Orfeas Ensemble
In their Baroque Extravaganza all the Orfeas Ensemble members are showcased as soloists in a varied and exciting programme mixing the English, German and Italian High Baroque. The Ensemble have performed this programme to critical acclaim, working closely with the distinguished harpsichordist Bridget Cunningham.
The Orfeas Ensemble is the resident ensemble of the London Ripieno choir for several concert seasons including appearances at the East Finchley Arts Festival performing Handel Messiah, Bach Magnificat, Faure Requiem, Vivaldi Gloria and Ralph Vaughn Williams Five Mystical Songs.
In addition to chamber and choral work the Orfeas Ensemble has formed the back bone of several larger ensembles including the Patrick Noronha Camerata with whom they have performed symphonies and concertos by Haydn & Mozart and Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos.
In April 2009 they worked with Maestro Enrico Marconi giving a very successful performance in St John’s Smith Square of Beethoven’s Emperor Piano Concerto and 5th Symphony.
Performances include
Current Concert Programmes include
Baroque Extravaganza
(8 players)
Purcell Chacony in G Minor
Bach Brandenburg Concerto No 5
Telemann Viola Concerto
Bach Violin Concerto No 2 in E Major
Vivaldi Summer & Winter from The Four seasons
A night in Vienna
( 6 players)
Mozart ‘Dissonance’ String Quartet in C
Haydn ‘Lark’ String Quartet in D
Schubert Trout Quintet
Central Europe and the Gipsies
( 7 - 9 players)
Weiner Divertimento No 1
Bartok Rumanian Dances
Skalkottas 5 Greek Dances
Sarasate Zigeunerweizen
Brahms Hungarian Dances
Diniciu Pacsirta
Selection of Czardasz
Vivaldi et Piazzolla
Four Seasons
(8 players)
Vivaldi Quattro Stagioni
(Four Seasons)
Astor Piazzolla Las Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas
(Four Seasons of Buenos Aires)
Orpheus and his players have on various occasions taken part in London Ripieno Society concerts both accompanying the London Ripieno Singers and playing orchestral works. I have always found them to be responsive and equal to the task. Orpheus's sunny temperament and professionalism make him a pleasure to work with.
Geoffrey Hanson Conductor, London Ripieno Society, Artistic Director, East Finchley Arts Festival
The Orfeas Ensemble is an exciting and flexible chamber group based on the Orfeas String Quartet with the additional tonal forces of strings, woodwind, piano & harpsichord.
The Ensemble has a varied concert activity, recently including a series of performances of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons with Orpheus Papafilippou as Soloist/Director in London and the South East.
The Orfeas Ensemble is passionate about performing the larger mixed chamber ensemble repertoire. It draws inspiration from the legendary small ensembles/orchestras such as Haydn’s orchestra in Esterhazy, Bach’s in Colon, Vivaldi in Venice and Mozart in Vienna and even the Czardasz Bands of Central Europe. Using small forces creating an incisive sound with a mixture of leggiero playing, intensive rhythmic attack and beautiful a cantilena line the Orfeas Ensemble give exciting and authentically informed performances of Baroque and Classical Masterpieces through to works written for them.