Long & Away  is a professional consort of viols that was founded in 2005. Based in Boston, we enjoy playing repertoire both familiar and unexpected. The consort has researched and performed original programs in New England and New York, including concerts for the SoHIP summer concert series, the New England Viola da Gamba Society, and the Gamba Gamut at the Boston Early Music Festival.  We recently presented an outreach program to international high school students attending Oxbridge Summer School at Barnard College in New York. Long & Away has collaborated with the English consort Seven Times Salt, vocal ensemble Sprezzatura and a number of our colleagues in the Boston area.  Our name is a reference to the music of Orlando Gibbons, beloved composer of English viol consort repertoire.

The viol or viola da gamba is a bowed string instrument that was played in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. It is related to the guitar and has frets and 6 or 7 strings.  After falling out of use in the 1700s, the instrument family was relatively unknown until the early music revival of the early 20th century.  We are pleased to share this beautiful instrument and its music with you.

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                  Photo by Devon Fernandez