Music

A recording by Early Music New York

A track featuring myself and Hank Heijink on Theorbo. This was an incredibly enjoyable recording experience, though a number of takes were wrecked by one of the peacocks on the grounds of St. John the Divine. Yes. Squawking peacocks.

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The Antioch Ensemble

A excerpt from a live track featuring myself on tenor, with the Antioch Ensemble, recorded in 2007. This is from Salve Regina, by William Cornysh

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Image © Maira Kalman

An excerpt from Nico Muhly’s Elements of Style composed for the release of Maira Kalman’s illustrated edition of Strunk & White’s seminal engish style guide.

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Active Ensembles

The Trinity Choir

As a full-time member of The Trinity Choir, I’ve had the honor of singing under amazing conductors over the last few years – from Owen Burdick and Andy Megill, to Jane Glover, Simon Carrington, and Stefan Parkman to the current maestro, Julian Wachner. I’ve acted as a countertenor soloist in Arvo Pärt’s Passio, and Blow’s Venus and Adonis, and a tenor soloist in multiple Messiah‘s, J.S. Bach’s Jesu, meine Freude, and most recently BWV 147, Herz und Mund und Tot und Leben.

Early Music New York

I sing and record regularly with Early Music New York. The 2010 season features two programs of early music, a medieval program in the fall, and a return of the popular Colonial Christmas program in December. I’m on a number of their recent CDs: A Colonial Christmas, A Dutch Christmas, and A Bohemian Christmas.

Clarion Music Society

I can be heard regularly with the Clarion Music Society, as a featured soloist with the Taghkanic Chorale, and have sung over the years with Antioch Ensemble, St. Thomas Church’s Choir of Gentlemen and Boys, and the Vox Vocal Ensemble, under George Steel (though he’s a bit busy now with his new gig)

Notable Performances

Upcoming – Missy Mazzoli’s Song from the Uproar

This new opera, to be performed at the Kitchen in February of 2011, is a fascinating surrealist interpretation on the utterly fascinating life of Isabelle Eberhardt.  Seriously, read the wikipedia entry.

Chris Cerrone’s “Invisible Cities”

Chorus member in the first staged production of this opera, performed to sold-out houses in the spring of 2011.  Super fun music, will definitely be using a couple of the tenor “arias” as audition fodder.

Divine Chemistry

Premiered Paul Dedell’s Divine Chemistry in Brattleboro, Vermont. Scored for tenor soloist, adult and children’s choir, and percussion ensemble. Joined by amazing percussionists Doug Perkins, Bill Solomon, Russel Greenberg, Steve Rice, Jen Rice, and Julian Gerstin. Read More

“You Are” Variations

In the fall of 2008, I sang with the SIGNAL ensemble, directed by Brad Lubman, in performance of Steve Reich’s new work. The New York Times hailed the performances as being “vibrant, euphoric performances that seemed to electrify the remarkably youthful audience”.

Elements of Style

In 2005, and again in 2008 (as part of Nico’s American Songbook performance), I performed in Nico Muhly’s entirely entertaining work, the Elements of Style, which was nominated as one of 2005′s Best Classical Performances by New York Magazine. The original New York Times review is here.

Sample Biography

Matthew B. Hensrud is always eager to participate in the next interesting project. Focusing on small ensemble work in modern and early music, he can be frequently heard on Trinity Wall Street’s concert series, and local ensembles such as the Clarion Ensemble, Antioch, and New York Early Music, Pomeriom among others. Recent projects include the premiere of Paul Dedell’s Chemistry of Love, in Brattleboro, Vermont, Bryan Senti’s new work, From the Margins, This, Unmentioned, and a visit to Moscow joining the chorus of Mark Morris’ Dido & Aeneas. Past highlights include multiple performances of BAM’s St. Matthew Passion, directed by Jonathan Miller, Nico Muhly and Maira Kalman’s Elements of Style, which New York Magazine nominated as one of the best classical music events of 2005, the staged premiere of David Lang’s new opera Anatomy Theatre, a recording of Michael Gordon’s Van Gogh Opera with Alarm Will Sound, a recording of Frank London’s Klezmer musical A Night at the Old Marketplace, is a featured soloist on New York Early Music’s recent album, A Dutch Christmas, and has a new recording of crossover rock/classical due in 2012 by Barry Seroff.