The Bay Area is so awash in great early music players, that when San Francisco Early Music Society decided to feature more local groups on their programming, it opened itself to more diversity than probably anyone but the local HIP community knew was out there.
Music of the Spheres, which is next up on the SFEMS concert schedule, features cellist Joanna Blendulf (of Musica Pacifica, American Bach Soloists, Portland Baroque, and many more), violinist Jeanne Johnson (Washington Bach Consort, Philharmonia Baroque, Tafelmusik, Portland Baroque, etc., etc.) and harpsichordist Yuko Tanaka (American Bach, Philharmonia Baroque, S.F. Symphony for starters). Who cares what these folks are playing? O.K., if you’re a French Baroque fan, you care. But everyone will care about the absolute artistry of the musicians, and their ability to make new music from old scores.