Valencia Baryton Project; photo credit: Alex Baker & Greg Kindred Photography
Valencia Baryton Project; photo credit: Alex Baker & Greg Kindred Photography
Matthew Baker of the Valencia Baryton Project; photo credit: Alex Baker & Greg Kindred Photography
Valencia Baryton Project; photo credit: Alex Baker & Greg Kindred Photography
Matthew Baker of the Valencia Baryton Project; photo credit: Alex Baker & Greg Kindred Photography
Monday, November 16, 2026
7:30 PM
*AT THE ATHENAEUM MUSIC & ARTS LIBRARY*
The Valencia Baryton Project is: Matthew Baker (baryton), Brett Walfish (viola), Ismar Gomes, (cello). This unique group returns to the Athenaeum with a varied program showcasing the baryton (a rarely heard instrument that had its heyday as the “King of instruments” in the 18th century) with works old and new, by Joseph Haydn and three pieces written for the Valencia Baryton Project.
Program
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
Baryton Trio No. 50 in D major, Hob. XI:50
Andante
Allegro Molto
Menuet: Trio
David Gorton (b.1978)
How sighs resound (after John Jenkins) for baryton trio (2025)
I. Fantasia (VdGS No. 11 in A minor, Jenkins arr. Gorton)
II. Resonance I
III. Fantasia (VdGS No. 10 in G, Jenkins arr. Gorton)
Commissioned by and written for the Valencia Baryton Project
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
Baryton Trio No. 9 in A major, Hob. XI:9
Adagio
Menuet: Trio
Finale: Allegro
Intermission
Matthew Baker (b.1979)
Waiting for Teddy (2019)
Commissioned by and written for the Valencia Baryton Project
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
Baryton Trio No. 35 in A major, Hob. XI:35
Pastorella: Adagio
Allegro molto
Minuetto: Trio
José Zárate (b. 1972)
Berceuse Rouge (2022)
Commissioned by and written for the Valencia Baryton Project
Luigi Tomasini (1741-1808)
Baryton Trio in C major, K. 19
Allegro spiritoso
Menuet
Finale: Rondo
About The Valencia Baryton Projec
The Valencia Baryton Project was founded by Valencia-based barytonist Matthew Baker, one of only a handful of baryton performers in the world, with the vision of performing the nearly 160 works written by Franz Joseph Haydn for the baryton, as well as compositions by other composers, both modern and classical. At the heart of the repertoire is the traditional baryton trio—baryton, viola, and cello—for which Haydn wrote 123 works of outstanding beauty during his time as court composer for Prince Esterhazy of Austria.
The Valencia Baryton Project has delighted audiences in sold-out concerts throughout North, Central and South America as well as Europe with what was considered to be the pinnacle of aristocratic instruments of the classical era. Their work was lauded as “delightfully inventive” (The Strad), and the trio was featured as the cover story of Spain’s leading classical magazine, Ritmo. They have also been in publications and programs such as SüdwestPresse (Germany) Radio Nacional de España, BBC 3 (UK), WDR 3 (Germany), RTE (Ireland), CBC (Canada) and Arizona Public Radio, among many others. Barytonist Matt Baker was also featured in a full-length article in the Strad about the instrument in March of 2023.
In 2021, the Valencia Baryton Project released Naxos Records’ first ever baryton CD, launching a new series for the label. Their début disc was lauded as “a superb recording” (All Music, USA), “a discovery for curious ears” (Online Merker, Switzerland), and “highly recommended” (Stretto, Belgium). Die Welt, one of Europe's most influential daily newspapers, said, “you can’t get enough of it.” It was included on All Music’s Favorite Classical Albums of 2021, nominated for Best Classical CD at Spain's 2021 Carles Santos Awards, and made the Top 20 list of Gramophone Magazine’s classical charts. Their recently-released second volume for Naxos was received high praise in The Strad: “the Valencia Baryton Project sounds more stylishly 18th-century than its rivals on record” and the American Record Guide: “These performances are the best I have heard of this repertoire.”
Beyond their work with Haydn and his contemporaries, the trio is committed to creating new works for this forgotten instrument, and has commissioned composers such as Steve Zink (Canada); Ivan Moody, David Gorton and John Pickup (UK); José Zárate (Spain) and Julian Calarco (Argentina) to expand the repertoire and incorporate this new soundscape in modern composition. They also enjoy collaborating with guest artists such as violinist Carrie Krause (USA), theorbist Chris Hirst (UK), fellow barytonist Jeremy Brooker (UK) and soprano Paloma Friedhoff (Spain), among others.
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