lute/theorbo/archlute
Lutenist Richard Stone has performed as soloist and accompanist worldwide. The New York Times called his playing “beautiful” and “lustrously melancholy,” while while the Washington Post described it as having “the energy of a rock solo and the craft of a classical cadenza.” He co-directs Philadelphia baroque orchestra Tempesta di Mare. Recent engagements have included a two-season nationwide tour of the four Bach solo lute suites, and performances of lute concerti with the Handel & Haydn Society of Boston and Cleveland baroque orchestra Apollo’s Fire. Solo recordings include lute suites of Silvius Leopold Weiss, theorbo music by David Loeb and the world premiere release of the complete lute concerti of Weiss.
Stone is one of the most highly regarded baroque vocal accompanists on lute, archlute and theorbo in the United States and is in constant demand. He has accompanied today’s best-known vocal artists, including Christine Goerke, Lorraine Hunt, Julianne Baird, Christine Brandes, Jeffrey Thomas, Drew Minter and Nigel Rogers. He has also appeared with such leading ensembles as the Taverner Players, the Consort of Musicke, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Orpheus Chamber Ensemble, the Orchestra of Saint Luke’s, the New Century Chamber Orchestra, the Smithsonian Chamber Players, Glimmerglass Opera, Apollo’s Fire, the Handel and Haydn Society, the New York Collegium and the Mark Morris Dance Group.
In 1995, Stone made his conducting debut in the Orlando Opera Company production of L’Incoronazione di Poppea, which he led from the theorbo. Further conducting appearances include Schütz’s Christmas Story, Blow’s A Song for New Year’s Day 1700, Steffani’s Stabat Mater, and Handel’s Judas Maccabeus, Apollo e Dafne and Clori, Tirsi e Fileno.
Stone’s performances with Tempesta di Mare are carried regularly on National Public Radio’s Performance Today. Recording and broadcast credits include Chandos, Deutsche Grammophon, Lyrichord, PGM, Musical Heritage, Polygram, Vienna Modern Masters, ATMA, Eklecta, Centaur, Bis, Chesky, NPR, Czech Radio 3-Vltava and the BBC.
Richard Stone is instructor of baroque lute and theorbo at the Peabody Conservatory. He graduated With Highest Honors from SUNY at Purchase. He studied lute with Nigel North as a Fulbright Lusk Fellow at the Guildhall School in London, and with Patrick O’Brien at the Mannes College of Music in New York.