Sestina Music

Sestina is a dynamic young vocal ensemble specialising in the performance of early music. Founded in Belfast in 2011 by countertenor Mark Chambers, who remains the ensemble’s Musical Director, Sestina has quickly built a reputation for excellence and authenticity in early music performance as well as a fresh and innovative approach to the programming of early music. To date, Sestina has performed all the stage works of Henry Purcell (The Fairy Queen (2013), King Arthur (2014) and Dido and Aeneas (2016)), and has collaborated with some of the finest specialist early music practitioners in the world: His Majesty’s Sagbutts and Cornetts, The Monteverdi String Band (for their 2016 production of Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610), Dutch violinist Johannes Leertouwer, and Irish Baroque Orchestra for productions of Handel’s Theodora (2018), Esther (2019) and Messiah (2019). The support and development of aspiring professional singers from Northern Ireland and Ireland is at the heart of Sestina’s activities, and our annual mentoring courses provide an immersive educational experience for young performers at various stages of their training and careers, giving them the opportunity to work alongside world-class professionals. Sestina is grateful to its principal sponsor, Exitex Ltd., for their ongoing support, and to the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Arts Council Ireland, and Foyle Foundation for funding its current season.