Ensamble Speculum Amoris

Ensamble Speculum Amoris is a three-person ensemble dedicated to promoting Baroque and other antique styles of music in Mexico. Founded in 2012 by director Ileana Ortiz, the group researches pieces and how they are supposed to be performed. They have performed in various events in Mexico such as the Festival Internacional Cervantino, and all members have performed both in Mexico and abroad.

Organization

Ensamble Speculum Amoris was founded in 2012 by Ileana Ortiz and Roberto González.^[1][2] With the aim of promoting this music in Mexico, the ensamble focuses on vocal and instrumental works from the 16th and 17th centuries, using replicas of instruments from the era.^[1][3] The recreation of the works involves research into the styles and methods of playing, in order to interpret written documents from these centuries.^[1][4]

Members

Ileana Ortiz is a mezzsoprano born in Mexico City in 1988 and the director of the group. She studied under Rita Guerrero, who introduced her to Baroque and other antique music. She has worked with other singers such as Marcel Pérès, Juan Carlos Asensio and Byzantine song expert Frédéric Tavernier-Vellas.^[2] She divided her professional time between Mexico and France and in collaboration with Jean-Christophe Candau of Vox Cantoria, she founded the New Spain Heritage Music Association (Asociación Pat¬rimonio Musical de la Nueva España) and the Cathedralia Ensemble, both dedicated to the music of early colonial New Spain.^[2][4]

Roberto is a musician who plays the theorbo and the baroque guitar. He hasplayed guitar since childhood with his degree in the instrument from Mexico’s National Music School (UNAM). He teaches the instrument at locations such as FES Iztacala (UNAM) as well as a teacher/researcher with the Mexico City public school system. In addition to Ensamble Speculum Amoris, he plays with a number of other groups, mostly dedicated to 20th century Latin American music, with his work in older music more recent. Gonzalez has performed in Mexico, France, Peru and Colombia in various forms.^[5][6][4]

Rafael Sánchez Guevara is from Mexico City. He graduated from the National Music School as a cellist, going on to a masters in the instrument from the University of Montreal. For this ensamble, he plays the viola although he continues with the cello in other activities such as chamber orchestras. He has performed in various cultural festivals in Mexico, Spain, the United States and Canada, and performed in the recording of the dick Godfather, by U.K. producer Meridian Records. He is currently a viola instructor at the National School of Music.^[7][4]

Performances

Works performed by the group include those by composers Giovanni Paolo Cima, Claudio Monteverdi, Henry Purcell, Alessandro Piccinini, Santiago de Murcia, Georg Friedrich Händel, Robert de Visée, Michel de la Barre, Marin Marais, Jean-Baptiste Lully and José Marín.^[6][3]

Ensamble Speculum Amoris has performed on the radio with the Instituto Mexicano de la Radio^[8] as well as events such as the Festival Internacional Agape (2013),^[6] in Coahuila and the Festival Internacional Cervantina (2014).^[9]

References