Matthias Maute, Flute

Matthias Maute joined Bach Society of Minnesota as Artistic Director in 2016. The Montreal-based conductor, composer, and recorder and flute soloist is founder of Montreal-based Ensemble Caprice, an orchestra he formed in 1993 that performs throughout the world. The award-winning artist was honored with two JUNO Awards and in 2020 received the OPUS Award for Musical Event of the Year in recognition of the Mini-Concerts Sante he created during the pandemic, delivering 9,000 Mini-Concerts to 70,000 people in Montreal, Quebec, and Canada while providing 3,000 hires of professional singers and musicians during difficult times.

In 2019 Matthias was named Artistic Director of Ensemble Vocal Arts-Quebec. He has earned international praise for his artistic approach, presenting lush, vibrant performances and recordings of Early Music, and occasionally weaving other musical genres into his work. The New York Times described Ensemble Caprice as being “an ensemble that encourages the listener to rehear the world.” Matthias’ recording of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos juxtaposed with his own arrangements of Preludes from Shostakovich’s Op. 87 was praised by The New Yorker’s Alex Ross as standing out “for its fleet, characterful approach” and “its fresh, vibrant colors.”

Margaret Humphrey, Violin

Violinist Margaret Humphrey maintains a vibrant freelance schedule as soloist, chamber musician, and orchestra member, performing in ensembles in the US and Europe. Previously a 25-year core member of the Minnesota Opera Orchestra, she now performs regularly with the Lyra Baroque Orchestra, Consortium Carissimi, Tempesta di Mare, and as concertmaster of the Bach Society of MN. A founding member of Belladonna Baroque quartet, she has toured throughout the US, Europe and Brazil. Cerulean Fire, her most recent ensemble, collaborates with dancers and percussionists crossing over genres to create dynamic performance experiences. Ms. Humphrey is also a member of the Kingsbury Ensemble in St. Louis and a soloist in the annual Ancient Music Series in St. Savin France. She has recorded on the Chondos, Dorian, Ten Thousand Lakes, and Naxos labels.

Grant Johnson, Violin

Based in Denver, CO, violinist Grant Johnson is a member of the Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado and has played with other period ensembles including the Bach Society of Minnesota, Ensemble Caprice, and Seicento Baroque. He also plays regularly with orchestras including the Boulder Philharmonic, Fort Collins Symphony, Greeley Philharmonic, and has served as guest concertmaster with the Boulder Symphony and Symphony of the Rockies.

Johnson is currently Executive Director of the Bach Society of Minnesota and St. Martin’s Chamber Choir in Denver. He was previously a member of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for three seasons. Prior to that, Johnson spent two years with the Phoenix Symphony as Assistant Librarian, frequently playing in the orchestra as well. He has also served as librarian for the Aspen Music Festival, Strings Music Festival, and was interim Executive Director for the Reading Symphony Orchestra in Pennsylvania. He has worked in various capacities with many of the top orchestras around the country including the Atlanta Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

Rebecca Humphrey, Cello

Cellist Rebecca Humphrey lives and works in the Philadelphia area where she is an active freelancer, performing with many US early music ensembles. A Bach continuo specialist, she has played frequently with Washington Bach Consort, Baltimore Bach Handel Choir, Cantate Chamber Singers, Bethesda, Trinity Church, NYC and Choral Arts, Philadelphia, to name a few. She has been principal cellist with Tempesta di Mare, Lyra Concert, Kammerensemble Luzern, Capriccio Basel, CityMusik, Chicago and Ars Musica. In Philadelphia she is founding member of many chamber groups including Aurelio, Kleinekammermusik, Night Music, the Franklin Quartet and is also a founding member of Belladonna Baroque Quartet. Rebecca graduated from Oberlin Conservatory and continued her studies at University of Minnesota. She has coached at Madison Early Music workshop and is currently a faculty member at Curtis Institute where she teaches baroque cello.

Tami Morse, Harpsichord

Tami Morse, harpsichord, is a soloist and chamber musician, performing regularly with Boulder Bach, the Bach Society of Minnesota, the Lyra Baroque Orchestra, Madison Bach Musicians, Minnesota Bach Ensemble (co-artistic director), and Early Music Minnesota (founding director). She was a finalist in the Jurow International Harpsichord Competition and has been awarded artist grants from the MSAB and MRAC to commission and perform new works for harpsichord, record and tour J. S. Bach’s sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord with colleague Tulio Rondón, and apprentice with master harpsichord builder Ton Amir in Amsterdam. Morse has a Master of Music degree from the University of Michigan and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Stony Brook University, and was awarded a prestigious DAAD grant, which she used to study at the Hochschule für Musik in Cologne with Ketil Haugsand.