The Charleston-based chamber music ensemble Spartina Consort plays with period instruments, including the viola da gamba, recorder, transverse flute and harpsichord to make their performances of Renaissance and Baroque music as historically accurate as possible.
The group is made of four members: Susan Conant, Julia Harlow, Marcy Brenner and David Hunt.
Hunt, who hails from Seneca Falls, S.C., studied early music at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. After completing his program, he moved to Charleston and started a position as the Cantor of the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist on Broad Street.
He said what’s special about playing early music in Charleston is the historical buildings provide welcome context.
“Charleston has these historic buildings that actually experienced some of this music; it was actually played here,” he said. “So that sort of provided a good impetus to move back down here after finishing my studies — the idea of making 17th and 18th century music in a 17th and 18th century city.”
He connected with fellow musicians Collins, Harlow and Brenner over their shared passion for the early music movement. In fall 2022, they formed the Spartina Consort.
The idea of the ensemble, Hunt said, is to perform early music as historically accurate as possible. “We’re reading the treatises and texts that exist and tell us about how these instruments were played, the music they were playing and who was playing it.”
One of the aspects of early music Hunt is especially interested in is that these pieces were intended for casual enjoyment among friends rather than concert stages, for the most part.
“This is music that’s meant for private consumption — it’s music that was enjoyed among friends. That social aspect of it that appeals to me personally. This idea of, these people who like to play together, they just get together and play some music. And if some other people want to listen, that’s great. But it’s mostly for our enjoyment.”
The Spartina Consort’s concert programs are often themed around different time periods or composers. The next concert will take place at 4 p.m. Feb. 25 at the new Saint Clair of Assisi church on Daniel Island with a theme focused on female composers.
“‘Baroque Women’s Voices,’ it’s going to be a really interesting collection of some of these lesser-known female composers,” Hunt said. “Part of our mission is bringing these lesser-known composers and instruments into the open.”
In 2024, the new group aims to find more performance opportunities — especially in intimate settings, Hunt added.
“We want to perform in houses! We just haven’t been invited yet,” he said, adding that they are working towards securing coming concerts in the spring with Piccolo Spoleto and the North Charleston Arts Fest.
“We like to talk at our performances about the pieces we’re playing, the composers, the instruments. … It gives it all depth and adds to this idea of music for the community.”
Another goal, Hunt said, is to bring in guest artists. “There are a lot of really talented musicians in Charleston, and so we hope to have guests in the future.”
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