Candace Smith (singer)

Cappella Artemisia is an Italian all-female vocal group specializing in the music of the convents of 17th Century Italy. The group was founded by the American, but resident in Italy, singer and musicologist Candace Smith. Smith is also co-publisher, with her husband cornettist Bruce Dickey of editions of this music through Artemisia Editions. The main repertoire of the group focuses on nun composers themselves - including Raphaella Aleotti, the first nun to publish as a composer, Maria Xaveria Perucona and Isabella Leonarda (both Ursulines), Chiara Margarita Cozzolani and Rosa Giacinta Badalla (both from the Milan convent of Santa Radegonda), Sulpitia Cesis (from the Augustinian convent of S. Geminiano in Modena), Alba Tressina, Lucrezia Orsina Vizzana and Caterina Assandra. The ensemble also performs works of the male composers - some monks, some secular, who dedicated works to the covents.

The ensemble is also accompanied by an instrumental consort. For their 2011 release of Christmas music the line-up for the ensemble was singers: Elena Biscuola, Pamela Lucciarini, Anna Simboli, Candace Smith, Patrizia Vaccari, Silvia Vajente, Barbara Zanichelli, Francesca Bagli, Federica Di Leonardo. Plus Davide Monti, Elisa Bestetti (violins), Sofia Ruffino, Bettina Hoffmann, Sofia Gonzato (viola da gamba), Silvia Moroni (flute), Maria Christina Cleary (baroque harp), Stefano Rocco (theorbo, baroque guitar) and Miranda Aureli (organ, harpsichord).

...
Wikipedia