Cellist Tanya Tomkins and fortepianist Eric Zivian both have years of experience playing Classical and Romantic chamber music on historic instruments.
They believe that musicians and audiences alike can experience the music in an entirely new way if it's performed with deep understanding of the period style and instruments.
TOMPKINS: There were a lot of jokes about people who would do early music. I myself joked about them when I was in conservatory, I was like 'Oh those people, who are they? They wear Birkenstocks and eat granola and they're so weird.'
Tompkins and Zivian started a music festival devoted to just that; the Valley of the Moon Festival. They spoke with KALW’s Jen Chien to discuss what it’s been like to launch the festival, and why this music is so important.
