto Copenhagen, and artistic director of the

Portland Baroque Orchestra Portland Baroque Orchestra (PBO) is an orchestra based in Portland, which is dedicated to historically informed performance of Baroque, Classical and early Romantic music on original instruments. It was founded in 1984 by harpsichordist, teacher, ...

Huggett continues as artistic director of the

Irish Baroque Orchestra The Irish Baroque Orchestra is an early music ensemble based in Ireland. Irish Baroque Orchestra is Ireland’s only professional period instrument orchestra. It was established in 1996 by Mark Duley and Thérèse Timoney. The artistic director ...

and is guest director of the Seville Baroque Orchestra. She also founded the baroque Ensemble Sonnerie and Hausmusik London as a

chamber ensemble Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small numb ...

which concentrates on

romantic music Romantic music is a stylistic movement in Western Classical music associated with the period of the 19th century commonly referred to as the Romantic era (or Romantic period). It is closely related to the broader concept of Romanticism—the ...

. She has won

Gramophone Award The Gramophone Classical Music Awards, launched in 1977, are one of the most significant honours bestowed on recordings in the classical record industry. They are often viewed as equivalent to or surpassing the American Grammy award, and refer ...

s for her recordings of

Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...

Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin The sonatas and partitas for solo violin (Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis, BWV 1001–1006) are a set of six works composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. They are sometimes referred to in English as the sonatas and for solo violin in accordance with Bach's he ...

(1997) and Biber's violin sonatas (2002). Huggett's expertise in the musical and social history of the baroque era, coupled with her unique interpretation of baroque music, has made her a much sought-after resource for students of the baroque violin. She has given

master class A master class is a Class (education), class given to students of a particular Academic discipline, discipline by an expert of that discipline—usually music, but also science, painting, drama, games, or on any other occasion where skills are b ...

es in Banff, Dartington, Vicenza, Dublin, The Hague, Medellin and

The Royal College of Music The Royal College of Music is a music school, conservatoire established by royal charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, UK. It offers training from the Undergraduate education, undergraduate to the Doctorate, doctoral level in a ...

. In 2008 she was appointed director of the new graduate program in historical performance at

The Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most elit ...

in New York City.

Reviews

;Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber: Violin Sonatas, Nisi Dominus, Passacaglia (Sonnerie / Huggett with Thomas Guthrie) "This is a disc that merits the attention of anybody who appreciates the highest flights of violin playing, from whatever period" The Daily Telegraph, August 2001 ASV Gramophone Award Winner 2002 (Baroque Instrumental) 5* BBC Music Magazine, October 2001 “9” rating in Repertoire Magazine (France) BBC Music Magazine Critics' Choice - December 2001 ;Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber: Mystery Sonatas (vol. 1) “With the tonal sweetness of Huggett’s three violins resonating pleasingly through the many double- and multiple-stoppings and her bowing demonstrating a delicious lightness and freedom, she admirably displays her eloquent command of Biber’s sublime and richly symbolic language. Huggett’s pproachis ravishing in its sonorities, her supporting cast adding significantly to the exotic sounds of the various scordaturas and the overall effect of her intelligent, stylish and expressive playing.” The Strad Magazine, November 2004 ;Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber: Mystery Sonatas (vol. 2) “Huggett's playing - on three violins - shines with ease and expression” The Times “Huggett’s imaginative approach and lively response to detail are among the most rewarding aspects of her version of these emotionally rewarding pieces.” 5* BBC Music Magazine, December 2004 “Of all the recordings now available of Biber...this sby far and away the most spectacular, exuberant, colourful and downright ravishing of them all. Huggett positively revels in the virtuosity of Biber’s original...Huggett’s beautifully crafted performance of the complex and, at times, profoundly moving solo Passacaglia rounds off what is a matchless recording from every perspective.” International Record Review, Nov 2004 ;Johann Sebastian Bach: Violin Concertos BWV 1041, 1042, 1052 & 1056 (Monica Huggett, Sonnerie) “No matter how many versions of the Bach violin concertos you already own, this one is a must.” International Record Review

Recordings

Vivaldi: (The four seasons inside). Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione Op.8. Virgin Classics. La cetra Op.9. Virgin Classics.

References

External links

Official homepage

MONICA HUGGETT IN CONVERSATION WITH GEOFFREY NEWMAN
(oct. 2016)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Huggett, Monica 1953 births Living people Musicians from London Fellows of the Royal Academy of Music Women conductors (music) English classical violinists English conductors (music) British performers of early music Women performers of early music Juilliard School faculty Baroque-violin players Concertmasters Virgin Classics artists Women classical violinists 21st-century British conductors (music) Women music educators 21st-century English women musicians 21st-century classical violinists